UH's Parnaby earns third Big West Pitcher of the Week award

JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO@STARADVERTISER.COM

Hawaii's Kaia Parnaby pitches in the top of the first inning in a game Saturday at the UH softball stadium in Manoa.

University of Hawaii senior Kaia Parnaby was named Big West Softball Pitcher of the Week today, earning the award for the third time this season. The left-hander from Australia also claimed national Pitcher of the Week honors from College Sports Madness.

Parnaby went 6-1 and allowed three earned runs in 51 innings and closed the week by breaking UH's single-game strikeout record in a remarkable relief appearance against Syracuse on Saturday.

She struck out 17 and gave up one hit and an unearned run in eight innings of relief in UH's 3-2 win in 12 innings in the championship game of the Chevron Spring Fling Tournament.

Parnaby (20-3) posted double-digit strikeout totals in four of her seven appearances and finished the week with 76. She was named the tournament's most valuable pitcher and raised her season strikeout total to a career-best 214 against 21 walks in 163 2/3 innings. She also dropped her earned-run average to 0.98.

UH opens the Big West schedule this weekend with a three-game series at Cal State Northridge. The No. 20/23 Rainbow Wahine (22-7) and Matadors (14-18) play a doubleheader on Saturday and a single game on Sunday.