Hawai`i Tournament Notes
WAC Tournament Central
Tournament Bracket

LAS CRUCES, N.M.--The No. 21/23 University of Hawai'i softball team (41-12, 19-1 WAC) begins the 2010 Western Athletic Conference Tournament as the top-seed as the WAC regular season champions. The 'Bows have a bye on the first day and begin play on Thursday, May 13 at 11:30 a.m. UH opens the tourney against the winner of the No. 4 seed Louisiana Tech and the No. 5 seed San Jose State.

 

Hawai`i last won a three-game series over Fresno State, 2-1 on April 30-May 1. UH won the first game, 5-0 but Fresno State snapped UH's 18-game win streak in the second game, squelching UH's quest for an undefeated WAC season. The 18 game win streak was the longest in school history and was the longest active streak in the country. But the 'Bows bounced back to win the series finale, 5-4 on a walk off home run in the bottom of the seventh by Jessica Iwata.

The hard-hitting 'Bows have hit a school and conference record 128 home runs in 53 games thus far this season and are just six shy of tying the NCAA DI record of 134 set last set last season by Arizona. Thirteen different Rainbow Wahine have hit at least one home run, with all nine offensive starters hitting at least six each. Leading the charge is freshman centerfielder, Kelly Majam, who has launched a school and conference record 25 homers in her rookie campaign. Majam also leads the team with 50 RBI and a school record 65 runs scored. Right behind her is junior third baseman, Melissa Gonzalez, who has sent 20 balls sailing over the fence, while freshman shortstop, Iwata has hit 16 home runs and a school record 20 doubles. She is tied with Majam for the team lead with a .395 batting average and is second on the squad, scoring 53 runs. The Rainbow Wahine have also set single-season team records with 397 runs scored and 359 RBI.

In the circle, sophomore Stephanie Ricketts finished the regular season strong, winning her last 12 straight starts in a row and posting a 13-0 record in conference action and a 22-6 mark overall. She became just the third pitcher in UH history to win over 20 wins twice. Overall, she has a 2.18 ERA in 186.0 innings pitched while holding opponents to a .221 batting average with 134 strike outs and 62 walks. In conference, she has completed all 12 games she started with three shut outs—including a perfect game at Nevada. She fired 81.1 innings with 25 walks and 52 strike outs. Complementing Ricketts on the mound is freshman, Kaia Parnaby who has an 18-6 record overall and is 6-1 in the WAC. Parnaby, an Aussie southpaw, has a 2.91 ERA with six shut-outs. In 144.1 innings, she has walked just 41 with 172 strike outs.

Head coach, Bob Coolen passed the 700-win milestone earlier this season, and now has a 708-424-1 in his 19th season at the University of Hawai'i. Overall in 24 seasons as a head coach, he has amassed a 780-517-1 record.

 

Since the WAC Championship tournament returned in 2006, UH has posted an 8-8 record over four seasons. Last year, the 'Bows fell in the first game to Louisiana Tech, 1-7, then came back to down Boise State, 10-2 in five innings in an elimation game. But UH couldn't get past Nevada, falling 2-4 in 10 innings.

 

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