An exhibition doubleheader last week served as a soft opening for the Hawaii softball team’s home schedule as well as the latest addition to Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium.
Days after a blessing for the program’s new clubhouse, the Rainbow Wahine swept Chaminade in their home debut last Friday. After the second game, some of the players who couldn’t attend the blessing got their first look inside the locker room facility.
For center fielder Brittnee Rossi, now in her fifth year in the program, touring the new structure behind the first-base dugout was especially meaningful.
“I have no words for it because I know it’s always been a topic of conversation of having a new facility, but I never thought I would get a chance to see it just because I thought it would be later down the road,” Rossi said.
“To be here during my fifth year and being able to have a new home with my teammates … it’s our own little sanctuary.”
While finishing touches are still in progress, some of the players began moving their gear into the new locker room this week as the Wahine prepared to officially open their home schedule in the Outrigger Hawaii Invitational.
Abilene Christian and North Dakota meet in the tournament opener today at 3:30 p.m. The Rainbow Wahine (1-4) then face Montana (5-5) at 6 p.m.
UH will face Abilene Christian (5-6) and North Dakota (4-6) on Friday with bracket play scheduled for Saturday.
This week’s series is one of two tournaments at RWSS prior to the Big West season. With the Bank of Hawaii Rainbow Wahine Classic featuring No. 1 Oklahoma, Baylor and California set for March 9-12, UH coach Bob Coolen said the slate of early-season tournaments — while thinner than past years — “will give us a good indication going into conference of what we’re all about.”
Last week’s doubleheader with Chaminade broke up a bye week after the UH’s season-opening trip to Las Vegas for the UNLV Rebel Kickoff. The Wahine fell to BYU and UNLV twice each by a total of seven runs before closing the weekend with a 7-5 win over CSU Bakersfield.
Coolen already shuffled the lineup during the Las Vegas trip, moving shortstop Nawai Kaupe into the leadoff spot and elevating right fielder Mikaela Gandia-Mak to second in the order followed by second baseman Maya Nakamura and first baseman Dallas Millwood.
Rossi, a leadoff hitter most of her career, moved into the middle of the order and shook off a rough start at the plate to hit safely in UH’s last four games in Las Vegas. She also had two doubles in the second game against Chaminade last week.
“I was struggling a little bit in the leadoff spot, just not seeing the ball too well, probably a little jumbled in my head,” Rossi said. “So Coach Bob moved me down it the order to give me some wiggle room and kind of relax and clear my head more than anything. Of course, I love the leadoff spot, but wherever Coach Bob puts me I’m going to try to produce to the best of my abilities.”
After producing five runs on 15 hits in their first three games of the season, the Wahine broke loose for 18 runs and 29 hits in the last two games of the UNLV tournament following what Coolen and the players described as a passionate speech from assistant coach Kaulana Gould.
“Very motivational,” Rossi said. “It kind of lit a fire underneath all of us to get into gear and start hitting balls like we how we do in practice.
“I think it was incredible. Coach Lanz doesn’t say much, but when she does … that’s when you know she really means it.”
Freshman Chloe Borges has taken the lead role in the pitching rotation and combined with freshman left-hander Brianna Lopez on a shutout in the first game of the Chaminade doubleheader last week. Senior Ashley Murphy settled down after a shaky start to go the distance in a 12-2 in in the finale.
Rainbow Wahine softball
At Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium
Outrigger Hawaii Invitational
>> Schedule: Today—Abilene Christan vs. North Dakota, 3:30 p.m.; Montana vs. Hawaii, 6 p.m. Friday—Montana vs. Abilene Christian, noon; Montana vs. North Dakota, 2:30 p.m.; Abilene Christian vs. Hawaii, 5 p.m.; North Dakota vs. Hawaii, 7 p.m. Saturday—Semifinals, 10 a.m., noon; third-place game, 2 p.m.; championship, 4 p.m.
>> TV: Hawaii games on Friday on Spectrum Sports
>> Radio: 1500-AM
