The Hawaii baseball team made a significant announcement on Monday as it released its full 2025 schedule. With 35 out of 52 games set to take place on a brand new turf field at Les Murakami Stadium, fans are eagerly anticipating the upcoming season. UH is currently in the process of installing new turf to replace the well-worn DomoTurf that was installed back in 2008.

Coach Rich Hill's Home Series Ethos

Coach Rich Hill has firmly resolved to play his nonconference series exclusively at home, if feasible. His fourth season in Manoa adheres to this principle. The Rainbow Warriors kick off their season with 12 consecutive games at LMS, consisting of three consecutive four-game series. The opener against Marshall on February 14 marks the beginning of an exciting stretch, followed by Wichita State and Northeastern visiting town in the next two weeks. Entering the season, UH holds the nation's longest home winning streak at 11 games, adding to the anticipation.

Big West Play and Tournament

This year, Big West play begins a week earlier to make room for the inaugural Big West baseball tournament. The tournament will include the top five out of 11 teams in the conference. UH heads to UC Riverside for the first of 10 three-game BWC series starting on March 7. The Rainbow Warriors, who have shown strength in closing seasons under Hill but have yet to claim the Big West title, will aim to make the tournament from May 21 to 25 at Cal State Fullerton, with the conference's automatic NCAA Tournament berth as the ultimate prize.

Home and Road Series

UH's home Big West series include UC Santa Barbara (March 14-16), UC Davis (March 22-24), Long Beach State (April 4-6), Cal State Bakersfield (April 25-27), and UC San Diego (May 15-17). However, the regular-season finale against UCSD on May 17 may face a scheduling conflict. On the road, UH has Big West series at UCR (March 7-9), CSUN (March 28-30), Cal Poly (April 11-13), UC Irvine (April 17-19), and Cal State Fullerton (May 9-11). These road trips will test the team's mettle as they strive for success in the Big West.

Nonconference Games

Oregon State, competing as a Division I independent for a year as the Pac-12 Conference awaits its new members, will visit for a late-season four-day nonconference series from May 2 to 5. For the second consecutive year, UH will face all three local Division II programs with a combined four games against Chaminade, Hawaii Hilo, and Hawaii Pacific at Les Murakami Stadium. UH will play Chaminade there twice (March 11 and April 22) in the second year under coach Chad Konishi. Additionally, there are stand-alone nonconference road games against Santa Clara (April 8) and USC (April 15). These games add variety to the team's schedule and provide opportunities for growth.

Returning Talent

UH led the country in earned-run average last season with a remarkable 3.78. The team also returns tantalizing prospect Itsuki Takemoto, who was the most outstanding pitcher at the prestigious Cape Cod League over the summer. His presence adds to the team's pitching depth and potential for success in the upcoming season.Brian McInnis covers the state's sports scene for Spectrum News Hawaii. He can be reached at brian.mcinnis@charter.com.