The Hawaii baseball team’s quick start has earned a poll position.
The Rainbow Warriors, 11-3 overall and 3-1 in the Big West, are ranked 30th in this week’s Collegiate Baseball Newspaper Top 30. The honor is a result of the ’Bows’ winning the league-opening series, three games to one, against Long Beach State this past weekend.
“My thoughts are it’s recognition to our guys from a national publication,” UH coach Mike Trapasso said. “Any time you’re ranked in the top 30 out of almost 300 schools, that’s great recognition. And hopefully our guys can use that as motivation to continue to go out and work hard.”
Collegiate Baseball’s poll is billed as the oldest college baseball ranking, initiated during the 1959 season.
By winning the first three of four against Long Beach State, the ’Bows extended their winning streak to 10, the longest in Trapasso’s 20 seasons as head coach. During Trapasso’s tenure, the ’Bows have played a challenging pre-conference schedule, with games against Vanderbilt, Texas, Oregon State and Ohio State. The ’Bows, who opened at Arizona State, were supposed to play No. 10 Michigan this season. They play top-ranked Vanderbilt next season.
“You look at our schedule over the years, we’re playing some of the best teams,” Trapasso said.
Trapasso said Long Beach State will be a contender for the Big West championship.
“I can tell you this, there’s no question in my mind, Long Beach State is going to be right up there in competition for the league title,” Trapasso said. “They are that talented, and their arms are elite.”
The ’Bows depart Thursday afternoon ahead of this weekend’s four-game road series against UC Irvine. The following week, the ’Bows play host to UC Santa Barbara.
“There’s no question, these first three weekends (of Big West play), if you look at all the predictions, those are the teams picked to finish in the top three. Right off the bat, we’re jumping into the deep end. … We’re playing a 40-game conference season, and every game has equal weight and value. That’s how we’re approaching it.”
