Game Notes

PROVO, Utah—The No. 15/19 University of Hawai'i softball team (31-3, 5-1 WAC) concludes its eight-game roundtrip a three-game Western Athletic Conference match-up against BYU starting on Friday, April 6 at 6:00 pm and ending with a doubleheader on Saturday April 7 starting at 1:30 pm.

The Rainbow Wahine are coming off a pair of mid-week wins at Utah and Utah Valley after starting their roadtrip with a three-game sweep at New Mexico State last weekend.

Hawai'i's pitching continues to lead the WAC with a combined 0.90 ERA between Stephanie Ricketts and Kaia Parnaby. At the beginning of the week, the duo were ranked No. 3 in the NCAA with a 0.88 ERA. Ricketts has been the cornerstone of the team with an 19-2 overall record and 4-0 mark in WAC action. She has a 1.00 ERA in 139.2 innings pitched with seven shut outs and 158 strike outs. Parnaby is 12-1 with a 0.74 ERA in 85.1 innings with 12 walks to 88 strike outs. In this week's NCAA rankings, Ricketts is ranked No. 5 in victories, No. 8 in shutouts, No. 9 in ERA, and No 16 in strike outs while Parnaby is No. 4 in ERA, No. 7 in fewest walks allowed per seven innings, and No. 19 in shutouts.

On offense, UH's line-up was shuffled a little on the roadtrip because of the loss of injured rightfielder Sharla Kliebenstein who had started the first 29-straight games. Junior Brynne Buchanan stepped in and is hitting .357 (5-for-14) in the past five games. Junior shortstop Jessica Iwata continues to lead Hawai'i at the plate with an overall .396 batting average, a .656 slugging percentage and a .478 on-base percentage. She also is tops on the team with 38 hits, seven doubles, and 35 RBI. Iwata also leads the team with 11 multiple-hit games and 11 multiple-RBI games. In WAC games, junior centerfielder Kelly Majam has ramped up her game, hitting a team-best .412 average (7-for-17) while leading UH with seven runs, two homer runs (tied with Sarah Robinson) and six RBI.
 
About BYU...
The Cougars are 21-10 and 3-2 in the WAC after sweeping New Mexico State in the conference opening weekend and falling twice at Fresno State last week. BYU is currently on a 27-home game win streak dating back to 2010. The Cougars are hitting .306 as a team and are led by senior outfielder Delaney Willard leads BYU with a .457 batting average (43-for-74), nine doubles, 13 home runs, and 49 RBI. She has a jaw-dropping .968 slugging percentage and .552 on-base percentage. Senior second baseman Stacie Toney is second on the team with a .413 average (38-for-92) with 27 runs scored, eight doubles, a triple and four home runs. JC Clayton is in third at .356 (37-for-104) with 29 runs scored and a team high 10 stolen bases.

The Cougars' pitching staff has a combined 3.00 ERA between basically three pitchers. Hannah Howell has seen the bulk of the action, with a 11-5 record and 105.2 innings pitched. She has a 2.78 ERA with 24 walks and 73 strike otus. Tied with Howell with a 2.78 ERA  is Tori Almond who is 7-2 this season in 58.0 innings pitched with 41 walks and 69 strike outs. Caroline Umphlett is 5-3 with a 3.76 ERA in 44.2 innings.

Games 33-34
Who: No. 15/19 Hawai'i (31-3, 5-1 WAC) vs. BYU (23-10, 3-2 PAC 12)
Dates: April 6 at 6:00 p.m.; April 7 at 1:30 p.m. (DH)
Where: Gail Miller Field (2,100), Provo, Utah
Audio Webcast: byuradio.org
Video Webcast: Saturday's doubleheader will be aired on BYUtv and can be watched online
Live Stats: Live in-game stats are available at byucougars.com/schedule/w-softball.
Series Record: This is the first appearance for UH in Provo. Hawai'i is 1-5 all-time against the Cougars, who have won the last five straight, including two last season: 0-4 on March 17 and 1-2 on March 19.
Note: BYU is currently on a 27-game home win streak which dates back to 2010 and is currently second most in the nation.