Leadership by example can come in different forms.

While performance on the field is the most readily recognizable, perseverance can be no less compelling.

By demonstrating the latter over their careers in the University of Hawaii softball program, Brynne Buchanan and Tara Anguiano have given themselves the opportunity to contribute as seniors.

They primarily appeared in pinch-hitting or pinch-running situations in their first couple of years at UH. While the chance to expand their roles has come relatively recently, the work to prepare has been there from the start.

"I call it sweat equity," UH head coach Bob Coolen said. "They have put in the time, they’ve had the desire, they’ve never wavered."

They’ve added production to the list of late. Both delivered in pivotal spots in UH’s sweep of Cal State Northridge last week to open the Big West season, and hope to build on those performances in this week’s home series against UC Davis.

"It’s nice to contribute more to the wins," Anguiano said. "That’s definitely rewarding."

Coolen recognized their efforts the first three years in the program by awarding them scholarships for the spring semester. They’re both on track to graduate this summer with degrees in kinesiology and are already passing along what they’ve learned.

"I think it’s awesome where we started," Buchanan said, adding that the experience of coming off the bench offers an example for some of the younger members of the current roster.

"This is our senior year and this is our shot and you have to keep pushing yourself every year and you’ll get that opportunity," she said.

An injury to Sharla Kliebenstein pushed Buchanan into a starting role for 18 games last year and she established herself as a regular in right field this season.

She moved to left last week as Kliebenstein worked through a personal issue, and hit safely in all three games.

A slap hitter who usually relies on her speed to reach base, Buchanan took note when CSUN pulled in its outfield last weekend. She promptly drilled a shot to the base of the fence in center field for her second double of her career.

"I heard a couple girls on our bench yelling, ‘No respect, no respect.’ The second I heard that I gave a little more power behind it," said Buchanan, who enters the weekend hitting .279.

"I’ve been working on being more a triple threat where I can bunt the ball or slap it on the ground or even drive it in the air when I need to. It’s taken me a little bit of time, but I definitely am way more confident and way more comfortable trying to place the ball or trying to do whatever I can to get on base."

She also came through on defense when she threw out a runner at the plate for her fifth outfield assist of the season. The play stifled CSUN’s comeback attempt in the second game of Saturday’s doubleheader.

Appearances had been less plentiful for Anguiano as the backup to Jessica Iwata, a four-year starter at shortstop. In the middle game of the CSUN series, Coolen wrote her name on the lineup card at designated player for just the third time this year.

Anguiano had only two hits this season and four in her career before her RBI single helped spur UH to a 5-3 win last Saturday. She then went 2-for-4 in Sunday’s finale, with her RBI single sparking UH’s six-run outburst in the fourth inning of what had been a tight game.

"It’s great because you’re just getting more of a feel for it going up to bat every time, just being in the rotation. So you get more comfortable the more at-bats you get," Anguiano said. "Hopefully I keep seeing the ball and hitting it hard."

"She’s more of a contact hitter and we needed that," Coolen said. "It worked to our advantage to keep her in those games and she responded."

With comfort comes confidence and both hope consistency follows as the No. 18/22 Rainbow Wahine (25-7, 3-0 BWC) continue the Big West season this weekend. After playing in Southern California last week, the series with UC Davis (13-14, 0-0) is a return from home for Anguiano and Buchanan, who both had family members in the crowd at CSUN.

"It seemed like there were more Hawaii fans at the game," Buchanan said. "It was awesome to see so many people want to support us."