FROM CBD NEWS SOURCE
HONOLULU – The 2012 University of Hawai’i baseball schedule features seven non-conference home series, highlighted by national powers Oregon and Wichita State. The Rainbows will also host 2011 Western Athletic Conference tournament champion Fresno State, Apr. 5-7, in their conference-opening series.
“This season’s schedule is very challenging and balanced, and I am very excited about it,” said head coach Mike Trapasso, who enters his 11th season at the helm of the Rainbows. “One difference from previous years is the WAC’s return to a three-game weekend series.”
The 54-game schedule includes 38 games in the friendly confines of Les Murakami Stadium where UH ranked 17th nationally in attendance last season. Hawai’i averaged 3,320 fans per game, which was the highest in five years.
Also included on the schedule are first-time opponents Wagner College and Central Michigan. The Rainbows will play their final WAC schedule before moving to the Big West Conference in 2013.
UH will once again host autograph sessions on the field following all Friday night contests.
UH opens the season hosting Oregon for the second-straight year. The teams split a four-game series to begin the 2011 season. After a five-game set against Wagner, UH will again host perennial national power Wichita State. The ‘Bows won three of four games in their series last year. Hawai’i then hosts Central Michigan and San Francisco before taking its first road trip and playing Portland and Gonzaga.
The Rainbows then open WAC play against Fresno State. The teams finished the 2011 season as WAC regular season co-champions after splitting their four-game series in Fresno during the season. The ‘Bows close the regular season hosting Nevada before heading off to the WAC tournament, which will again be held in Mesa, Ariz.
