Washington football legend and two-time Rose Bowl MVP Bob Schloredt can often be seen at Husky Ballpark, “probably wearing a cowboy hat to block the sun.”

That’s how UW baseball catcher and infielder Pierce Rankin describes his grandfather at Husky baseball games.

But the former UW quarterback who led his team to two consecutive Rose Bowl victories in 1960 and 1961 isn’t just knowledgeable about football, Rankin said.

“It’s great,” said Rankin of having a Husky legend as a grandfather. “[He gives] a lot of coaching advice, and he’s pretty competitive from playing athletics in college. He’s a great tool to have and he’s a great supporter, and he loves the fact that I’m playing for the Huskies, where he played.”

Rankin has a lot to live up to, but so far this year he has been a solid contributor for the Huskies on the diamond.

As a freshman last year, Rankin hit just .180 in 50 at-bats, adding just one home run and five RBI to his yearly totals. He wasn’t given that many at-bats as a catcher last year, as senior Joey Dunn still manned the backstop.

This year, though, the sophomore from Lake Forest Park, Wash., who has started most of his 27 games at the catcher position, is batting .306 in 108 at-bats and is second on the team in home runs and RBI, with five and 20, respectively.

UW head coach Ken Knutson said he saw promise in Rankin when he first recruited him.

“He’s always been a good player, but now he’s just got more opportunity,” Knutson said. “I think the biggest improvement is I see confidence at the plate. He’s got good instincts on the bases, and he can play any place in the field.”

But two recent injuries have set him back in a season when his team will likely miss his offensive clout. The Huskies are hitting just .268 this year.

Rankin tore his meniscus in February but didn’t know until two weeks ago, playing through pain for much of the early part of the season.

“It’s kind of a downer,” Rankin said. “But it’s kind of relieving to know because it’s been hurting all year. Now I know what I can do with it.”

After evaluating his knee, he was told not to catch and to slide head-first only until he receives surgery at the end of the season.

But after breaking his right ring finger during warm-ups earlier this week, the six-foot Rankin will likely be out a month before being able to contribute to the Huskies’ lineup again this season, adding to an already long list of injuries to Knutson’s offense — Ty Rasmussen is out for the season, and Aaron Russell has an ailing back.

“He’s sort of been the Band-Aid,” said Knutson of Rankin’s abilities on the field and at the plate. “And he’s got two injuries now.”

How the Huskies will manage without Rankin — and therefore even more limited options at the plate — is just one of the myriad of problems facing the Dawgs this season.

Reach reporter Allen Wagner at sports@dailyuw.com.