Game Notes

RIVERSIDE—The University of Hawai'i softball team (18-21, 2-4 Big West) heads to California for a three-game Big West at UC Riverside (26-12, 3-3 BWC) this week. The two teams will square off in a single game on Friday, April 15 at 3:00 pm with a doubleheader on Saturday, April 16 beginning at 1:00 pm at Amy S. Harrison Field on the UCR campus.

The Rainbow Wahine won one game in last week's three-game series against CSUN. Junior shortstop Breanna Ojala helped lead UH to their win, going 3-for-3 at the plate with two runs scored---both career-highs and freshman Jennifer Iseri came off the bench to go 1-for-3 with a two-run double. Sophomore pitcher Brittany Hitchcock  fired a six-hit shutout. For Hitchcock, it marked her third shutout of the season and first since Feb. 12 earlier this year. 
The Rainbow Wahine continue to be led by Keiki Carlos who is hitting a shade under .300 at .298 (34-for-114). She leads UH with eight doubles--including two this past weekend and has scored 18 runs thus far. Right behind Carlos are freshmen Nicole Lopez and Sarah Muzik. Lopez is hitting .279 (34-for-122) with seven doubles, two triples and three home runs. She is second on the team with 18 RBI. Muzik leads UH with 35 hits and 24 runs scored and is hitting .278 overall. She also has a team-high five stolen bases.

In the pitching circle, Hitchcock has a team-low 2.49 ERA with a 8-10 overall record. She has made 20 appearances with 19 starts and 11 complete games--including two this past weekend. Hitchcock has thrown 112.1 innings with just five walks to 72 strike outs--which ranks her No. 1 in the NCAA for walks per seven innings. Kanani Aina Cabrales is 7-8 overall with a 3.48 ERA in 22 appearances and 13 starts. She has fired nine complete games and has two shutouts under her belt. Aina Cabrales has thrown 104.2 innings overall and has 29 walks to 60 strike outs while holding opponents to a .244 batting average. Iseri is 3-3 overall with a 3.60 ERA in 11 appearances. She has thrown 44.2 innings and has four complete games. 

The UC Riverside Highlanders are coming off their first sweep over UC Santa Barbara since joining the Big West. Hannah Rodriguez came through in the clutch for UCR, driving in the winning runs in the second and third games with walk-off hits. Pitcher Tayler Misfeldt (17-8) earned Big West Pitcher of the Week honors after firing a six-hit shutout in the series opener and then earning a win in an eight-inning effort in which she gave up three runs on eight hits.

Overall Madeline Richard leads the Highlanders with a .492 batting average with team-highs with 62 hits, 41 runs scored, and 29 stolen bases in 31 attempts. Jenna Curtan is second on the team hitting .373 (44-for-118) with a team-high 31 RBI while Natalie Sanchez is hitting .327 (37-for-113) with team-highs with 10 doubles and three home runs.

Games 40-42
Who: Hawai'i (17-19, 1-2 Big West) vs.  UC Riverside (26-12, 3-3 Big West)
When: Friday, April 15 at 3:00 pm; Saturday, April 16 at 1:00 pm (doubleheader)
Where: Amy S. Harrison Field (750) – Riverside, Calif.
Live stats: Live in-game stats will be available at GoHighlanders.com
Series History: Hawai'i leads the series against UC Riverside, 19-3. UH won two games to win the series last season. The 'Bows fell in the ifrst game, 1-2, but came back to sweep the doubleheader the following day, 3-0 and 1-0 in Honolulu.