The University of Kansas baseball team says goodbye to Lawrence and aloha to Hawaii as it opens the season against the University of Hawaii-Hilo this weekend.

Kansas begins the season with game one of a six-game set today in Hilo, Hawaii.

Junior right-hander Kodiak Quick will be on the mound, making his Jayhawk debut against Hilo’s senior John Matson. Matson is 0-1 on the season, with a 5.86 ERA.

Quick, a Belton, Mo., junior, was 1-0 with a 3.62 ERA last season. He pitched at Stanford University before transferring to Kansas.

“I’m really excited to have a starting role and to be an impact player for this team,” Quick said. “I’m very happy to be here.

Hawaii-Hilo is coming off a less-than-stellar 2004 season. The team went 9-43, which was one of the worst records in Division I. Despite that, they have the respect of junior outfielder Matt Baty.

“Hawaii-Hilo plays teams tough,” Baty said. “They have one of the most difficult schedules in the country.”

Kansas opened last season with a 5-2 series win against Hawaii-Hilo en route to a 31-31-1 season and a ninth-place finish in the Big 12. In the series, Kansas outscored Hawaii-Hilo 63-39.

Coach Ritch Price is optimistic that the Jayhawk pitchers will improve on last year’s effort in Hawaii, in part, because of the quality starters.

“We’ve got more depth this year than we’ve had any year I’ve been here,” Price said.

Jayhawk batters are also looking forward to the opportunities the Vulcans present. The Vulcans were swept in their season-opening, five-game series last weekend against San Diego University. San Diego batted .331 as a team and created 55 runs.

After scrimmaging against themselves since the beginning of the semester, Kansas is more than ready to get off the practice field.

“We’re excited to see what we can do against someone other than ourselves,” senior catcher Sean Richardson said.

Although the team is looking forward to the beautiful weather and scenery, players are determined to focus on baseball. Kansas lost a couple of games last year in Hawaii, something that Baty vows will not happen this time.

“I don’t think there’s any reason why we shouldn’t win all six games this year,” Baty said.

After today, the series will continue with games in Kona, Hawaii, Saturday and Sunday before wrapping up in Hilo Monday through Wednesday.