WAHINE SOFTBALL PLAYBOOK
@ San Jose State Spartans
First pitch: Tomorrow, 1 p.m.; Saturday, noon, San Jose, Calif.
Coaches: Hawaii, Bob Coolen, 17th season (403-307-1, .568); San Jose State, Connie Miner, 12th season (319-327-2, .494).
Season: Hawaii (7-9 Western Athletic Conference, 21-24 overall); San Jose State (5-9, 18-32).
Series record: Hawaii leads the series, 34-19.
Top players: San Jose State, Kara Kanney (.303 batting average, 10 home runs, 23 runs batted in); Veronica Ramos (.288, 40 hits, 11 doubles); Brooke Reed (9-10, 69 strikeouts) ... Hawaii, Dana Degen (.382, 47 hits, 7 HR, 28 RBIs); Melissa McGie (.320, 48 hits, 4 HR, 19 RBIs); Joyce Lum (.314, 7 RBIs); Tyree Woodruff (.299, 12 RBIs), and Kate Judd (.292, 3 HR, 22 RBIs).
Series keys: The Wahine need to sweep the two doubleheaders to finish the season with a winning record. That also would keep their hopes alive of finishing second in the WAC ... The Spartans are coming off a doubleheader loss to No. 11 Stanford, 5-1 and 12-1.
Interesting facts: The Wahine are 9-14 on the road with eight of those losses coming against nationally ranked teams ... UH is second in the WAC in hitting (.264), fourth in pitching (.2.91 ERA) and fifth in fielding (.957).
On the air: None.
By Al Chase, Star-Bulletin
RAINBOW BASEBALL PLAYBOOK
@ Hawaii-hilo Vulcans
First pitch: Tomorrow and Saturday, 6 p.m., Francis Wong Stadium, Hilo; Sunday, 1 p.m., Simmons Field, Kona.
Coaches: Hawaii, Les Murakami, 30th season (1,074-569-4, .657); Hawaii-Hilo, Joey Estrella, 24th season (499-528-3, .486).
Season: Hawaii (10-14 Western Athletic Conference, 23-27 overall); Hawaii-Hilo (6-18, 16-29).
Series record: Hawaii leads the series, 82-14 overall, and 41-3 in games played on the Big Island.
Probable starting pitchers: Hawaii-Hilo, Luke Holscher, right-hander (won 2, lost 7, 7.45 earned run average); Thomas Ford, left-hander (4-5, 3.12), and Kaholo Rickard, right-hander (4-5, 3.26) ... Hawaii, Jamie Aloy, left-hander (6-5, 4.60); Randon Ho, left-hander (6-7, 4.86), and Rich Snider, right-hander (6-8, 4.26)
Top position players: Hawaii-Hilo, Brian Rooke, center fielder (.295 batting average, 1 home run, 10 runs batted in, 23 stolen bases); Mike Hobbs, infielder, (.278), and Ryan Petersen, right fielder (.271, 1 HR, 16 RBIs, 14 stolen bases) ... Hawaii, Rah-Miel Mitchell, right fielder (.348. 1 HR, 12 RBIs); Kenn Wakakuwa, catcher/second baseman (.346, 2 HR, 33 RBIs), and Jamie Aloy, first baseman (.341, 14 RBIs).
Series keys: Both teams want to end the season on a winning note. There will be no lack of emotion and motivation as Hawaii's only Division I baseball teams end a disappointing year with six games against each other... Murakami plans to platoon more. Kramer Aoki, Brian Bock and Kenn Wakakuwa will catch one game each ... Aaron Pribble will DH and may play some first base as Murakami continues to be interested in what the sophomore relief pitcher does at the plate ... Derek Honma has been cleared to play and expect to see more of Nate Jackson in the lineup ... "I want to give us every chance to win and, right now, I think the best chance is to platoon," Murakami said.
Interesting facts: In two games against Texas Christian as the designated hitter, pitcher Aaron Pribble was 3-for-6 (.500) with an RBI, one walk and two sacrifice bunts in nine trips to the plate ... Left-hander Thomas Ford is the Vulcans all-time strikeout leader with 249 ... Kaholo Rickard defeated the 'Bows in both starting assignments in 1999.
On the air: All games live on radio, KCCN (1420 AM), KPUA (670 AM) and KGU (760 AM). Saturday's and Sunday's game televised on a delayed basis on Oceanic Cable 16 with Saturday's game at 11 a.m. and Sunday's game at 10 p.m.
RealAudio: 'Net broadcast Click Here
By Al Chase, Star-Bulletin
