The time Kaia Parnaby spent in the University of Hawaii training room reinforced the importance of getting proper treatment.

During the fall semester, Parnaby assisted the UH trainers working with the football team as part of a kinesiology class. Now that softball season is under way, Parnaby is focused on keeping herself fit while handling a rigorous pitching schedule.

"I had a lot of inside information being able to work in the training room," Parnaby said. "(UH head trainer) Eric (Okasaki) and I already had a good relationship and being injured previous years I knew what I had to do to keep my arm in shape and keep my body in shape."

Parnaby’s conditioning was tested last weekend when she appeared in all six games and threw 312⁄3 out of a possible 42 innings over UH’s three-day run in the Oceanic Time Warner Cable Paradise Classic. She earned Big West pitcher of the week honors for her efforts.

The senior left-hander could have another busy weekend ahead with the Rainbow Wahine (5-1) set to play six games over four days in the Easton Desert Classic in Las Vegas.

UH faces two nationally ranked teams from the Pac-12 and three former Western Athletic Conference rivals in the tournament, which opens today and runs through Sunday.

The Wahine, ranked 20th in the USA Today/NFCA Top 25 and 23rd in the ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Top 25, open the tournament against BYU today at UNLV’s Eller Media Stadium. The game is set for 2:30 p.m. Hawaii time.

UH then takes on San Jose State and No. 19/18 UCLA on Friday and No. 7/9 Oregon on Saturday. The Wahine close the tournament Sunday with a doubleheader against Utah Valley and Nevada.

"You always find out things about your team when you’re on the road," Parnaby said. "We’ll play some top teams in Las Vegas, I think it’s going to test us, but I think it will bring us together.

"It’s a tough schedule, but I feel we have the team to push through and bring home a good record."

Parnaby went 3-1 with two saves and posted a 0.66 earned-run average while striking out 39 and walking three last week. Freshman Keiki Carlos made two starts and pitched into the fifth inning of both games before being relieved by Parnaby.

UH coach Bob Coolen would like to see Carlos increase her inning count and save some wear on Parnaby. But he also has an eye on the impact early-season games against teams within the region could have on the postseason selection process.

"I hope Keiki can punch through and go seven innings for us," Coolen said. "But if we have to use Kaia, these games are very important.

"We can’t posture ourselves in the Big West, it’s win it or go home, unless you have a good enough RPI outside of conference. That’s why we’re going after all of these wins."

Coolen said he came out of the opening weekend satisfied with the Wahine’s pitching and defense after they allowed a total of seven runs over six games. The offense was more of a concern, following a series in which UH hit .191 as a team with one home run, a solo shot by Carlos in a win over Washington.