SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS
UTAH UTES
Mountain West Conference
2011: 3-2
Series Record: UH leads 16-11
UH has won the last five meetings including last year's game in Las Vegas, Nev., 11-8 on 2/19/2010
Utah has started 2011 well with wins over Mississippi, Western Michigan, and No. 10 Arizona State. Their only two losses came from No. 2 Arizona and No. 22 Oklahoma State.
The Utes are led by junior infielder Tia Palauni, who is 7-for-12 for a .583 batting average. She has a team-highs in runs scored (6), home runs (3), and RBI (17). Freshman utility player Naomi Amu has started three games and is second on the team with a .375 average (3-of-8) with a double. Fellow freshman Cheyella Myers has started all five games and is hitting .273 (3-for-11) with three runs and three RBI.
Junior pitcher Generra Nielson has seen the bulkload of the pitching thus far, tossing 19.2 innings. She is 3-2 with a 3.66 ERA giving up nine runs on 16 hits with eight walks and 23 strike outs. Amu has also fared well in the circle, posting a 2.13 ERA in 12.2 innings pitched and has combined with Nielson for two shut outs. She has five walks to nine strike outs while holding opponents to a .200 average. The third Utah pitcher is Brittany Parker who has seen less than an inning of work thus far this season.
LONG BEACH STATE 49ERS
Big West Conference
2011: 4-0
Series Record: LBSU leads the series against UH, 49-24 with the 49ers winning their last two meetings. In 2008, the 'Bows and 49ers faced off four times in the non-conference season, the first three games were part of the Oceanic Time Warner Cable Paradise Classic that year. UH won the first two 5-3 (Feb. 15) and 6-1 (Feb. 16), but then fell in the last two, 0-1 (Feb. 17) and on Feb. 29 LBSU defeated UH 4-0 at the Eller Media Stadium Classic here in Las Vegas, Nev.
Long Beach State has started off a perfect 4-0 with two wins each over Loyola Marymount and WAC foe, Boise State. Freshman pitcher Erin Jones-Wesley earned Big West Pitcher of the Week honors after tossing two complete game shut-outs. She is 2-0 with three walks to 16 strike outs while allowing opponents just a .174 batting average.
Taylor Petty also was solid in the opening weekend, also throwing two complete game wins. She has a 2.57 ERA in 14.0 innings pitched with two walks and 20 strike outs.
The high powered LBSU offense boasts four players hitting .400 or above. Nalani St. Germain leads LBSU with a staggering .571 batting average (4-for-7) in three games with a stolen base. Caitrin DeBaun is second on the squad with a .500 average (5-for-10) with two RBI; Megan Denio is hitting a healthy . 429 (3-for-7) with two runs scored; and Liz Javier is hitting an even .400 (4-for-10) with a run scored.
No. 14/14 OREGON DUCKS
Pacific-10 Conference
2011: 5-1
Series Record: UH trails UO 8-10 in the series history. Oregon has won the last seven meetings, including last year's match-up 3-4 at the Cathedral City Classic on Feb. 26.
No. 14/14 Oregon defeated No. 16 BYU and No. 19 Texas A&M to start the season and continued their winning ways over Mississippi, North Texas, and WAC rival Nevada (10-0) before falling to Cal State Fullerton, 3-4 in their final game of their opening tournament.
Their pitching staff has been stellar, with a combined 0.88 ERA. Samantha Skillingstad leads the Ducks with a 0.49 ERA and a 2-0 record in 14.1 innings pitched. She has allowed just four runs on six hits with eight walks and 26 strike outs. Jessica Moore has seen the most action with 22.0 innings pitched. She has a 0.95 ERA with a 3-1 record and has amassed 33 strike outs with just eight walks.
At the plate, Courtney Kivett leads Oregon with a .500 average (5-for-10) with three runs scored in four games. Courtney Ceo is hitting .444 (4-for-9) with four runs scored and Ashley Kivett is hitting .429 (3-for-7) with two RBI. Moore is also hitting .316 and has a team-high six runs scored , while Samantha Pappas leads the Ducks with two homers and seven RBI.
No. 18/19 STANFORD CARDINAL
Pacific-10 Conference
2011: 4-1
Series Record: Stanford leads the series against UH, 5-3, with UH winning the last two meetings. Last year the 'Bows and Cardinal played each other three times--two in UH's opening tournament at home and the last game came at the NCAA Regional at Stanford. Hawai`i won that last meeting, 6-3 at Stanford on May 22.
The Cardinal's four wins have come against CSU Northridge, North Texas, Nevada and Portland State. Their lone loss came against Nebraska in a nine-inning thriller, 2-3.
Sophomore pitcher Teagan Gerhart has posted a 0.82 ERA in 17.0 innings pitched. She is 1-1 on the year with two complete games and one shut out this season. She has held opponents to a .140 batting average with five walks and 16 strike outs. Ashley Chinn is a perfect 3-0 with a 3.65 ERA in 15.1 innings pitched.
Ashley Hansen has picked up right where she left off last season, hitting a team-high .611 (11-for-18) with seven runs scored, two triples and two doubles and a stolen base. Jenna Rich has also gotten off to a hot start, going 10-for-19 at the plate for a .526 average. She has crossed the plate seven times and has a team-high four home runs and 13 RBI already. Sarah Hassman is also hitting strong at .462 (6-for-13) with a team-high nine runs and is a perfect 5-for-5 in stolen bases.
CSU NORTHRIDGE MATADORS
Big West Conference
2011: 3-2
Series Record: UH and CSUN are tied at 6-6 in the history between the two schools. UH won the last meeting, 7-2 on Feb. 18, 2007.
The Matadors won their first game over WAC foe, San Jose State 9-8, but then dropped their next game against Stanford. CSUN then defeated Western Michigan before being shut-out by California. They finished the weekend with a 4-3 win over Portland State.
Hannah Fraijo leads the Matador pitchers with a 2-0 record and a 3.77 ERA in 13.0 innings pitched. Ashley Aratow has thrown 5.0 innings and has a 1-0 reocrd with a 5.60 ERA, while Carly Wade leads the team with 10 strike outs in eight innings pitched.
Karla Chaparro leads CSUN with a .375 batting average (3-for-8) wiht two runs scored a double and two sac bunts. Jennifer Mosier is hitting .333 (5-for-15) with a home run and Madeline Sale is hitting .300 (3-for-10) with a run scored.
-UH-
