Rainbow Warriors set for Big West
Mar. 16—Hawaii baseball coach Rich Hill entered the twilight zone.
Hawaii baseball coach Rich Hill entered the twilight zone.
On the cusp of Tuesday evening, while gazing at the Mokulua islets from Lanikai Beach, Hill balanced the Windward side's serenity with preparing for this weekend's Big West opener against Cal Poly at San Luis Obispo, Calif.
The Rainbow Warriors departed Wednesday morning with a 27-player travel roster. Last year, Hill's first as UH head coach, the'Bows had about 27 available players most of the season. With this season's 40-player roster, Hill and his staff made some tough choices for the final travel spots. Hill said he had to factor in the matchups with Cal Poly's roster, reward the'Bows who have been playing well, and envision the substitution scenarios.
"I get it in compiling those (travel ) rosters, " said Hill, who was an infielder with San Diego State in the early 1980s. "It's important to me. I take it very seriously. I was the 28th guy. I was the guy on those San Diego State teams that never played and watched everybody. When you work as hard as we all do, you want to be part of that. On the other hand, (the players left behind have ) got a week to work and train (in Hawaii ) to see this doesn't happen to them again."
The'Bows brought 11 pitchers, including two-way player Ben Zeigler-Namoa.
Hill said left-handed pitchers will start the first two games of the three-game series—Harry Gustin in Friday's opener and Randy Abshier on Saturday. Hill said he has not decided on Sunday's starter.
Alex Giroux, who began his career at Washington and spent the previous two seasons at Clark College, will remain as the designated long reliever to Gustin and Abshier. Although Giroux made a two-inning start against Wright State, he is more effective out of the bullpen. In three relief appearances—each following Gustin or Abshier—Giroux has a 0.23 ERA, 0.57 WHIP, and 8.01 strikeouts per nine innings.
"Harry and Randy are real high-pitch-count guys, " Hill said. "It's going to be hard for them to go complete games, go through seven. If they can go two times through the lineup, Giroux is really good coming after one of those guys."
Gustin averages 3.7 pitches per plate appearance, and only once has faced a batter a third time in a game. Abshier has not recorded an out in the fifth inning in any of his four starts. Hill said Gustin, Abshier, Harrison Bodendorf, Giroux and reliever Connor Harrison are "pieces there to keep us in ball games."
Hill said he expects more consistency from Dalton Renne and Tai Atkins. "Once those two guys can get to their 2022 form, we're going to be in a much better position, " Hill said.
Hill said outfielder Jared Quandt, who did not play last season after suffering a labrum injury, and Zeigler-Namoa have provided an offensive spark. "Jared Quandt has surprised me in a great way, " Hill said of Quandt, who initially was recruited as a catcher. "He really stands out."
Hill said Matthew Miura provides the "speed, power, athleticism that we're looking for."
For now, Hill said, "we're still a work in progress. That's the way it usually is. The conference season is a grind. Guys emerge and earn some spots and do some special things and really grow."
