HONOLULU - The University of Hawai'i softball team (26-22, 12-6 WAC) hosts WAC softball newcomer, Boise State (21-25, 4-13 WAC) in their regular season finale, May 1 and 2 at the Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium. Seven seniors will be honored after Saturday's doubleheader during UH's traditional Senior Night festivities. Also on Saturday, the 'Bows will be participating in Under Armour's “Power in Pink” Campaign for Breast Cancer Awareness.

This is the first year BSU is competing in DI softball. Currently, the 'Bows are in third place with a 12-6 conference record. UH is a game behind Fresno State and two games behind defending WAC champions, Nevada. Boise State comes to town with a 4-13 record in seventh place. The Broncos will be fighting for a spot in the WAC Championship tournament next week. BSU is one game above Utah State, who is currently 3-14. Only the top seven teams advance to the WAC tourney in Fresno, Calif.

The three-game series will be the final home games for seven seniors who helped lead UH to back-to-back NCAA tourneys--Audrey Andrade, Courtney Baughman, Julie Franklin, Tanisha Milca, Richie-Anne Titcomb, Clare Warwick and Stacey Yamada. They, along with fourth-year junior, Malamaisaua Manuma, will be honored at the conclusion of Saturday's doubleheader with UH's traditional Senior Night festivities.

Saturday is also "Power in Pink" day at the park. "Power in Pink" is Under Armour's program to promote breast cancer awareness. The Rainbow Wahine will be wearing specially created pink jerseys, along with pink socks and wristbands to commemorate the occasion.

Last time out...
The Rainbow Wahine captured its fourth straight, conference series by winning two-of-three games over offensive juggernaut, New Mexico State. The 'Bows took the first game on Friday, 3-1 on the power provided by three solo home runs by Audrey Andrade, Tanisha Milca, and Kanani Pu'u-Warren. The Aggies won the second game by the same score, 3-1, but the 'Bows bounced back in the second half of the doubleheader to eight-run-rule NMSU by an 11-3 score in five innings. It was just the second time this season that New Mexico State lost a game ended by the mercy rule.

Freshman designated player Makani Duhaylonsod-Kaleimamahu led UH in the three-game series, hitting .625 (5-for-8) with two home runs--including her first career grand slam which helped lift UH to the win in the series finale. Junior centerfielder, Pu'u-Warren has been hot at the plate. This past weekend she was 2-for-4 with two home runs. She also was walked three times and was hit-by-pitch twice. She led the team with a 2.000 slugging percentage and .778 on-base percentage. Milca continued her consistent hitting, going 3-for-8 at the plate for a .375 average with two home runs. On the week, she hit a home run in four consecutive games starting with the doubleheader at Santa Clara.

On the mound, freshman Stephanie Ricketts continued to see the bulk of the workload. She started all three games and threw a total of 16.0 innings. She went 2-1 with a 3.06 ERA, giving up seven runs on 16 hits with four walks and nine strike outs. Sophomore Melissa Gonzalez also saw action in the circle, coming in to throw 3.0 scoreless innings in relief during the second game. She gave up just one hit with no walks and a pair of strike outs.

The Book on the 'Bows...
Junior first baseman Amanda Tauali'i struggled a little against New Mexico State, but she continues to lead the 'Bows on offense overall. She is hitting .338 (47-for-139) on the season and has team highs in triples (3), home runs (15), RBI (36), and slugging percentage (.763). Right behind her is Milca, who raised her average to .335 (55-for-164). Milca leads UH in hits (55), runs (39), doubles (10), and on-base percentage. She also smacked her 12th home run this season, which is seventh all-time in UH single-season history. It was also her 33rd roundtripper, which ties Milca for third all-time with former UH All-American, Tyleen Tausaga. Duhaylonsod-Kaleimamahu has made an impact for Hawai'i and now is hitting .304 (35-for-115) with five doubles, seven home runs, and 23 RBI. In conference action, the freshman from Mililani High School leads the Rainbow Wahine with a .339 average at the plate. 

