Hectic?
After tonight’s contest against Hawaii Pacific, the Hawaii baseball team will depart on Wednesday to play seven games in 11 days in California. But head coach Rich Hill said the ’Bows embrace the heavy diet of competition.
“I think our guys have a ‘wait’ problem — they can’t wait to get back on the field,” said Hill, whose ’Bows were swept by UC Irvine last weekend. “There is no hectic schedule. This is college baseball. There are days off everywhere. So, we’re good.”
Following the blueprint for most mid-week games, the ’Bows are expected to go with the “staff” strategy of using multiple pitchers to each work a limited number of innings. Isaiah Magdaleno, who lasted 10 batters and one inning in last Saturday’s start, is among the pitchers expected to be used tonight.
Myles Standish and Dylan Waite also are pitching candidates. Neither has appeared in a Big West game this season.
Hill said the path to experience and improvement is “to play against really good competition in a venue like (Les Murakami Stadium against) a team that wants to make a statement. It’s a great opportunity for our pitchers.”
UH’s offense has produced during a 15-10 start. The ’Bows have scored 196 runs, their most through the first 25 games of a season since 1998.
In the last six games, Kyson Donahue has hit .545. He is batting a team-best .400 in six Big West games. Donahue has moved up to fifth or sixth in the lineup after an early slump dropped him to the bottom third. Hill said Donahue has shortened his swing and corrected his bat path.
“He’s feeling more comfortable,” Hill said of Donahue, who has played every infield position and both corner outfield spots this season. ”He’s dialed in right now.”
Hill is mindful of Division II HPU’s motivation.
“I’m a Cal Lutheran guy,” Hill said of the Division II school. “I’m an alum, and I coached there for six years. I cut my teeth in my coaching career beating teams like USC, all the big boys. I’ve been on the other side of this thing, and know how good those (Division II) teams are, and how well they play in an environment they’re going into. We’ve got our hands full. There’s not a coach around that knows the dangers of this better than me.”
NCAA BASEBALL
At Les Murakami Stadium
Hawaii Pacific (19-15) vs. Hawaii (15-10)
>> When: 6:35 p.m. today
>> TV: Spectrum Sports
>> Radio: 1420-AM; 92.7-FM
