HONOLULU--The University of Hawai'i softball team (20-12, 3-3 Big West) returns home to host a three-game series against UC San Diego (13-17, 3-3 BW) this weekend. The Rainbow Wahine and Tritons will open with a single game on Friday, March 31 at 6:00 p.m. HT and conclude the series with a Saturday doubleheader that begins at 12:00 p.m. HT. All three games wiill be played at the Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium.
 

GAMES 33-35 - HAWAI'I (20-12, 3-3 BW) vs. UC SAN DIEGO (13-17, 3-3 BW)
Date | Time				Friday, March 31, 2023 | 6:00 P.M. HT Saturday (DH), April 1, 2023 | 12:00 P.M. HT
Location				Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium (1,200) - Honolulu, O'ahu
Promotions				Great Prizes will be awarded for the winners of the popular "Ballpark Bingo." Also, T-shirts will be thrown into the stands during the fourth inning of every UH game.
Television				All three games will be televised on Spectrum Sports - Ch. 12 (SD) / 1012 (HD) - Scott Robbs (play-by-play), Lori Santi (color analyst)
Live Stream				ESPN+ (Blacked out in Hawai'i) - Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3
Live Stats				Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3
Game Day Rosters				CLICK HERE
Game Notes				Hawai'i (PDF)  |  UC San Diego
Social Media				@HawaiiSB  | #HawaiiSB | @HawaiiSoftball  | Facebook
Tickets				Admission is FREE

HEAD COACH: Bob CoolenOverall record: 1,141-773-1 (37th Season)
At Hawai'i: 1,069-680-1 (32nd Season)
Last week: UH opened their three-game series at CSUN with a mercy-rule, 12-3 win in which the 'Bows posted 10 runs in the first inning--which included a grand slam by Haley Johnson and a three-RBI double by Maya Nakamura. It was the first time UH scored double-digit runs since 2013. But the following day, returned the favor, sweeping the 'Bows 8-5 and 11-1 in five innings to win the series 2-1.

UC SAN DIEGO (13-17, 3-3 BIG WEST)Series History: UH, 4-3
Streak: UH won 2. UH's first meeting vs. the Tritons was in 2021 when UCSD joined the Big West. UH and UCSD split their first-ever series 2-2. Last year UCSD won the first game, but the '
Bows won the doubleheader to win the series 2-1.
Head Coach: Patti Gerkens (30 seasons)
 NEWS & NOTES