Ricketts, UH's starting pitcher, is now 19-9 on the season with a 1.96 ERA in 210.2 innings pitched. Her streak of 16 consecutive complete games was snapped in the second game against New Mexico State, but she has a total of 23 cg's on the season with eight shutouts. Ricketts has held opponents to a .198 batting average and has walked 42 batters while fanning 167.

Gonzalez is 1-3 on the season, but in her two appearances since she returned from injury, she has thrown a total of 6.0 innings and has given up just one run while scattering five hits. She did not issue a walk and struck out three in the two games.

Senior Courtney Baughman still looks to return to form this weekend against the Broncos. Overall she is 6-8 this season with a 3.32 ERA and 88.2 innings pitched. 



HAWAI'I VS. BOISE STATE SERIES
What: Hawai'i (26-22, 12-6 WAC) vs. Boise State (21-25, 4-13  WAC)
When: Friday, May 1 at 6:00 pm; Saturday, May 2 at 2:00 pm (DH)
Where: Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium (Honolulu, HI)
Promotions: Rainbowtique is the series sponsor and they will be at the field to sell merchandise, and  
    on Saturday, the 'Bows will be wearing specially made pink uniforms to participate in Under Armour's 
    “Power in Pink” promotion for breast cancer awareness.
Television: Saturday's doubleheaderwill be televised on KFVE The Home Team. Jim Leahey will handle 
     play-by-play and Lori Santi will cover the color commentary.
Streaming Video: Live video streaming is available on uhstreaming.oceanic.com.
Radio: Saturday's doubleheader will also be broadcast live on ESPN 1420 AM with Blaine Kauwe 
   handling the play-by-play.
Streaming Audio: Live streaming audio is available at espn1420am.com/
Live Stats: Live in-game stats are available at HawaiiAthletics.com
Coaches: Bob Coolen (UH: 662-410-1; Overall: 735-503-1) is in his 18th  year at UH. Boise State's Erin 
    Thorpe is in her first season as head coach.
Series Information: This is Boise State's first season competing in DI softball.

SCOUTING THE BOISE STATE BRONCOS

Current Record: 21-25 Overall; 4-13 WAC
Head Coach: Erin Thorpe (First season at BSU; Whittier)
Series Information: This is Boise State's first season playing DI softball.

The Boise State Broncos are competing at the Division I level in softball for the first time this season. Overall, the Broncos come to town with a 21-25 record and are 4-13 in WAC play. Boise State has lost 10 straight conference games, but don't let that stat fool you. Although they are a first year program, they posted quality wins early in the season over Wisconsin, Long Beach State, and San Diego. As a team, they're hitting .272 on the season.

BSU Last time out...
This past weekend Boise State gave Fresno State all they could handle. The Bulldogs won the first game 6-3 on Friday, but in Saturday's doubleheader, FSU barely held off the host, Boise State, 10-9 and then escaped with an 11-8 extra inning victory to end the series.

On offense…
The big guns for the Broncos include junior infielder, Kathy Cox is on top of the Boise State offense in both overall and WAC games. Overall, she is hitting a solid .355 with team highs in runs (39), hits (55), doubles (7), home runs (11) and RBI (40). In conference action, Cox has remained the offensive juggernaut of the team, hitting .333 with 10 runs scored, three doubles, six home runs and an outstanding 18 RBI (11 more than the next closest teammate). Christina Capobianco is second on the Bronco squad, hitting .328 (43-for-131) with 18 runs, four doubles, 10 home runs, and 35 RBI. Also hitting above the .300 mark is Ashleigh Viers-Gordillo. She is hitting at a .301 clip with 21 run, four doubles and three home runs.

On the mound…
The Boise State pitching staff is comprised of three pitchers, with two Aubray Zell and Allie Crump, seeing almost identical time on the mound. Zell has thrown 115.0 innings and is 12-7 overall, 1-4 in conference. She has an ERA of 4.02 with 18 walks and 58 strike outs. Crump has tossed 114.2 innings with a 4.94 ERA and a 7-12 record. She leads the team with 104 strike outs and has held opponents to a .301 batting average. Mandy Klein is 2-6 on the season with one save. She has thrown 75.1 innings and has the lowest ERA on staff at 3.72.

                                                                                                                                                   -uh-