HONOLULU--The University of Hawai'i softball team (5-5, 0-0 BWC) hosts a high-powered Bank of Hawaii Rainbow Wahine Classic tournament this week from Wednesday, March 9 - Saturday, March 12 at the Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium. Competing in the tourney are Baylor (11-6, 0-0 Big 12), California (15-6, 0-0 PAC-12) and the defending NCAA champions and current No. 1-ranked team, Oklahoma (16-0, 0-0 Big 12). Admission is FREE.

*For those attending games this week, please be sure to visit softball's Game Day information page, which includes important information on COVID protocols,  parking, clear bag policy, and more.
 

BANK OF HAWAII RAINBOW WAHINE CLASSIC - Hawai'i, Baylor, California, No. 1 Oklahoma (March 9-12, 2022)
TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE				Wednesday, March 9, 2022 3:30 pm - California vs. Baylor 7:00 pm - HAWAI'I VS. BAYLOR Thursday, March 10, 2022 3:30 pm - Baylor vs. Oklahoma 6:00 p.m. - HAWAI'I VS. CALIFORNIA Friday, March 11, 2022 12:30 pm - Baylor vs. California 3:30 pm - Oklahoma vs. California 6:00 pm - HAWAI'I VS. OKLAHOMA Saturday, March 12, 2022 12:00 pm - HAWAI'I VS. OKLAHOMA 2:00 PM - HAWAI'I VS. CALIFORNIA
Location				Honolulu, O'ahu | Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium (1,200)
Television				Spectrum Sports (Wednesday & Saturday's DH) - Scott Robbs (play-by-play) & Lori Santi (Color Analyst)
Live Stream				ESPN+ (Wednesday) | ESPN+ (Saturday DH)
Radio				CBS 1500 (Wednesday)  - Josh Pacheco (play-by-play)
Live Stats				HawaiiAthletics.com
Game Notes				Hawai'i  |  Baylor  |  California  |  Oklahoma
Social Media				@HawaiiSB  | #HawaiiSB | @HawaiiSoftball  | Facebook
Promotions				Bank of Hawaii  is the sponsor of the Rainbow Wahine Classic and will provide Fan Packs (clear backpack filled with hand wipes, face mask, and plastic fan) and ticket vouchers for the winners of the popular "Ballpark Bingo." Also, Safeway t-shirts will be thrown into the stands during the fourth inning of every UH game.  This week is RETRO WEEK and fans are encouraged to wear their favorite UH Retro gear.
Tickets				Admission is FREE at the Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium
Game Day Rosters				Bank of Hawaii Rainbow Wahine Classic Game Day Rosters

   SERIES HISTORIES -  RAINBOW WAHINE CLASSIC OPPONENTSBAYLOR BEARS - Hawai'i is 4-5 all-time against Baylor. The Bears have won the last two contests, both coming in the 2016 Outrigger Spring Fling Tournament. BU won the last meeting, 3-0 on 3/12/16.
CALIFORNIA GOLDEN BEARS - UH is 10-25 against California. The Golden Bears have won the last four meetings, including the last game between UH and Cal on 3/7/19.
OKLAHOMA SOONERS -UH is 3-4 all-time against the Sooners. Oklahoma won the last two meetings in the 2015 Paradise Classic. UH last defeated Oklahoma on 2/24/11 at Cathedral City Classic.

HEAD COACH BOB COOLENCAREER: 1,104-745-1
HAWAI'I: 1,032-652-1
In Hawai'i's final game at the Rebel Kickoff in Las Vegas, Nev., UH head coach Bob Coolen recorded his 1,100th career win with a 7-5 win over CSU Bakersfield (2/13/22). He one of only four UH head coaches to have notched 1,000 wins during their UH coaching careers—Jim Schwitters (men's/women's tennis – 1,327 wins); Dave Shoji (women's volleyball – 1,202 wins), and Les Murakami (baseball – 1,079 wins). Coolen is entering his 31st year leading the Rainbow Wahine. Coolen currently has a 1,099-741-1 career record.

