LOS ANGELES, Calif.--The University of Hawai'i softball team (16-14, 8-4 Big West) travels to take on #10/9 UCLA (29-5, 10-2 Big Ten) on Thursday, April 2nd. Hawai'i will then head up the 101 for a pivotal series against league-leader, UC Santa Barbara (21-16, 11-1 Big West). The Rainbow Wahine and Gauchos will square off in a single game on Friday, April 3rd at 9:00 a.m. HT followed by a doubleheader on Saturday, April 4th beginning at 9:00 a.m. HT. All three games will be played at the Campus Diamond in Santa Barbara, Calif..

Following a dominant three-game sweep of CSUN to close out March, the 'Bows enters Week 9 with some momentum, riding a season-high five-game win streak. The team's offensive efficiency was on display against the Matadors, where they outscored the CSUN 20–4 while maintaining a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage. The Rainbow Wahine's power surge at the plate has been anchored by batters like Millie Fidge, who leads the team with a .405 batting average and a .811 slugging percentage, and Jamie McGaughey, who has provided steady power with 22 RBI this season.
 

GAME #31:  at UCLA
OPPONENT				#10/9 UCLA BRUINS (29-5, 10-2 Big Ten)
SITE				Easton Stadium (Los Angeles, Calif.)
DATES/TIMES				Thursday, April 2, 2026 / 12:00 p.m. HT
Live Stream				Big 10+ - CLICK HERE
Live Stats				CLICK HERE
Game Notes				Hawai'i | UCLA
Social Media				@HawaiiSB  | #HawaiiSB | @HawaiiSoftball  | Facebook

 

GAMES #32-34:  at UC Santa Barbara
OPPONENT				UC Santa Barbara (21-16, 11-1 Big West)
SITE				Campus Diamond (Santa Barbara, Calif.)
DATES/TIMES				Friday, April 3, 2026 / 9:00 a.m. HT Saturday, April 4, 2026 (DH) / 9:00 a.m. HT | 11:30 a.m. HT
Live Stream				ESPN+ - GAME 1 | GAME 2 | GAME 3
Live Stats				GAME 1 | GAME 2 | GAME 3
Game Notes				Hawai'i | UCSB
Social Media				@HawaiiSB  | #HawaiiSB | @HawaiiSoftball  | Facebook

HAWAI'I RAINBOW WAHINE (16-14, 8-4 Big West)Head Coach: Panita Thanatharn (First Season)
Record at UH:/Overall 16-14
Big West Record: 8-4 

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UH Record vs. UCLA: UCLA leads series, 18-4
Streak: UCLA has won last seven
Last time at UCLA: UH won its most recent game at Easton Stadium, defeating the Bruins 3-1 in eight innings in the 2007 NCAA Regionals on May 19, 2007

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UH Record vs. UCSB: UH leads series, 61-33
Streak: UCSB won last two
Last Year vs. UCSB: Last year, UH hosted the UCSB series, but the first game was rained out. The two teams split Saturday's doubleheader and then made up the game prior to UH's series at Cal Poly which UCSB won,  5-4. The Gauchos also won their game vs. UH in the Big West Championship to end UH's season, 8-1 en route to UCSB capturing the tourney title.

#10/9 UCLA BRUINS (29-5, 10-2 Big Ten)Head Coach: Kelly Inouye-Perez (2-th Season)
UCLA/Career Record: 902-227
Last Week: Last week, the Bruins lost two of three games at Nebraska.
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UC SANTA BARBARA GAUCHOS (21-16, 11-1  Big West)Head Coach: Jo Evans (Fourth season)
UCSB/Career Record: UCSB: 103-92 | Career Record: 1,403-805 (40 Seasons)_
Last Week: Last week, the Gauchos fell in their opener against Cal State Bakersfield, but bounced back to win the last two games to win the series 2-1


NEWS & NOTES-LAST WEEK: UH swept CSUN, winning 7-1 on Friday night and 3-0 and 10-3 in Saturday's doubleheader. Pitcher Taryn Irimata went 2-0, winning  her series opening start, then earned her second win throwing 5.1 innings in relief in the series finale. she recorded a 1.14 ERA in 12.1 innings pitched. She allowed just two runs overall on six hits with five walks and six strikeouts. Shortstop Milan Ah Yat led UH at the plate, hitting .429 in three starts (3-for-7). Rightfielder Rhea Furtado hit .400 (2-for-5) and was one of four 'Bows to score three runs apiece. She walked twice and was hit by a pitch  and had an on-base % of .302. Millie Fidge however helped power UH to the series sweep, hitting .333 with a home run and a team-high four RBI.

-HISTORIC COACHING GAME: The game between UH and UCLA will feature two of three female Asian American DI softball head coaches. UCLA, who is led by head coach Kelly Inouye-Perez is in her 20th season is of Japanese-American descent, while Hawai'i head coach Panita Thanatharn is of Thai-American decent and is in her first season. The third Asian-Americn female head softball coach is Melissa Inouye (who is originally from Mililani) who is in her ninth season at Fordham.

