Game Notes

NORTHRIDGE, Calif.—The No. 20/23 University of Hawai`i softball team (22-7, 0-0 Big West) embarks on their first Big West Conference road trip of the year to face Cal State Northridge (14-18, 0-0 Big West). The Rainbow Wahine and Matadors will square off in a three-game series with a doubleheader on Saturday, March 23 and a single game on Sunday, March 24. First pitch for both days is slated for 12:00 p.m. (PT).
 
Hawai`i is coming off a 17-game homestand in which the 'Bows went 14-3 over the last three weeks. This past week, UH went 6-2 with single game wins on Monday and Tuesday over Syracuse and East Carolina. Hawai`i then won the 2013 Chevron Spring Fling Tournament with a 4-2 record. UH was 2-2 in pool play with wins over Syracuse and Utah and a 1-0 loss to No. 4/5 California and a 5-3 loss to No. 14/19 Baylor. The Rainbow Wahine captured the tourney with a win over Baylor and a 12-inning marathon win against Syracuse.
 
Senior southpaw pitcher Kaia Parnaby—the reigning Big West Pitcher of the Week—has been the catalyst for UH's success. On Saturday in an eight-inning relief appearance in UH's win over Syracuse, Parnaby broke the UH single-game record with 17 strike outs. With the win over the Orange, Parnaby also set a new career high with 20 wins and 214 strike outs only 29 games into the season. Overall, Parnaby is 20-3 with a 0.98 ERA in 163.2 innings pitched. She has held opposing batters to a .166 batting average and has thrown 21 complete games in 24 starts with nine shut outs.
 
At the plate, UH is led by senior centerfielder Kelly Majam with a .310 batting average. She leads the 'Bows with 26 hits, 25 runs scored, nine home runs and 18 RBI. She also leads UH with a .690 slugging percentage, an on-base percentage of .453 and she is a perfect 6-for-6 in stolen bases—which is a career high.
 
It is the first Big West series for the 'Bows, after spending the last 16 years in the Western Athletic Conference. Hawai`i had a 54-77 record in the Pacific Coast Athletic Association—the precursor to the Big West—in four season and UH went 134-173 in nine seasons as a member of the BWC from 1989-1996. The 'Bows captured their first conference championship in the Big West in 1994 behind ace pitcher Brooke Wilkins.
 
The Matadors are on a three-game win streak, with a pair of victories over Seattle and a win over Loyola Marymount. CSUN is led by Mikayla Thielges who is hitting a solid .363 with a team-high 29 hits, 10 doubles, six home runs and 18 RBI. Second on the team is Korinne Randazzo is hitting .333 with a team-high 20 runs scored. In the circle, CSUN boasts six pitchers on their rosters. Mia Pagano has thrown the most at 84.1 innings under her belt. She is 7-6 on the season with a 2.99 ERA in 18 appearances, while Shelly Tait is 6-6 with a 2.50 ERA in 64.1 innings with two shut outs.

Games 30-32
Who: No. 20/23 Hawai`i at Cal State Northridge
When: Saturday, March 23 (DH) at 12:00 p.m.; Sunday March 24 at 12:00 p.m.
Where: Matador Diamond (1,000)
LIvestats: Livestats are available at goMatadors.com