For the third time in four years, the University of Hawaii softball team opens its annual trip to Las Vegas with a matchup against longtime nemesis BYU in the DeMarini Desert Classic.

The Rainbow Wahine (4-2) face the Cougars (3-2) today to begin a run of six games in four days. BYU rallied to win last year’s meeting 5-4 and claimed a 4-2 victory in 2013.

“BYU is always a good test,” UH coach Bob Coolen said after UH’s loss to UMKC on Monday.

UH pitchers Brittany Hitchcock and Kanani Aina Cabrales alternated starts last week and combined to open the season with four straight shutouts before losses to Ole Miss and UMKC. They ended with a collective earned-run average of 1.30 with 25 strikeouts and four walks.

Coolen hopes the light desert air can help boost an offense that hit .186 over the season’s first six games. Freshman Sarah Muzik hit .333 in the leadoff spot and junior Heather Morales belted two home runs last week.