Tournament Notes

HONOLULU—The No. 22 University of Hawai'i softball team (12-0) returns home this week to host the Bank of Hawaii Invitational, March 2-4. The 'Bows will battle Radford, UC Santa Barbara, and No. 20 Florida State in the three day tournament at the Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium.
 
Hawai'i is off to its best start in program history, bettering its former record of 7-0 set last season in 2011. Although UH was idle this past week, the 'Bows moved up to No. 22 in the National Fastpich Coaches Association/USA Today Poll and entered the ESPN.com/USA Softball Poll and No. 22 as well. Solid pitching and a potent offense have been the story thus far this season. UH's pitchers—senior Stephanie Ricketts and junior Kaia Parnaby—have a combined ERA of 0.66 with 79 strike outs to 15 walks and six shut outs. Offensively, the 'Bows have pounced on opponents' pitching, outscoring their counterparts 109-to-11—59-to-0 in the first three innings alone.
 
In the circle, Ricketts is 7-0 in 2012 with a 0.64 ERA. She has completed all seven games she has started and has fired four shut outs already. Ricketts has held opposing hitters to a .151 batting average with 12 walks and 51 strike outs in 44.0 innings of work. Parnaby (5-0) is almost as equally stingy, with a 0.70 ERA with three walks and 28 strike outs in 30.0 innings.
 
Four Rainbow Wahine are hitting about the .400 mark, led by junior shortstop Jessica Iwata's .459 average (17-for-37) who has four doubles, one home run, nine runs scored, and 12 RBI. Senior third baseman Sarah Robinson has also gotten off to a hot start, hitting .444 (16-for-36) with three doubles, two homers and is tied with two other teammates—Leisha Li'ili'i and Sharla Kliebenstein—with a team-high 15 RBI. Two freshmen lefties, Kayla Wartner and Li'ili'i, round out the .400 hitters with Wartner carrying a .438 average (14-for-32) and Li'ili'i bringing a .406 mark (13-for-32) in UH's third tournament this season. Wartner has four doubles and a home run with 10 RBI while Li'ili'i is tied with Makani Duhaylonsod-Kaleimamahu and Kelly Majam for the team lead with three home runs and 15 RBI.
 
Record Watch:
Ricketts—who is already UH's all-time strike out queen with 640 K's—is closing in on several other career records, most notably she is now just one win away from tying UH's winningest pitcher in school history, Kelly Gentle (1996-99). Gentle's record stands at 82 career wins. Ricketts currently has 81 wins and is also looking to surpass Gentle and former UH pitchers Brooke Wilkins and Melissa Coogan's career records in shutouts, innings pitched, game appearances and games started. (See page seven in tournament release).
 
Majam is closing in on former UH All-American Kate Robinson's career home run record of 44. Majam currently has 42 homers—just two shy of tying Robinson's record. Currently, Majam is also No. 3 with 136 runs scored and No. 6 with a career .347 average. She already is UH's all-time walk leader with 90.
 
Scouting the Opponents…
 
Radford Highlanders (2-3)
Radford returns to Hawai'i for the second time in their school history. The Highlanders are led by senior middle infielder Nichole Beall who is hitting a whomping .467 (7-for-15) with a team-high six runs scored  and two home runs. Junior utility player Ryndee Ruch is second on the team with a .333 average (4-of-12) with a double and four RBI, while freshman pitcher/shortstop Micalah Sacre is hitting .273 (3-for-11).
 
Radford has used four pitchers through their first five games. Junior Jackie Jenkins leads the Highlanders with a 1.70 ERA in four appearances and 12.1 innings pitched. She has one walk with five strike outs and is 1-0 on the year. Freshman Emily Norton is 0-2 with a 4.34 ERA; Sacre is 1-1 with a 4.57 ERAin 7.2 innings pitched; and sophomore Stephanie Dameron has pitched two innings in two appearances.
 
 
UC Santa Barbara (6-11)
The Gauchos of UC Santa Barbara had a rough 1-10 start to the 2012 season, but have most recently won five of their last six games including a pair of wins over perennial power and former No. 23 Houston and WAC member Nevada. UCSB is led by junior outfielder Jessica Soria who is hitting .345 (19-for-55) and has swiped a team-high five stolen bases. Sophomore outfielder McKenzie Kane is second on the Gauchos squad with a .333 average (11-for-33) with four runs scored and sophomore infielder Lauren Boser is hitting right below the .300 mark at .294 (10-for-34).
 
UCSB has two pitchers—freshman Shelby Wisdom and sophomore Andriana Collins. Wisdom has made 12 appearances with five starts and has struck out 63 batters with 24 walks. She is 4-5 with a 3.79 ERA in 61.0 innings pitched. Collins is 2-6 with five complete games and an ERA of 5.85.
 
 
No. 20 Florida State (15-0)
Undefeated Florida State (15-0) moved up to No. 20 in both polls this week after going 5-0 in last week's Citrus Classic in Orlando, Fla. Junior outfielder Tiffani Brown leads the Seminoles with a .353 average (18-for-51) and is tied for the team lead with 12 runs scored and has a team-high 15 stolen bases. Sophomore outfielder, and Mililani High School alum, Courtney Senas returns to Hawai'i with FSU this week. She is hitting .349 (15-for-43) with three doubles and eight RBI and she is 9-of-10 in stolen bases. Junior infielder Briana Hamilton is hitting .310 (13-for-42) with a team-high four home runs.
 
The Seminole's pitching staff has been solid on the mound with a combined 1.09 ERA.  Junior Monica Perry was selected the Louisville Slugger Division I National Player of the Week by the NFCA after allowing just three runs in 21.1 innings pitched against UCF, St. John's Marshall and Wisconsin. Overall this season, she is 6-0 with a 1.39 ERA in 40.1 innings. She leads FSU with 97 strike outs to just 25 walks and held opponents to a .159 batting average. Freshman pitcher Lacy Waldrop is a perfect 7-0 with three shutouts in 45.2 innings pitched. She has held opponents to a .159 batting average and has 14 walks with 30 strike outs.Freshman Bailey Schinella and sophomore Jessica Nori both are 1-0 this season.
 
Bank of Hawaii Invitational Information
Radio: ESPN 1500AM will carry Saturday and Sunday's games live with Blaine Kauwe handling the play-by-play.
Admission is FREE!
Live Stats: Live in-game stats are available at HawaiiAthletics.com
Tournament Sponsor: Bank of Hawaii
Promotions: Ballpark Bingo is back! This week Bank of Hawaii will provide the Bingo prizes and will be tossing out t-shirts and/or "Beenie Babies" to the softball fans. See the marketing staff for bingo cards during the tournament.

2012 Bank of Hawaii Invitational Schedule
Friday, March 2, 2012
3:30 pm            Florida State vs. UC Santa Barbara
6:00 pm            HAWAI'I vs. RADFORD
 
Saturday, March 3, 2012
11:00 am          Radford vs. UCSB
1:00 pm            Radford vs. Florida State
3:00 pm            HAWAI'I vs. UCSB
5:00 pm            HAWAI'I vs. Florida State
 
Sunday, March 4, 2012
10:00 am          Bracket Game #1: #2 Seed vs. #3 Seed
12:00 pm          Bracket Game #2: #1 Seed vs. #4 Seed
2:00 pm            Bracket Game #3: Loser Gm 1 vs. Loser Gm 2
4:00 pm            Bracket Game #4: Championship Game: Winner Gm 1 vs. Winner Gm 2