Here's a thought out of, well, left field: How about sending Tyler Davis up to bat?

After pleading for a chance, Hawai'i's relief ace got to play left field in the ninth inning of Sunday's 16-1 romp of Chicago State. It's not to say he didn't ask for an at-bat, too.

"I tried that, but I was kind of joking around ... but half-serious," Davis said smiling.

With the Chicago States of the world behind them, it's unlikely the Rainbows will let Davis play the field again. That's known because UH coach Mike Trapasso already said so.

Still, it wasn't like Trapasso sent out any pitcher to play left field. Davis has actually played the position at Santa Barbara Community College. The year before transferring here, he was primarily a pitcher, but played first base and left field on days he didn't pitch.

Moreover, as a freshman, he was pressed into playing shortstop when injuries hit the team.

"He was pretty good," teammate Justin Frash said. "He was not bad."

Frash and Davis played in the same junior college league, but for different teams. And it's true that Davis hit as many home runs as Frash their sophomore year: One. And each hit his against the other's team. Frash, though, has bragging rights: He hit his off Davis in the 10th inning to win a game for his Oxnard team.

"It was actually pretty funny," Davis said. "He actually hit one off of me. Next game we played against them, I hit one off of their team."

But one thing Frash knows. He's glad Davis is on his side. The two knew of each other their last year of JC ball because they learned each had signed to play here. But they didn't know each other personally. Now, they are roommates.

"He was one of the best pitchers I've faced all year," Frash recalled during their JC encounters. "He hit spots and had a lot of movement on his ball. I was 2 for 10 off of him with a single and home run."

The 6-foot-3, 190-pound right-handed Davis is a UH win waiting to happen when he shows up. He is 2-0 with two saves with a 2.08 earned run average. He has 11 strikeouts to one walk in 17 1/3 innings, all in relief.

Teammate Ian Harrington described Davis waiting in the bullpen "as an angry dog waiting to get out of his cage." But not all situations call for Davis to extinguish a threat. Sometimes the starters are very effective; sometimes the offense gives the pitchers a lot of breathing room.

"Obviously, everyone down there wants to pitch," Davis said of the bullpen. "But you're also rooting for the guy out there at the same time. Sure, I want to come in when the situation's on the line. Whenever it happens on the weekend, it happens. That's fine. I just have to stay ready for the rest of the series. That's part of pitching. It happens to everyone."

Davis gives opponents a different look from other UH pitchers because he throws with a side-arm release. It is move he tried during the middle of last season and was pleased with the results.

"I was kind of throwing like that one day last year when I wasn't throwing so well," Davis said. "Once I started doing that, I started getting a lot of people out, so I just stuck with it."

Davis' best pitches are his fastball that either sinks or runs, as well as his slider.

Davis said he relishes his role. Sometimes he is asked to pitch one inning, sometimes as many as six. The objective never changes.

"I love what I'm doing," he said. "If I get a start, I'm just going to deal with it. I'll do what I do in the bullpen: Just try to get everybody out."

Reach Stacy Kaneshiro at skaneshiro@honoluluadvertiser.com.