HONOLULU – After splitting the first four games of the trip, Hawai'i continues its season-long eight-game road swing Wednesday against Pepperdine at 12 p.m. HT. The 'Bows have won eight of their last 11 games, and will play a three-game series at UC Irvine following Wednesday's game. UH is 11-7 all-time against the Waves, with the last meeting coming in 2015 when Hawai'i dropped three of four games in Malibu.
Following Wednesday's game against the Waves, the Rainbow Warriors jump back into Big West action with a series at UC Irvine Friday through Sunday.
HEAD COACH RICH HILL
At Hawai'i: 49-39, 2nd season
Collegiate Record: 1,128-777-4, 36th season
SERIES VS. PEPPERDINE
Record: 11-7
Streak: Pepperdine won 3
Last Meeting: March 1, 2015 (Pepperdine won, 10-5)
LEADING OFF
DID YOU KNOW?
Matt Wong has started to catch fire of late, hitting .381 with three homers and 12 RBIs in the last 10 games, with all three of those homers coming in the four games played last week.
SPLIT STARTS THE ROAD TRIP
Hawai'i started off its season-long eight-game road trip by going 2-2 last week. The 'Bows began the week by knocking of Cal Baptist, 9-4, in a nonconference game Tuesday before dropping two of three games over the weekend at UC Riverside, winning a wild 12-10 game Saturday between a pair of one-run losses. UH hit .299 with six home runs as a team over the four games, scoring 29 runs on 43 hits while drawing 25 walks.
Matt Wong led the way offensively, hitting .450 with three homers and six RBIs, highlighted by a two-homer game on Saturday against the Highlanders.
Stone Miyao batted .500 and reached base at a .722 clip, working seven walks throughout the week while
Dallas Duarte hit .385 with a pair of homers and a .619 on-base percentage.
NAIL BITERS
Hawai'i has been in a number of close games this season, especially in this recent stretch. The 'Bows have had 17 games decided by three or fewer runs, including 12 games in the last 16 that have been decided by one or two runs. UH is 10-7 in games decided by three runs or less and 5-7 in one-run games, while 13 of the Rainbow Warriors' 18 Big West games have been either one or two-run games, including each of the last six conference games.
MASHING ON THE MAINLAND
The Hawai'i offense has taken advantage of playing in more offensive-friendly conditions on the road. The 'Bows are hitting .294 in away games with 18 homers and 103 runs scored in 16 games on the mainland. Five regulars in the starting lineup are hitting over .300 while six have hit multiple home runs and four have 10 or more RBIs. At home, UH is batting .249 with 10 homers and 118 runs in 20 games.
LATE INNING MAGIC
The Hawai'i bats have come through in the clutch late in games to lead the 'Bows to wins this year. In wins this year, the Rainbow Warriors have scored the go-ahead runs in the sixth inning or later eight times, including five times in the last seven wins. UH is also 5-0 in games that have been tied after the sixth inning and 6-0 in games that are tied after five. Additionally, the eight go-ahead run-scoring plays have come off the bat of seven different players.
Go-Ahead Scoring Plays in Ws (6th inning or later)
Jared Quandt – Wright State (2/18), RBI 2B, 8th inning
Jacob Igawa – at Cal Poly (3/17), E9, 10th inning
Kyson Donahue – Tulane (3/24), 2B, 2 RBI, 6th inning
Matthew Miura – CSU Bakersfield (4/8), FC, RBI, 8th inning
Dallas Duarte – UC San Diego (4/14), 2B, RBI, 8th inning
Jacob Igawa – Long Beach State (4/21), 1B, 2 RBI, 7th inning
Zach Storbakken – Long Beach State (4/22), 2B, RBI, 8th inning
Matt Wong – at UC Riverside (4/29), HR, 2 RBI, 9th inning
MIX & MATCH
After using 50 different batting lineups in 52 games a year ago, head coach
Rich Hill again has a ton of options offensively in 2023, having used 34 different lineup combinations through the first 36 games of the season.
» No UH player has been in the same spot in the lineup in every game.
» All nine spots in the lineup have had at least three different players start in them.
» 14 different players have started in the No. 8 hole while nine have started in the No. 9 spot.
FRIDAY NIGHT HARRY
Sophomore
Harry Gustin has locked down the role of Friday night starter over the course of the season. The lefty leads the team with 53 strikeouts over 56.1 innings pitched, and holds a 3.36 ERA and a 2-3 record over 10 starts and 11 total appearances. His 2.65 ERA in conference play ranks sixth in The Big West while his seven runs allowed are the fewest by any pitcher that has throwing at least 33.0 innings in league play. After not making it into the fifth inning in two of his first three starts, Gustin has worked into the fifth in each of his last seven, with six of those outings going 5.2 innings or longer.
» Owns a 2.16 ERA with 25 strikeouts over 25.0 innings and 13 hits allowed in his last four home starts.
» Named Big West Pitcher of the Week after working seven innings with eight strikeouts and giving up just one run on one hit, taking a no-hitter into the seventh inning vs. Tulane on March 24.
» The starting pitcher in two of UH's three shutout victories, working 5.2 scoreless innings in both starts.
SHUT THE DOOR
Lefty
Connor Harrison has been one of the Rainbow Warriors' go-to arms out of the bullpen all season. The junior leads The Big West with 21 appearances and is second in the league and 13th nationally among all qualified pitchers with a 2.17 ERA. Harrison also is second in the conference with seven saves and has 37 strikeouts to 12 walks in 37.1 innings pitched.
» Owns a 1.17 ERA over 15.1 innings at home, striking out 19 while walking five in 10 appearances.
» Has not allowed an earned run in 16 of his 21 appearances.
» Earned saves in back-to-back appearances, getting the final two outs vs. Long Beach State on Apr. 23 before throwing a career-long four innings with four strikeouts at Cal Baptist on Apr. 25.
DANDY RANDY
Randy Abshier has started to hit his stride on the mound in recent weeks and has solidified the role of Saturday starter. Abshier has started 11 games and is 4-1 with a 3.50 ERA with 49 strikeouts to 18 walks over 54.0 innings on the year. The senior has worked into the sixth inning in his last three starts, and is 2-0 with a 3.26 ERA and 16 strikeouts to just three walks over 19.1 innings in that stretch.
» Earned Big West Pitcher of the Week honors after tossing a two-hit shutout with nine strikeouts vs. Long Beach State on Apr. 22, becoming the first Big West pitcher to throw a shutout this year.
» Did not allow a run for 12 straight innings between his shutout of the Dirtbags and the first three innings of his start at UC Riverside.
» The Rainbow Warriors have won six of his last seven starts while the team is 8-3 overall in games that he gets the ball to start.
» Fourth in The Big West with a .209 batting average against.