• LAST WEEK - After overwhelming CSUN in last week's series opener 12-3 in five innings, Hawai'i could not keep things going as CSUN came back to take it to UH sweeping the DH, 8-5 and 11-1 (five innings). In Saturday's doubleheader, UH's starting pitchers--Brianna Lopez and Key-Annah Campbell-Pua both were unable to get out the first inning, allowing a combined 13 runs between the two. Combine that with eight errors (four in each game) on defense and on offense 10 total hits over two games equates to a pair of lopsided losses.
• OFFENSIVE OUTPUT - As Hawai'i looks to put last week's results behind them, they're looking forward towards the series vs. UCSD. The Rainbow Wahine offense was subdued in the last two games, but the 'Bows continue to lead the league with 1.06 home runs per game, scoring (5.34 runs/game), slugging percentage (.473) while on defense UH has turned a BW-best .44 double plays per game.
• ALL THE WAY HOME - Hawai'i has out-scored their opponents, 171-to-111 while out-hitting opponents, .282-to-.240. UH has out-scored their opponents in every inning except for the fifth (19-20). UH's most prolific scoring comes in the second inning (26-5) and the sixth (29-10). When UH is leading after five innings, the 'Bows are 13-0. However, if trailing at the end of the fifth, UH is 1-9.
• THAT BALL SAID ALOOOHA! - The Hawai'i bats have been blasting off for a total of 36 home runs thus far. That's just two homers shy of what UH recorded all of last season.  UH's current 36 HR's is the most since UH hit 51 in 2019 (the last full season before COVID).
• STEADY LINEUP - The first three and fifth spot in UH's batting lineup has started all 32 games with Xiao Gin leading off, Ka'ena Keliinoi batting second, Maya Nakamura hitting third and Izabella Martinez batting in the fifth spot.  Since Dallas Millwood went down, Hayley Johnson has hit cleanup, Mya'Liah Bethea sixth and Cira Bartolotti has hit eighth in the last 25 games. Position wise, only three players have started the same position all 32 games--Gin at short, Nakamura at second, and Bartolotti in center. Offensively four others have started all 32 games but at various positions. Kellinoi has started 17 at third, 10 in right and five in left. Johnson has started 27 games as the DP and five at catcher and Bethea started the first seven in left before switching to first for the last 25.
• Junior second baseman Maya Nakamura leads UH with a .338 batting average, a .535 on-base percentage, 23 walks and has been plunked a team-high seven times. She is second on the team with 24 runs scored.
• Junior utility player Mya'Liah Bethea continus to lead the Big West with nine home runs and .28 HR/game. Bethea has been one of the most improved hitters on the UH roster. Last year, in 39 games played and 35 starts, she hit .178 (16-for-90). This year she is 25-for-88 for a .284 batting average. She had been hitting above .300 until this week. Twelve of her 25 hits hae gone for extra bases as she has started all 32 games. She started the first seven games in leftfield, but after Dallas Millwood was injured in the opening game in Las Vegas, Nev., Bethea has started the last 15 at first base. She and Ka'ena Keliinoi have been the most versatile players over the past two years. Last year, Bethea saw action in the outfield, at first and at catcher. Bethea has the longest 'reached base safely' streak which was 14.
• Sophomore designated player/catcher Haley Johnson also has raised her offensive game this season. She leads the Big West averaging .88 runs/game and leads UH with 28 RBI. After hitting .222 (14-for 63) last season, Johnson has thrived hitting clean-up primarily as the team's DP. She has started all 32 games and is third on the team with a .326 batting average (29-for-89) with three doubles, a triple and three home runs. Johnson has a team-best nine multiple-RBI games--including a career high five RBI against CSUN last week after she hit a grand slam and an RBI-single both in the first inning of the series opener. Last week, Johnson led UH with a .556 average and team-highs of five hits and five RBI.
• Although sophomore pitcher Brianna Lopez had a rough start to end the series at CSUN, she leads the league with four shutous and has a team-low 2.0+ ERA in 88.1 innings pitched. She has fired nine complete games and overall is 10-5 in 17 appearances. She has 68 strikeouts to 36 walks and has held opponents to a .224 batting average.
• UH's No. 2 starting pitcher, Key-Annah Campbell-Pua comes into the week with an 8-4 overall record with six complete games and two shutouts. She has a 2.73 ERA in 66.2 innings pitched while holding opponents to a team-low, .216 batting average. She has 35 strike outs to 17 walks. On Feb. 19 vs. Montana in Las Vegas, Campbell-Pua fired a no-hitter while facing the minimum 21 batters in a 7-0 win with a career-high six strikeouts. For her efforts that week, she earned both Big West Pitcher and Freshman of the Week.
• Junior Xiao Gin has led off and started at shortstop in every game thus far this season. The transfer from Oregon State has gotten the job done, leading the team with 25 runs scored and with 30 hits. She is hitting .323 overall and has drawn 22 walks (second on the team.
• Hawai'i's Izabella Martinez has been solid behind and at the plate. Offensively, she is second on the team hitting .333 (28-for-84). She is second on the team in batting average and on-base percentage with five doubles and four home runs.
• Senior Rachel "Bueller" Sabourin is making the most of her last season at UH. She leads UH hitting .545 (6-for-11) with runners in scoring position. Overall she has a team-best slugging percentage .778 and has six home runs overall--including a pair of pinch-hit homers. After missing much of last year to injury, she has started 15 games at third while appearing in 23 games thus far.