Besides taking 2 of 3 at UC Santa Barbara over the weekend, the Hawai'i baseball team's first road trip of the season was successful in other aspects.

One was the return of second baseman Jon Hee. He had been out since the season opener Jan. 2 when he subluxed his left shoulder diving for a grounder. He went 2 for 11 in the series, but his three RBIs on Sunday were key in the Rainbows' 9-2 win; his sacrifice fly in the third tied the game and his two-run single in the sixth padded UH's then narrow 3-2 lead.

"I was just happy to help the team, rather than just watching and cheering," Hee said.

Hee said he was cleared to practice a week ago. Hee was 2 for 3 in the season opener against Santa Clara until the injury put him on the shelf. He dived for a grounder by Tommy Medica and landed on his left or glove-side shoulder. It was a similar injury that he had the previous season. While rehabilitating his shoulder, he stayed in shape and did what he could to stay sharp.

"I was motivated to work hard to get back into the lineup," said Hee, who is batting .286 and has fielded flawlessly in 16 total chances.

Sophomore Nate Young replaced Hee, batting .276 during the span. Young had a pinch-hitting appearance (for Evan Zimny on Sunday), drawing a walk. Hee's return solidifies UH's infield depth.

The Rainbows also welcomed back outfielder Derek DuPree, who started two games at designated hitter. He was 1 for 5. Except for a pinch-hitting appearance two weeks ago, he has not played. He was recovering from off-season knee injury.

Hawai'i also lost center fielder Brandon Haislet on Friday with back problems, but he was able to return Saturday at DH and Sunday in center. He went 4 for 9 in the series.

NEXT UP: SHOCKERS

Hawai'i needs all the help it can get at the plate this weekend when it takes on No. 12 Wichita State (1-2). The three-game series runs Friday through Sunday at Les Murakami Stadium. It is the first nationally ranked team the Rainbows (9-3) will play this season.

But before the Shockers get here, they will drop by the Big Island for doubleheaders at 3 p.m. today and noon tomorrow against the UH-Hilo Vulcans (0-9) at Wong Stadium. The Vulcans, however, haven't played since Feb. 4 against Kansas.

The Shockers were down the coast from UH over the weekend, losing 2 of 3 at No. 20 Pepperdine. If anything, the Shockers — picked to finish second behind Evansville in the Missouri Valley Conference — appear to have some strong pitching.

The Waves beat the Shockers, 2-0, on Friday. Preseason all-MVC selection Aaron Shafer (0-1), a sophomore right-hander, allowed a run, four hits and a walk in 5 1/3 innings while striking out three. Last year, he led the staff at 11-3 with a 2.63 earned run average with a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 77 to 22.

Junior right-hander Travis Banwart (0-1) didn't fare as well, allowing four runs (three earned) in three innings in a 10-2 loss Saturday. Still, he was 9-4 with a 3.87 ERA last season.

The Shockers' best outing of the weekend came from their Sunday starter, junior left-hander Rob Musgrave (1-0), who had the longest stint of the three, going seven innings, allowing a run, four hits and a walk with four strikeouts in beating the Waves, 3-2.

The Shockers return seven starting position players from last year's team that went 46-22 and lost to host Oklahoma in the Regionals.

They have one of the better two-way players in second baseman/closer Damon Sublett. The left-handed hitting, but right-handed throwing junior was the MVC Player of the Year and all-America selection. Draft-eligible, he is ranked 48th in Baseball America's top 100 college prospects list.

He led Wichita State with a .394 batting average, .500 on-base percentage and 10 home runs last season.

Another top 100 player is junior outfielder Matt Brown (No. 83), who batted .335 with seven home runs and 65 RBIs last year.

STILL WAITING

The Vulcans aren't the only team in the state with a long break between games. Division II Hawai'i Pacific (0-5) hasn't played since Feb. 5 and won't play again until Monday against NAIA Patten (Oakland, Calif.).

Reach Stacy Kaneshiro at skaneshiro@honoluluadvertiser.com.