In seeking a 2019 baseball opponent, Hawaii coach Mike Trapasso went to a Web site that lists available NCAA teams and found a swipe-right-worthy match.
And that is how the Rainbow Warriors ended up in Columbus, Ohio, for this week’s four-game series against Ohio State. The opener is Thursday.
Next to the bye week, Trapasso said, “this is the second-hardest week to fill.”
The ’Bows are members of the Big West, which usually starts league play a week later than most conferences.
“We have a hard time filling (this week) every year,” Trapasso said. “There’s a Web site we all go to where we list open dates. I saw (Ohio State was) available.”
Easing the arrangement was the friendship between Trapasso and OSU coach Greg Beals. Danny Hall coached Beals at Kent State. Later, as Georgia Tech’s head coach, Hall hired Trapasso as pitching coach. The ’Bows will receive a substantial guarantee from Ohio State.
Last year, the ’Bows played a road series against Louisiana State. Next year, they travel to Vanderbilt, as well as to games against Oregon and Washington State.
“We’re back to playing as difficult a schedule as we can,” said Trapasso, noting Ohio State competed in the 2018 NCAA Regionals. “We want to play a good schedule, challenge ourselves, and get ready for the league. The kids like it, the fans like it.”
The ’Bows played five four-game series during the recently completed 20-game homestand. Trapasso said he will approach “this series as a three-game series, because that’s what we’re going to be doing the rest of the year. And then we’ll have a ‘bonus’ game on Sunday, and we’ll see what’s up.”
In conference play, all series are three games.
“You can call it a three-game series, or a four-game series, or four one-game series,” UH outfielder Scotty Scott said. “I’m going to take it one at-bat at a time, and we’re going to take it one pitch at a time. From a player’s perspective, three- or four-game series, it doesn’t matter. We’re just going after it.”
Trapasso said Jeremy Wu-Yelland will be the starting pitcher on Thursday, Li‘i Pontes on Friday and Aaron Davenport on Saturday. Trapasso said Sunday’s pitchers “will depend on what’s left.”
Trapasso said the 27 travel spots were filled with the healthy players who are not redshirting.
Trapasso said center fielder Adam Fogel met with a doctor on Monday. On Wednesday, Fogel is scheduled to undergo shoulder surgery at the Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic in Los Angeles. The facility treats the Los Angeles Dodgers, Los Angeles Angels, Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Rams, Los Angeles Chargers and LA Galaxy. Fogel will not play the rest of the season.
NCAA Baseball
>> Who: Hawaii (9-11) at Ohio State (9-10)
>> When: Thursday, Friday, 11:05 a.m.; Saturday, 9:05 a.m.; Sunday, 7:05 a.m.
>> Where: Bill Davis Stadium, Columbus, Ohio
>> TV: None
>> Radio: 1500 AM
