UH’s Lau Kong finding his hitting stroke

It was the road trip from heck.

Hawaii baseball coach Rich Hill used last week’s bye from Big West competition to play nonconference road games against top-ranked UCLA and No. 6 Oregon State. The Rainbow Warriors lost all four. But they came away callused.

“I believe in playing the best you can possibly play,” Hill said. “When you play the best, that prepares you so much more and you become a much better player. … The fragility of confidence, that has to kind of step up a little bit. Men play this game, boys watch. … I’d rather go 0-for-4 against a future big leaguer, test myself, challenge ourselves. … We’re not going to back down against anybody. We’re going to make ourselves better by playing the best.”

Hill is hopeful those losses turn into lessons as the ’Bows enter the final three-week stretch of the regular season. The ’Bows play host to Hawaii Hilo tonight, then play three Big West opponents over three weekends. The ’Bows are in fifth place, percentage points ahead of Cal State Northridge. The top five teams qualify for the Big West Tournament in Irvine, Calif.

Hill plans to employ a staff approach of potentially nine pitchers against Hilo. But he will stick to what has become a usual lineup. The ’Bows will be without shortstop Elijah Ickes, who has missed 12 games after suffering a hairline fracture in his left hand. Third baseman Tate Shimao was scratched from last Saturday’s starting lineup but entered later as a defensive replacement.

Hill has been relying on outfielders Kamana Nahaku and Ben Zeigler-Namoa; multi-position Draven Nushida; infielders Taylor Takata, Kody Watanabe and Noah Rodriguez; catcher Jake Redding, and 6-foot-6 freshman Mana Lau Kong.

Lau Kong, an ‘Iolani School graduate, entered the season with an impressive background. He was a member of the Honolulu team that won the 2018 Little League World Series. After giving up basketball to focus on baseball, he hit .416 as an ‘Iolani senior.

But in Lau Kong’s first 12 UH games, he hit .167 while striking out once every 1.9 at bats.

“In high school, you get pitched around a lot,” Lau Kong said. “You don’t get attacked as much as the D-I level over here. Getting used to that was a big part of my game now. And just developing a more stable approach I can stick with,”

After intensive tutorial sessions with assistant coach Dave Nakama, Lau Kong delivered a clutch run-scoring double in UH’s victory over Cal State Fullerton on March 29.

“It just gave me a little bit more confidence,” Lau Kong said.

For the next 10 games, Lau Kong went 11-for-23 to increase his batting average to .306. His strikeout rate was 34.8% during that stretch.

Hill said Lau Kong has the tools, notably swing speed and exit velocity. But similar to most freshmen, Lau Kong needed to invest in the process, not necessarily the results, of improving, according to Hill.

“We don’t have any expectations of him hitting home runs and doubles and average and all that,” Hill said. “Just his process to be a great hitter is impeccable. Everything he’s been able to control, he’s been able to do. That includes his effort, his attitude, his enthusiasm and his coachability. And he’s been great.”