-FINDING A DEFENSIVE LINEUP: For the last four games, UH has found itself a consistent infield alignment (except at catcher). In the infield Jamie McGaughey has shifted over to third base with Millie Fidge making her first starts at first base. Fidge previously has been used as a pitcher and at times the team's designated player this year. She has started the last four games at first. Milan Ah Yat has started all 30 games at shortstop, while Carys Murakami has started 17 games at third and 13 games at second-including the last four-straight. In the outfield, UH has started the same three for the last six-straight games with Kayara Tuiloma in left, Maycen Gibbs in center and Rhea Furtado in right.

-TEAM ANCHORS There are four Rainbow Wahine who have started all 30 games thus far. Only Milan Ah Yat and Maycen Gibbs have stated the entire season at one position with Ah Yat at shortstop and Gibbs in centerfield. Jamie McGaighey started the first 26 games at first but started the last four at third base. Carys Murakami has started 17 games at third and 13 at second--including the last four straight.

-SPEED = SUCCESS ON BASES: Hawai'i has utilized an aggressive baserunning strategy throughout the 2026 season, successfully converting 37 of 44 stolen base attempts--compared to the 21 total bases stolen last year in 2025. This 84% success rate highlights the tactical speed of Hawai'i which has outpaced its opponents' 24 total steals. The Rainbow Wahine offensive pressure is led by Furtado, who has swiped a team-high 13 stolen bases. Supporting Furtado's efforts, Murakami has been perfect on the season, going 6-for-6 in her attempts. Other key contributors to the UH ground attack include  Gibbs, who is 5-for-5, and Milan Ah Yat, who is 3-for-3. Defensively, the team remains vigilant against opposing speed; catchers Bailey Nagasako and Kolbi Kochi have combined with the pitching staff to catch six runners stealing across all games this season. In Big West play specifically, the team has maintained its efficiency, successfully stealing seven bases

-CATCHING CAROUSEL: With the departure of four-year starting catcher and 2025 Big West Defensive Player of the Year Izabella Martinez, UH has platooned their catchers, rotating four throughout the season. Three Rainbow Wahine--Bailey Nagasako, Keely Kai, and Kolbi Kochi--have started eight games apiece, while Cierra Yamamoto has started six behind the plate while also starting two in leftfield.

-CONSISTENT POWER THREAT: McGaughey maintains a .358 batting average and leads the team in hits (29), doubles (7), walks (14) and RBI (22). She holds a .630 slugging percentage and a .449 on-base percentage, providing steady, veteran leadership on both offense and defense. Primarily hitting in the cleanup spot, Mcaughey also leads UH with nine multiple hit and seven multiple RBI games to date. During the CSUN series, she hit .300 and drove in two runs while maintaining a perfect fielding percentage at the hot corner.

-FIDGE ON FIRE: High-impact utility player Fidge leads the Rainbow Wahine in several major offensive categories, including batting average (.405) and slugging percentage (.811). Between UH's series at Long Beach State and this past week's series vs. CSUN, Fidge had hit four home runs in five straight games. In only 37 at-bats, she has tallied 15 hits--including a double, a triple and four home runs-- while driving in  14 runs. Beyond her hitting prowess, she has made seven appearances in the circle, recording a 1-1 record with a 4.30 ERA this year. She has been perfect in the field across 32 total chances this season.

-AH YAT FINDING HER GROOVE: Ah Yat has started every game at shortstop for UH this season. She leads the team with six home runs and is tied for second with 20 RBI. Ah Yat maintains a .277 overall batting average with a .578 slugging percentage and a .362 on-base percentage. In Big West games, she is hitting .364 with four home runs and 12 RBI.
 
-DYNAMIC TABLE-SETTER: Primarily batting in the leadoff or second spot this season, Murakami not only sets the table for her teammates, but she also leads the 'Bows with 19 runs scored while recorded 24 hits and 11 walks. She is a perfect 6-for-6 in stolen base this season. Currently, Murakami has reached base safely in 10-straight games coming into Week 9 and she is second on the squad recording seven multiple-hit games.  On defense, she has recorded 29 putouts and a team-high 49 assists, maintaining a .963 fielding percentage

-IRIMATA WORKHOUSE IN THE CIRCLE: Irimata has regained her presence in the circle, winning her last four games in her last four appearance against LBSU and CSUN to even her overall record at 6-6. Overall, she has appeared in 15 games with 11 starts, totaling 70.0 innings pitched. She enters Week 9 with an overall ERA of 2.60 while leading the staff with 44 strikeouts. In Big West play, she has a 4-1 record and has lowered her ERA to 1.55 in 35.0 innings..She has earned a pair of Big West Pitcher of the Week awards thus far.

THE PITCHING PROWESS OF PITTS: Pitts leads UH with a 7-4 overall record and an overall 2.53 ERA across 17 appearances. Overall, she has pitched a team-high 74.2 innings, recording three complete games and contributing to four shutouts. Pitts has allowed only 10 walks which ranks her at No. 6 in the NCAA DI with 0.94 walks allowed per seven innings. Pitts earned the win in the first game of the March 28 doubleheader against CSUN, throwing a complete-game shutout as UH won, 3-0.