IRVINE, Calif.--University of Hawai'i softball pitcher Brianna Lopez was Big West Freshman of the Week after tossing a pair of pitching gems in last week's Outrigger Hawai'i Invitaitonal. It is her first career weekly conference award.

Lopez recorded a 1-1 record in two complete games with a 0.00 ERA in 14.0 innings pitched. Despite tallying 11 strikeouts in her first outing against Abilene Christian, UH fell to the Wildcats, 2-0. Lopez allowed eight hits, two unearned runs with four walks. Her 11 strikeouts was the most for a UH pitcher since Brittney Hitchcock in 2019. Lopez got the start in the tournament's championship game vs. Montana and she fired her best game of the season so far. She flirted with a no-hitter, retiring the first 15 straight batters in a row before giving up a Grizzlies hit.  For the first time this year, she did not issue a walk. She fanned six UM batters to bring her two game K total to 17. The win evened her overall record to 2-2 and she lowered her ERA to 2.41 for the season.

Lopez is the most recent Rainbow Wahine to earn Freshman of the Week honors. Last season, the 'Bows got the award twice in back-to-back weeks with Maya Nakamura (4/12/21) and Jetta Nannen (4/19/21) picking up the weekly honor.

Hawai'i has a week off before taking on No. 1 Oklahoma, Baylor and California in the Bank of Hawaii Rainbow Wahine Classic from Martch 9-12, 2022.