Last Big West tuneup for baseball ‘Bows

The story has been told over and over, but if you missed it, here’s today UH baseball story focusing on Marcus Doi, who was the only UH signee of the six drafted in 2013 to make it to campus.

Doi is coming off seven hits in two games to end the Chicago State series. Now batting .341, the junior outfielder from Mid-Pacific is hitting fifth in the lineup for tonight’s opener against Santa Clara.

Third baseman Johnny Weeks remains in the No. 3 hole despite hitting .227. Weeks does not have an extra-base hit this season, but Hawaii coach Mike Trapasso has really liked his approach at the plate and hopes it wears off on some of his other players.

Hawaii could really use a good offensive series heading into Big West play. Next week’s opening series against UC Irvine is a big one. UH is 0-9 against the Anteaters since joining the Big West. Any win coming off two good series would be a nice boost this program needs as it fights to stay around .500.

A series loss to the Broncos (8-10) this week would make a fourth consecutive losing season a real possibility.

Hawaii’s lneup tonight vs. Santa Clara
Matt LoCoco, CF (.218, 2 2b, 2 3b, 2 HR, 14 runs)
Jacob Sheldon-Collins, SS (.370, 27 hits, 12 runs, 11 RBIs)
Johnny Weeks, 3B (.222, 14 runs)
Eric Ramirez, 1B (.256, 4 2b, 1 HR, 14 RBIs)
Marcus Doi, LF (.341, 1 2b, 1 3b, 7 runs)
Alex Fitchett, RF (.221, 4 2b, 1 3b, 9 RBIs)
Kekai Rios, C (.320, 3 2b, 11 RBIs)
Alex Sawelson, DH (.200, 3 2b, 6 RBIs)
Josh Rojas, 2B (.193, 2 2b, 1 3b, 6 runs)
Brendan Hornung, RHP (2-4, 2.29 ERA, 39 1/3 IP, 37 H, 31 K)

Kamehameha grad Tyler Meditz is starting at DH and hitting seventh in the lineup for the Broncos. Meditz is hitting .156 (5-for-32) with a double and three runs scored this season in 13 games (10 starts).