NEWS & NOTES

• Hawai'i evened its record at 5-5 after going 4-1 in their most recent tournament, the Outrigger Hawai'i Invitatational. A combination of solid pitching from UH's rookie staff and some timely hitting proved to be a winning combination. Both freshmen pitchers Chloe Borges and Breanna Lopez fired some gems, while Ka'ena Keliinoi, Maya Nakamura, and Izabella Martinez led the offense in the Invitational
• LHP Brianna Lopez earned her first Big West Freshman of the Week honor after posting a 1-1 record with a 0.00 ERA in a pair of complete game outings. Despite striking out 11 (the most for a UH pitcher since 2019), Lopez suffered a 2-0 loss (both runs were unearned) to Abeline Christian (2/25/22). She bounced right back vs. Montana in the Championship Game, Lopez flirted with a perfect game thru five innings and ended up threw a one-hit shutout against the Grizzlies with six K's and zero walks. It marked Lopez's first career shutout and first game with zero walks. Overall, Lopez lowered her ERA to 2.41 with a 2-2 record in five appearances and 29.0 innings pitched.
• UH's right-handed ace Chloe Borges has been a bulldog in the circle and was named Most Valuable Pitcher for the Hawai'i Invitational after posting a perfect 3-0 record with three complete game efforts. She notched a two-hit shutout—the first of her career—in a 2-0 win over ACU (2/26/22) with a career-high nine strikeouts and three walks. For the tourney, she had a 2.00 ERA in 21.0 innings pitched. Overallshe is 3-2 with a 3.97 ERA, 19 walks and 19 strikeouts in 37.0 innings pitched. Borges is also a fixture in the offensive line-up. She hits for herself when pitching and has been the DP in two games and pinch hit in two other games.
• Sophomore utility player Maya Nakamura was voted MVP for the Hawai'i Invitatinal after a red-hot start to the tourney. She ended up with a .400 batting average and a team-best five RBI. She went 3-for-3 twice against Montana and Abilene Christian. Overall, Nakamura leds UH with a .424 batting average. She has team-highs with 14 hits, two doubles and nine RBI. She also leads UH with three multiple RBI games and four multipe hit games (tied with Nawai Kaupe). On defense, Nakamura has had some 'web gems' at second base and thus far has 32 put-outs, 21 assists for a 1.000 fielding %.
• Sophomore outfielder Ka'ena Keliinoi is one of just 15 players in the NCAA who has not struck out yet. She is ranked at No. 1 as toughest to strikeout in the NCAA statistics. This past tourney, she paced UH with a .500 batting average (5-for-10) and scored three runs with a double and an RBI. Overall she is hitting an even .400 (8-for-20) hitting out of the #9 spot of the order.
• Senior shortstop Nawai Kaupe has provided the power in the UH lineup. She started the season on a six-game hitting streak. Ever since the third game of the season against BYU at the Rebel Kickoff in Las Vegas,  Kaupe was moved to the top of the line up & has served as the UH leadoff hitter in the last eight games. She has a team-high three home runs, eight runs scored and 21 total bases.
• Freshman Izabella Martinez has started nine of UH's 10 games behind the dish. She went 5-for-14 in the Hawai'i Invitational for a .357 batting average which raised her overall average to .333. She has three mutliple hit games and four RBI overall.
• The cornerstones: only four UH players have started all 10 games this season - Maya Nakamura at second, Nawai Kaupe at shortstop, Dallas Millwood at first base 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.
• The pitching staff was dealt a late blow when last year's leading starter, Jetta Nannen, left the program after the start of spring semester. The loss has left the pitching duties to this year's freshman pitching duo of Lopez and Borges. Lopez is a lefty and Borges is a righty who complement each other well. Senior Ashley Murphy will also be looked upon to shore up the pitching staff.

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