HONOLULU--The University of Hawai'i softball team (8-10, 2-1 BWC) hosts their Big West home opener with a three-game series against the CSUN Matadors (13-17, 3-0 Big West).  The series begins with a single game on Friday night, March 25 at 6:00 p.m., followed by a double header on Saturday, March 26 beginning at 2:00 p.m. at the Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium. Last week, the Rainbow Wahine opened the 2022 BWC season with a 2-1 record at UC Santa Barbara. The Rainbow Wahine swept Saturday's doubleheader, but fell in a pitcher's duel between UH's Brianna Lopez and UCSB's Camryn Snyder, 1-0.
 

GAMES 19-21 - HAWAI'I (8-10, 2-1 BIG WEST) VS. CSUN (13-17, 3-0 BIG WEST)
GAME SCHEDULE				Friday, Mar. 25 at 6:00 p.m.  |  Saturday, Mar. 26 at 2:00 p.m. (DH)
Location				Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium (1,200) - Honolulu, O'ahu
Live Stats				Game 1  |  Game 2  |  Game 3
Game Notes				Hawai'i  |  CSUN
Social Media				@HawaiiSB  | #HawaiiSB | @HawaiiSoftball  | Facebook
Promotions				Softball fans who win the popular "Ballpark Bingo" game will receive great prizes. T-shirts will be thrown into the stands during the fourth inning of every game.  Fans are encouraged to wear Aloha Attire in celebration of Prince Kuhio Day and "Aloha Friday."
Tickets				Admission is FREE at the Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium
Game Day Rosters				UH vs. CSUN

HEAD COACH BOB COOLENCAREER RECORD: 1,107-751-1
HAWAI'I RECORD: 1,035-657-1

ALL-TIME RECORD vs. CSUNHawai'i holds a 20-18-1 series lead against CSUN. Last season, UH won the first two games before being edged out in the series finale, 4-3 in Northridge, Calif.

NEWS & NOTES

• In the second game at UCSB, UH held off the Gauchos, 4-3. In the win, starter Chloe Borges earned the win to even her record at 4-4, while Lopez made her second appearance of the three-game set to earn her first career save. With UH scoring a run earlier in the fourth to tie the game at , 1-0, pinch-hitter Haley Johnson launched a three-run home run--the first HR of her career to propel the 'Bows to a 4-1 lead.
• The series finale was a pitcher's duel between Lopez and UCSB's Camryn Snyder. The game was scoreless until the Gauchos posted the only run of the game in the fifth inning on an RBI-single. Lopez took the loss to even her record at 4-4.
• Sophomore utility player Ka'ena Keliinoi opened the UCSB series with a definitive bang. In the 13-2 win, she was 2-for 3 with a double and her first homer since her freshman season in 2020. Keliinoi came up twice with the bases loaded...and made the most of those two at-bats. In the first inning, she came through with a bases clearing double as part of a seven inning first inning. In the second inning, the No. 9 batter, Keliinoi, again came up with the bases juiced and again she came through in the clutch, hitting her first career grand slam. It was UH's first grand slam since Dallas Millwood's last season against Long Beach State on May 23, 2021. Keliinoi's seven RBI in the game was just one run shy of the school record of 8 set by Jessica Iwata in 2010 and Sharla Kliebenstein in 2013. Keliinoi also leads the league and is ranked #14 as the "Toughest batter to strike out" as she's only been fanned once this season vs. Baylor on 3/9.
• GOING FOR 2—The UH defense, which ranks second in the BWC with a .961 fielding percentage, is currently ranked No. 12 in the NCAA with .50 double plays per game.
• Senior shortstop Nawai Kaupe is the undisputed leader of the 2022 Rainbow Wahine. On offense, she has a team-best 358 batting average, with a team-high 19 hits, 10 runs scored, four home runs, eight stolen bases and a .585 slugging percentage. Kaupe also leads UH with six multiple-hit games and had a team-best six game hitting streak.
• Sophomore utility player Maya Nakamura is second on the team with a .333 batting average. This past series, she belted her first home run of the season. She leads UH with 11 RBI and eight walks. She is tied for the team lead with three doublesand seven runs scored. Nakamura, who has started all 18 games at second, has also been solid on defense with a .978 fielding percentage with two errors with 50 putouts and 38 assists.
• Lopez ranks second in the league with a 1.93 ERA. Overall she is 4-4 with a save in 11 appearances. she has thrown a team-high 58.0 innings while walking 23 and striking out 46 while holding opponents to a .222 batting average.
• Fellow freshman pitcher, Chloe Borges enters this week also with a 4-4 record overall and a 1-0 record in conference. She has a 5.02 ERA in 53.0 innings pitched with nine appearances and seven complete games. She has 23 walks and 26 strikeouts while holding opponents to a .301 batting average.
• Against California, senior centerfielder Brittnee Rossi re-emerged as UH's leadoff hitter. She was shuffled down to the middle of the order for six games. In her first game back in her customary leadoff role and she responded. Rossi led off the game with a solo home run and went 2-for-2 with a HR and a double with three runs scored, two RBI and a walk. On defense she made a web-gem sliding catch right in the middle of the field's giant H logo. Overall, Rossi is hitting .229 (11-for 46) with seven runs and a .339 on-base %.
• Freshman Izabella Martinez has started 17 of 18 games at catcher--including the last 16 consecutive games. After starting the leason in the bottom third of the lineup, she has hit in the No. 2 or No. 3 spot for the last 12 games. Overall she is hitting .244 with 11-for-45 at the plate with a double and seven RBI.
• The anchors: Only three Rainbow Wahine have now started all 15 games thus far--Maya Nakamura at second, Nawai Kaupe at shortstop and Brittnee Rossi at centerfield.
• The last time UH had two fresman pitchers make a significant impact was in 2006 when Justine Smethurst and Courtney Baughman combined for 25 wins. Smethurst went 16-12 with a 1.89 ERA in 170.2 innings pitched and six shutouts, while Baughman was 9-5 with a 2.53 ERA in 83.0 innings and two shutouts.
• In UH's last tournament, the 'Bows hosted the high-powered Bank of Hawaii Rainbow Wahine Classic which featured perennial powers, Baylor, California and defending NCAA champs and current No. 1 Oklahoma. On the third day of the tourney, when UH was playing OU in the final game of the day, the RWSS was 'sold out' and had to turn fans away as the stands were packed to watch the game which featured local girl, Oklahoma's Jocelyn Alo. It was the first time that the stadium had a capacity crowd since the 2013 Senior Night on May 4, 2013.