SAN DIEGO, Calif.--The University of Hawai'i softball team (11-10, 5-1 Big West) is back on the road this week to take on UC San Diego (17-13, 5-1 BWC). Both Hawai'i and UC San Diego are coming off Big West series sweeps, leaving UH, UCSD and Cal State Fullerton tied atop the BWC standings with identical 5-1 records. The three-game series between the Rainbow Wahine and the Tritons will begin with a single game on Friday, April 1 at 2:00 p.m. HT followed by a doubleheader on Saturday, April 2 beginning at 10:00 a.m. HT.
 

GAMES 22-24 - HAWAI'I (11-10, 5-1 BIG WEST) VS. UC SAN DIEGO (17-13, 5-1 BIG WEST)
GAME SCHEDULE				Friday, April 1 at 2:00 p.m. HT  |  Saturday, April 2 at 10:00 a.m. HT (DH)
Location				Triton Softball Field (750) - San Diego, Calif.
Live Video Stream				Game 1  |  Game 2  |  Game 3
Live Stats				UCSD Live Stats Link
Game Notes				Hawai'i  |  UC San Diego

HEAD COACH BOB COOLENCAREER RECORD: 1,110-751-1
HAWAI'I RECORD: 1,038-657-1

ALL-TIME RECORD vs. CSUNHawai'i first played the Tritons last year when UCSD became a member of the Big West. Last year, UH and UCSD split their four-game series, 2-2. 

News & Notes

• Hawai'i is coming off a three-game sweep over CSUN. UH edged out the Matadors, 4-3; 4-3; and 3-1 for UH's first conference sweep since winning their three-game series vs. UC Riversidide on April 27-28, 2019.
• Hawai'i first played the Tritons last year when UCSDbecame a member of the Big West. Last year, UH and UCSD split their four-game series, 2-2. 
• Catcher Izabella Martinez led UH last week against the Matadors, hitting an even .400, going 4-for-10 at the plate. She had one RBI and also scored a run in the series. The freshman has started the last 19-consecutive games at catcher. In conference, she is second on the team hitting .300 (6-for-20) with two runs scored and three RBI.
• Since moving from the outfield to third, utility player Ka'ena Keliinoi has been solid both on offense and defense. She has started the last seven games at the hot corner, and she leads UH in conference games with a .333 batting average with a team-BWC-high three doubles and 11 RBI. In UH's first game at UCSB, she went 2-for-3 with a 3-RBI double and a grand slam. Keliinoi's seven RBI was just one shy of UH's program record of eight, set by both Jessica Iwata (2010) and Sharla Kliebenstein (2013). Keliinoi is also ranked No. 1 in the league and 9th in the NCAA as "Toughest to Strikeout" - she has only struck out once against Baylor (3/9/22).
• The smooth fielding senior shortstop, Nawai Kaupe continues to shine both on offense and defense. Currently, she leads UH with a .355 bating average with team highs of 11 runs scored, 22 hits, five home runs, nine stolen bases, a .597 slugging percentage, a .459 on-base percentage plus an OPS of 1.056. Kaupe also leads the 'Bows with seven multiple hit games and had a team-long six-game hitting streak.
• Sophomore Maya Nakamura has started all 21 games at second base and she has proven her mettle on offense and defense. She is second on the team with a .323 batting average and leads UH with 14 RBI and 10 walks. Last week, she hit first inning home runs in both the first game and third game vs. CSUN. Overall has scored nine runs, with three doubles and three home runs.
• Senior pitcher Ashley Murphy notched her first win of the season last week in UH's second game vs. CSUN. She tossed four-plus innings, allowing three runs on five hits with three walks and two strikeouts. She is now 1-2 for the season.
• FRESHMAN BATTERY--Hawai'i has primarily used the freshman battery of either Brianna Lopez and Izabella Martinez -or- Chloe Borges and Izabella Martinez. Lopez has won four of her last five games and is 3-1 with a save in Big West action. She lowered her ERA below 2.00 for the first time after last week's two wins over CSUN. Currently, Lopez is 6-4 overall with a 1.94 ERA and 1.19 WHIP in 13 appearances. She has fired eight complete games and has held opponents to a .216 batting average in 72.0 innings pitched. She has 53 strikeouts to 30 walks. Lopez is second in the league in ERA.
       Borges comes into this week with a 4.75 ERA in 56.0 innings pitched and a 4-4 record. Borges has also played many games on offense, emerging as one of the few UH pitchers to hit for themselves and in their non-pitching games--the last being Kanani Aina Cabrales (2015-17) and All-American Kate Robinson (2005-08).
• GOING FOR 2—The UH defense, which currently leads the  Big West and No. 5 in the NCAA rankings averaging .57 double plays per game. UH has turned 12 total double plays  and had three alone against CSUN last week.
• THAT BALL SAID ALOOOOHA—For the first time this season, Hawai'i leads the Big West in home runs per game (.67 per game). Overall, UH has cranked 14 total home runs with Kaupe leading the team with five, Nakamura with three, Millwood with two, and Keliinoi, Rossi, Borges, and Haley Johnson all with one apiece. Hawai'i leads the conference, but right behind them is Cal State Fullerton who is ranked at No. 139 in the NCAA with .59 HR/per game and UC Riverside at No. 157 with .54 HR/per game.
• HAWAI'I'S OWN—For the last four games, the Rainbow Wahine have started an all-local infield. Dallas Millwood earned all-state honors in 2016, '17, and '18 while playing at Kamehameha Schools-Kapalama. Maya Nakamura was an all-state shortstop at Roosevelt High School in 2017 and '18. UH shortstop Nawai Kaupe garnered all-state honors in 2017 playing for Maui High School, while Ka'ena Keliinoi was an all-state catcher in 2018 and '19.
• THE ANCHORS: Only three Rainbow Wahine have started all 21 games thus far--Maya Nakamura at second, Nawai Kaupe at shortstop and Brittnee Rossi at centerfield.
• In the first inning of the first game at UCSB, UH batted around and scored seven runs. It marked the first time UH has scored at least seven runs in the first inning since scoring nine against Northern Colorado on Feb. 6, 2020. It was the first time scoring seven in a Big West game since posting seven against Cal Poly on April 7, 2018. And the first time accomplishing the feat in a road conference game since scoring eight at Utah State on April 28, 2007 while still a member of the WAC.
• Against California, senior center fielder 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 .232 (13-for-56) with eight runs scored a double and a home run. She is also 4-of-5 in stolen bases for the year.
• The last time UH had two freshman 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.