Before Haley Johnson’s first home run of the season cleared the fence, the University of Hawaii sophomore reminded herself to clear her mind.
“One of my teammates reminded me this weekend, ‘see the ball, hit the ball,’” Johnson told media members on Tuesday. “It’s so simple but it’s the best mindset you can have when you go up to the plate.”
Keeping it simple has worked well for Johnson in the middle of the Rainbow Wahine softball team’s lineup so far this season. Through three weeks, she’s hitting a team-high .370 with a Big West-leading 18 runs batted in.
Her fourth career home run, an opposite-field shot to left-center on Sunday against St. Bonaventure, was the decisive swing in UH’s 2-0 win to close the Bank of Hawaii Invitational.
She’ll look to continue her hot start when UH (9-6) and St. Bonaventure (0-5) meet again today, weather permitting, as the five-day Hawaii Spring Fling Tournament gets under way at Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium.
The Wahine will play single games each day against St. Bonaventure today at 6 p.m., Santa Clara on Friday (6 p.m.), Pacific on Saturday (6 p.m.), Niagara on Sunday (noon), and Utah on Monday (4 p.m.).
Through the hectic pace of the early-season schedule, Johnson tries to quiet her inner voice when she walks up to the plate.
“I’ve been hitting for so long and I’ve been playing this sport for so long, you just go back to the basics and go back to the fundamentals, “ Johnson said.
Johnson has spent most of the season in the designated player role while giving catcher Izabella Martinez a break behind the plate in spot starts.
UH’s catchers have paced the offense over the first three weeks of the season with Martinez just behind Johnson at .368 with 14 RBIs.
UH coach Bob Coolen said Johnson is among the team’s strongest players in the weight room and there are times “she hits batting practice off of me and puts five balls over the fence in a row.”
Four of Johnson’s propelled UH to late inning victories this season. She delivered a go-ahead two-run triple in the bottom of the sixth UH’s season-opening win over Utah Tech on Feb. 10. Her home run against St. Bonaventure supported Brianna Lopez’s season-high eight-strikeout performance in the first shutout for the UH pitching staff this season.
Johnson caught freshman Millie Fidge’s two starts this season and was behind plate when Fidge picked up her first collegiate win last Saturday against Marist. Two days later, Fidge was named the Big West Freshman of the Week, giving UH back-to-back awards a week after Key-annah Campbell-Pu’a claimed the honor.
“I love Millie, she is just such a joy to be around and she makes my job really easy behind the plate,” Johnson said. “I think she has so much potential and I think she’s going to be a great pitcher for us this season.”
Hawaii Spring Fling Tournament
At Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium
>> When: Today to Monday
>> TV/Radio: none
Schedule:
Today—Niagara vs. St. Bonaventure, 3:30 p.m.; St. Bonaventure vs. Hawaii, 6 p.m.
Friday—Utah vs. St. Bonaventure, 10 a.m.; Utah vs. Santa Clara, noon; Pacific vs. St. Bonaventure, 2 p.m.; Pacific vs. Niagara, 4 p.m.; Santa Clara vs. Hawaii, 6 p.m.
Saturday—Santa Clara vs. St. Bonaventure, 10 a.m.; Santa Clara vs. Niagara, noon; Utah vs. Niagara, 2 p.m.; Utah vs. Pacific, 4 p.m.; Pacific vs. Hawaii, 6 p.m.
Sunday—Pacific vs. Niagara, 10 a.m.; Niagara vs. Hawaii, noon.
Monday—Niagara vs. Utah, 1:30 p.m.; Utah vs. Hawaii, 4 p.m.
