LONG BEACH, Calif.--The University of Hawai'i softball team (18-15, 12-6 Big West) travels to take on Long Beach State (23-19, 13-5 Big West) in a three-game conference series this week beginning with a single game on Friday, April 29 at 10:00 a.m. HT. On Saturday, April 30th, the two teams will play a doubleheader beginning at 10:00 a.m. HT. With just three weeks left in the regular season, the Rainbow Wahine are in third place just a game behind the Beach. Cal State Fullerton is two wins ahead of LBSU with a 15-3 converence record. 
 

GAMES 34-36 - HAWAI'I (18-15, 12-6 BIG WEST) VS. LONG BEACH STATE  (15-19, 6-6 BIG WEST)
GAME SCHEDULE				Friday, April 29 at 10:00 a.m. HT  |  Saturday, April 30 (DH) at 10:00 a.m. HT
Location				LBSU Softball Complex (500) - Long Beach, Calif.
Live Stats				Game 1  |  Game 2  |  Game 3
Game Notes				Hawai'i  |  Long Beach State (link)

 
HEAD COACH BOB COOLENCAREER RECORD: 1,117-756-1 (36)
HAWAI'I RECORD: 1,045-662-1 (31)

ALL-TIME RECORD VS. LONG BEACH STATEHawai'i is 31-68 all-time against Long Beach State. In last year's COVID-19 shortened season, the Beach swept UH in a four-game series in Honolulu. UH's last win over LBSU came on March 30, 2019 as the 'Bows won the series, 2-1 that year in Honolulu. The last time UH won a BWC series at Long Beach State was in 1994.

LAST TIME OUT...Last week, the Rainbow Wahine recorded their second Big West series sweep this season, winning all three games over Cal State Bakersfield. UH won the first game 10-3; defeated the Roadrunners 10-1 in five innings in Game 1 of Saturday's doubleheader; then held off CSUB, 5-1 to complete the sweep. For the series,UH's offense hit a combined .390 batting average with a slugging percentage of .584, while the pitching and defense held the Roadrunners to five runs in three games and a .232 batting average. 

NEWS & NOTES

• Reigning Big West Field Player of the Week Nawai Kaupe had herself a series against Cal State Bakersfield and is the first Rainbow Wahine to earn the BWC honors since Nicole Lopez (April 29, 2019). The smooth fielding senior shortstop led Hawai'i's offense last week, hitting .750 (6-for-8) with a team-high three doubles, eight RBI, three walks, a home run, a slugging percentage of 1.500 with an on-base percentage of .833. Overall, Kaupe raised her batting average to .337 overall. She continues to lead the Big West Conference with nine home runs and is ranked second with a .643 slugging percentage and 13 stolen bases--which is the most since Tara Harbert swiped 14 in 2013. 
• Lefty pitcher Brianna Lopez is ranked second in the Big West with a 2.06 overall ERA and has emerged as one of the cornerstone of the team. So far in her freshman season, she has recorded an 11-6 record with one save, tossing 19 complete games in 21 appearances. She has fired three complete game shutouts and has thrown 125.2 total innings. She has held opponents to a .227 batting average and has logged 52 walks and 84 strikeouts.
• STREAKING TO THE LEAD - Sophomore utility player Ka'ena Keliinoi enters this week with a 12-game hitting streak--the longest of her career and for UH this season. It is also the longest for a UH player since Nicole Lopez had a 13-game hit streak in 2019. Against CSUB last week, Keliinoi hit .545 (6-for-11) with two doubles, a home run, three runs scored and four RBI. On defense, she has been the definition of what a true "utility player" is. During her UH career, Keliinoi has started 79 games at seven different positions and playing where ever she can help the team the most. This year alone, she has started 18 at third base, 14 games in leftfield, two in centerfield and one in rightfield. Last season, Keliinoi started 22 games at catcher, one at second base, one as designated player. In her true freshman year, she caught 11 games, played 11 at second base, one in rightfield and one as designated player during the COVID shortened season. Keliinoi currently leads UH with a .344 batting average (31-for-90) and eight doubles. She is second on the team with 31 hits and 18 runs score and third with 19 RBI.
• THAT BALL SAID ALOOOHA! - Hawai'i leads the Big West averaging 0.85 home runs per game which ranks them 79th in the NCAA. Last week against CSU Bakersfield, Hawai'i hit three more round-trippers with Dallas Millwood, Kaupe, and Keliinoi all launching one home run apiece. Individually, Kaupe continues to lead the league with nine home runs at an average of .27 per game. Maya Nakamura is second on the team with five home runs, Miwwod has four and Keliinoii and Hayley Johnson are tied with three each.  
• TURNING TWO - Hawai'i's defense turned two double play last week vs. CSUB and remains at No. 2 in double plays per game in the Big West and No. 3 in the NCAA, averaging .61. UH has turned a total of 20 double plays ths season. The league leader is Cal State Bakersfield is averaging .61 DP's/game and have turned 20 total this year.
• GOOD EYE - Sophomore second baseman Maya Nakamura is having a solid season both on offense and flasing the leather on defense. She leads UH with 17 walks, which is the most for a UH player since Callee Heen drew 30 in 2019. Currently, she is third on the team with a .330 batting average. She is tied for second on the UH squad with 31 hits, five doubles, five home runs, 20 RBI and a .447 on-base percentage. Nakamura is ranked third on the team with 17 runs scored, 
• ALL 808 IF —With the exception of the UH battery, in 13 of the last 16 games, UH has started an all-local infield. First baseman Dallas Millwood earned all-state honors in 2016, '17, and '18 at Kamehameha Schools—Kapalama. Maya Nakamura was an all-state shortstop at Roosevelt High School in 2017 and '18. Shortstop Nawai Kaupe garnered all-state honors in 2017 playing for Maui High School, while third baseman Ka'ena Keliinoi was an all-state catcher in 2018 and '19.
• RECORD EVENED - Senior pitcher Ashley Murphy evened her overall record to 3-3 and improved to 3-1 in conference games after tossing a five-inning (mercy rule) complete game this past week over CSUB. She did not allow an earned run against the Roadrunners. Murphy has become the No. 2 starter for UH as Chloe Borges has had some injury issues at the present time. Murphy has a 5.75 ERA with 31.2 innings pitched in nine appearances and seven starts. 
• IN THE PEN - Sophomore Cira Bartolotti has emerged as the reliever of the staff as she has made three appearances the last few weeks. She has thrown five full innings and has an 0-2 record. Prior to finding her spot in the rotation, Bartolotti has been primarily used as a pinch runner this season, but she has made three starts (two in left and one in right) and has scored six runs this year. 
• BEHIND THE DISH - Freshman catcher Izabella Martinez has been solid behind the plate starting in 32 of the last 33 games in her rookie season. She is hitting .247 (23-for-93) with nine runs scored and has driven in 13 runs. She is a rarity as Martinez calls her own game and has been a great receiver for all four pitchers used this season.
•  OFFENSIVE IMPACT - Redshirt freshman Haley Johnson has made 21 appearances--including 15 starts. Johnson has been hitting in the middle of the lineup in 12 of UH's last 13 games. Since being inserted into the lineup, the designated player has a .267 batting average (12-for-45) with a double, two triples, three home runs 10 RBI and eight runs scored. 
• THE ANCHORS IN THE MIDDLE —Only two Rainbow Wahine have started all 30 games this season--second baseman Maya Nakamura and shortstop Nawai Kaupe.