2012 Preseason All-WAC Team

DENVER – Announced Wednesday by the Western Athletic Conference, four University of Hawai'i baseball players were voted 2012 Preseason All-WAC and Hawai'i was predicted to finish third in the preseason coaches poll. Pitcher Matt Sisto, outfielder Breland Almadova, shortstop Pi'ikea Kitamura, and third baseman Collin Bennett were the four UH honorees.
 
Fresno State, the 2011 Co-Regular Season champions with Hawai'i, was picked to finish first with 33 points. San Jose State ranked second with 31 points, followed by UH with 29, Nevada and New Mexico State with 17, Louisiana Tech with 14 points, and Sacramento State with six.
 
New Mexico State junior catcher Zac Fisher was named the preseason player of the year, while San Jose State junior Zack Jones was picked the preseason pitcher of the year. UH's four selections ranked second behind New Mexico State's five picks.
 
Last season Sisto, the ace of the Rainbow pitching staff, led the 'Bows with 15 starts, posting a 5-5 record with a 3.67 ERA. In 83.1 innings pitched, a team high, he recorded 55 strikeouts and held opposing batters to a .250 average. He tossed a career-high eight innings last season (Centenary, 3/18) and six times pitched seven or more innings.
 
Almadova was one of UH's top hitters last season. He led the 'Bows in runs scored (54) and was second in doubles (16). He also batted .298 which was fourth best on the team and was second in stolen bases (16). 
 
Kitamura and Bennett will anchor the left side of the UH infield. Kitamura started all but two games last season and saw action at second and third as well. Bennett will make the move from the outfield to third base after spending the fall season adjusting to the position. He was fourth on the team last season with a .292 batting average.
 
The Rainbows were crowned WAC Co-Regular Season champions last year for the first time since 1992 and fell in the WAC Tournament championship to Fresno State.
 
UH will play its annual Alumni game on Saturday at 1:00 p.m., and will open the season hosting a four-game series against Oregon (Feb. 17-20).






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