The wrist watch is over for University of Hawaii third baseman Ethan Lopez.

Despite a wrist injury that forced him to miss 14 games, Lopez has vowed to play the rest of this baseball season.

“We’re glad he’s back,” head coach Mike Trapasso said of one of the Rainbow Warriors’ most consistent hitters (.298 average, .317 on-base percentage, .456 slugging percentage) and fielders (four errors in 15 games).

Lopez is expected to be in the middle of the lineup when the ’Bows play UC Riverside in Friday’s opener of a three-game Big West series.

“He’s not 100 percent, but hopefully he can stay where he is and keep battling for us,” Trapasso said. “We know he’ll play really good defense and give us everything he’s got.”

Lopez, a right-handed junior from Whittier, Calif., suffered the injury to his left wrist while clutching his moped’s handles when the bike jerked.

“It took off on me when I started it, and it pulled me with it,” Lopez recalled. “It was a freak accident.”

Lopez was on UH’s 27-player roster for the recent seven-game, 14-day road trip. The first week of the trip, Lopez admittedly did “not touch a baseball” while undergoing physical therapy and electrical-stimulation treatments. Trapasso said he never considered replacing Lopez on the travel squad.

“He brings value to our team as a leader, emotionally and intensity-wise, when he isn’t playing,” Trapasso said. “When he is playing, he gives us 10 times more.”

Lopez said he tried to offer tips and encouragement from the dugout.

“It’s good for us to stay focused and engage the dugout in our games,” Lopez said. “We’re a team that feeds off each other.”

During the road trip, a plan was formulated in which Lopez would undergo additional medical examinations this week. But Lopez was named a surprise starter for Sunday’s road game against UC Davis.

“I was feeling good,” Lopez said. “I told (Trapasso) I was good to go. He told me not to try to do too much.”

Trapasso said Lopez received clearance from the medical staff. “I’m good with it, because there’s a kid who’s going to battle through all kinds of pain and not let it affect him,” Trapasso said. “We had all the confidence. As long as he felt good about it, we were going to go ahead and play him.”

On the first pitch to Lopez that game, he smacked a 390-foot homer into the parking area.

“I didn’t try (for a homer), but sometimes good things happen when you put the bat on the ball,” Lopez said. “It was a change-up (the pitcher) left up.”

Lopez’s return provides flexibility for the ’Bows. Kekai Rios, who started at third in Lopez’s absence, can return to catcher. If Chayce Ka‘aua or Tyler Murray catch, Rios can be the designated hitter. In most scenarios, Lopez plans to be at third.

“I’m going to play the rest of the season, and see what’s going on later,” Lopez said.