Tuesday, October 13, 1998
Schedule for ’99
By Al Chase
has familiar look
Star-BulletinThere are no surprises on the 1999 Hawaii Rainbows' baseball schedule. The first four opponents are from California, the first two from the tough Pac-10 Conference.
"Most of the teams we're playing are kind of loaded, but that's all right," UH head coach Les Murakami said.
UCLA and California provide the opposition the last two weekends of January. The Bruins and Golden Bears finished 54th and 63rd, respectively, in the final 1997 Rating Percentage Index.
After Cal State Sacramento and St. Mary's visit Rainbow Stadium, perennial national power Wichita State is in for a weekend series rather than its semiannual Rainbow Easter tournament appearance.
The switch is due to the NCAA rule that limits teams to one visit every four years if the exemption of not counting the games against the schedule maximum is used.
The Shockers finished 1997 No. 13 in the RPI. No. 14 Rice, the defending Western Athletic Conference champion, makes its first Hawaii visit in late April.
The Rainbows open WAC competition at Texas Christian (40th in the RPI), Feb. 26-28, then host Brigham Young for the last time March 4-6.
WAC rival Fresno State (59th in the RPI) is here for a weekend series March 19-21 and the Bulldogs will stay to participate in the Rainbow Easter Tournament, March 22-28.
Also in the tournament are Northwestern, Hawaii-Hilo, Hawaii Pacific and a team from Japan. The Sea Warriors last played the Rainbows in 1989.
The WAC will operate with one division in 1999 with the top six teams qualifying for the postseason tournament.
"No matter who you are, if you're not good enough, you won't make the tournament," Murakami said. "I think one division is going to make a difference. No one is going to get a free ride."
Murakami's reference is to Grand Canyon, which went to the WAC tournament last year with a 16-14 record in conference play because the Antelopes finished first in their division.
With all 11 WAC schools playing each other, Murakami thinks this will help the the power rating of the conference. An increased power rating can mean more teams receiving invitations to the NCAA playoffs.
The annual doubleheader with the alumni is Jan. 17.
Jan. 17: Exhibition vs. Alumni (2), 3:05 p.m. Hawaii Rainbows
1999 scheduleJan. 22: UCLA, 6:35 p.m. 23: UCLA, 1:05 p.m. 24: UCLA, 3:05 p.m.
Jan. 28: California, 6:35 p.m. 29: California, 7:05 p.m. 30: California, 6:05 p.m.
Feb. 4: Cal State Sacramento, 6:35 p.m. 5: Cal State Sacramento, 6:35 p.m. 6: Cal State Sacramento, 1:05 p.m.
Feb. 12: St. Mary's (Calif.), 6:35 p.m. 13: St. Mary's, 6:05 p.m. 14: St. Mary's, 3:05 p.m.
Feb. 19: Wichita State, 7:05 p.m. 20: Wichita State, 3:05 p.m. 21: Wichita State, 3:05 p.m.
Feb. 26: at Texas Christian. 27: at Texas Christian. 28: at Texas Christian.
March 4: Brigham Young, 7:05 p.m. 5: Brigham Young, 6:35 p.m. 6: Brigham Young, 1:05 p.m.
March 12: at San Jose State. 13: at San Jose State. 14: at San Jose State.
March 19: Fresno State, 6:35 p.m. 20: Fresno State, 1:05 p.m. 21: Fresno State, 3:05 p.m.
March 22-28: 24th Rainbow Easter Baseball Tournament with Fresno State, Hawaii-Hilo, Hawaii Pacific, Northwestern, Japan team TBA and Hawaii.
22: Northwestern vs. Hawaii Pacific, 11 a.m.; Hawaii-Hilo vs. Japan, 2:30 p.m.; Fresno State vs. Hawaii, 6:37 p.m.
23: Hawaii Pacific vs. Hawaii-Hilo, 11 a.m.; Japan vs. Fresno State, 2:30 p.m.; Northwestern vs. Hawaii, 6:37 p.m.
24: Fresno State vs. Hawaii Pacific, 11 a.m.; Hawaii-Hilo vs. Northwestern, 2:30 p.m.; Japan vs. Hawaii, 6:37 p.m.
25: Northwestern vs. Fresno State, 11 a.m.; Hawaii Pacific vs. Japan, 2:30 p.m.; Hawaii-Hilo vs. Hawaii, 6:37 p.m.
26: Japan vs. Northwestern, 11 a.m.; Fresno State vs. Hawaii-Hilo, 2:30 p.m.; Hawaii Pacific vs. Hawaii, 6:37 p.m.
27: Fifth seed vs. Sixth seed, 11 a.m.; Second seed vs. Third seed, 2:30 p.m.; First seed vs. Fourth seed, 6:37 p.m.
28: Fifth place, 9 a.m.; Third place, noon; Championship, 3 p.m.
April 1: Nevada-Las Vegas, 7:05 p.m. 2: Nevada-Las Vegas, 7:05 p.m. 3: Nevada-Las Vegas, 1:05 p.m.
April 6: at Air Force. 7: at Air Force. 8: at Air Force.
April 16: Hawaii-Hilo, 6:35 p.m. 17: vs. Hawaii-Hilo, noon, Maui's War Memorial Stadium. 18: at Hawaii-Hilo, 1 p.m., Francis Wong Stadium.
April 23: Rice, 7:05 p.m. 24: Rice, 1:05 p.m. 25: Rice, 3:05 p.m.
April 29: at Utah. April 30: at Utah. May 1: at Utah.
May 4: at San Diego.
May 6: at San Diego State. 7: at San Diego State. 8: at San Diego State.
May 14: New Mexico, 7:05 p.m. 15: New Mexico, 7:05 p.m. 16: New Mexico, 7:05 p.m.
May 18-22: WAC Tournament at site TBA.
May 28-30: NCAA Regionals.
June 4-5: NCAA Super Regionals.
June 11-19: College World Series.
WAC opponents in bold face.
Home games at Rainbow Stadium.
http://uhathletics.hawaii.edu
