HONOLULU-- After a 13-day layoff, the University of Hawai'i softball team will be in action on Friday to begin conference action against UC Santa Barbara in a four-game series. 
 

HAWAI'I (0-3, 0-0 Big West) vs. UC SANTA BARBARA (3-13, 0-0 Big West)
Date | Time				Friday Mar. 19,4:00 p.m. HT & 6:00 p.m. HT, Saturday Mar. 6 2:00 p.m. HT & 4:00 p.m. HT
Location				Honolulu, O'ahu. - Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium
Television				none
Live Stream				none
Radio				CBS Radio 1500- Pxp: Dave Kawada on Friday
Live Stats				HawaiiAthletics.com
Game Notes				Hawai'i | UCSB
Social Media				@HawaiiSB  | #HawaiiSB | @hawaiisoftball  | Facebook

 
HEAD COACH BOB COOLEN 
Overall record: 1,166-812-1 (35th season)
At Hawai'i: 1,015-827-1 (30th season)

SERIES VS UC SANTA BARBARA
Overall record: 52-26, Washington
Streak: W4
Last Hawaii win against UCSB - Apr. 13, 2019, UH over UCSB, 5-2

FIRST PITCH

• The Rainbow Wahine are coming off an opening series against No.8 University of Washington, where the 'Bows dropped all three games to start the season at 0-3.
• In the three-game series with the Huskies, the 'Bows' offense struggled with a .140 batting average but showed potential signs. Both senior third baseman Cheeks Ramos and junior shortstop Nawai Kaupe homered, including Ramos driving in three of the four runs over the three days.
• In the matchup with the Washington, junior utility player Mikaela Gandia-Mak and freshman infielder Mya'liah Betha made the most of their opportunities. Each of them played in all three games and started in two. Gandia-Mak collected two hits in five at-bats while breaking up a no-hit bid, and Betha also collected two hits in six at-bats.
• Starting pitching took their bumps against the nationally ranked Huskies as freshman Jetta Nannen was touched up for 14 earned runs, ballooning her ERA to 14.70. No. 2 starter Ashley Murphy had the same results, giving up nine hits over two and a third innings for five earned runs leading to a 15.00 ERA.
• The series against the Gauchos will be the first conference series for Nannen, while Murphy saw action in seven games against the Big West in 2019 as a freshman, accumulating a 2-1 record.
• In 2019 against the Big West, Ramos was fourth on the team in batting average at .280, launched three homers, and drove in 24 runs over 47 games. In the series with UCSB, she picked up two hits in the three-game series.
• UH holds the lead in the all-time series against the Gauchos at 52-26. Most recently, UH swept the Gauchos in regular-season playback in 2019. Much like this season, UCSB and UH were slated to open their conference schedules against one another in 2020. Unfortunately, the series and the season were postponed then later canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

FAN CUTOUTS AT RAINBOW WAHINE SOFTBALL STADIUM
The University of Hawai'i Athletics Department is offering fans an opportunity to get a cutout of yourself, a friend, a family member or even your pet which will be placed in an open seat in the Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium. Each cut out will cost $50 and remain in place for all 2021 Rainbow Wahine Softball home games. Proceeds from the cutouts will support University of Hawai'i student-athletes.

NCAA EXTENDS EXTRA YEAR TO SPRING SPORTS ATHLETES

All returning college players were granted an additional year of eligibility due to the COVID-19 pandemic that ended the 2020 season six weeks into the season. All NCAA athletes (D-I, D-II and D-III), and junior college athletes keep their athletic standing from the 2020 season. Thus a freshman in 2020 is a freshman in 2021. A redshirt junior in 2020 stays a redshirt junior in 2021. 

Hawai'i has decided to label all athletes as their athletic eligibility rather than advance their eligibility or add on additional confusing language such as "second-year freshman" or "sixth-year junior."

Incoming freshmen are as listed, freshmen. 
 

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