Ka’ena Keliinoi likes to keep the game simple.

In that spirit, her role with the University of Hawaii softball team can simply be defined as “ballplayer.”

Keliinoi entered the program as an All-State catcher from Saint Francis, has started in all three outfield spots, helped solidify the Rainbow Wahine infield at third base and has also played second base in her UH career.

Often playing multiple spots in a given game, the junior’s versatility extends to the batter’s box. She’s among the team leaders in home runs and sacrifice bunts.

“Ena is one those players I can put anywhere,” UH coach Bob Coolen said.

While Keliinoi is comfortable playing multiple spots defensively, she’s been a constant presence in the No. 2 spot in the UH batting order for all 44 games this season as the Rainbow Wahine (28-16, 11-7 Big West) enter the final three weeks of the regular season in striking distance of the leaders in the conference race.

UH sits a tie for third place in the Big West heading into a three-game series with second-place Long Beach State (23-20, 13-5) at Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium. The series opens with a single game today at 6 p.m. and concludes with a doubleheader starting at 2 p.m. on Saturday.

In her fourth year in the program, Keliinoi has ample experience in the rigors of conference play and in varied spots in the lineup.

She was primarily a catcher while helping lead Saint Francis to Division II state championships in 2018 and ’19, but “bounced around” with her club teams in the summer.

“My dad (Kala) taught me growing up just being able to play all the positions is a weapon because your coach can put you wherever and trust you,” Keliinoi said.

Over her first two college seasons, Keliinoi started 33 games behind the plate and 12 at second base. She shifted to the outfield last year and moved back to the infield when Coolen wrote her into the lineup at third base for a game against California.

Keliinoi said she hadn’t played third since eighth grade, but provided a steady glove in the win over the Golden Bears and made 21 more starts there over the remainder of the 2022 season.

“I just need to trust in myself that I could execute and just make the simple plays and make the game as simple as possible,” she said of the sudden transition. “Because at the end of the day it’s just the game of softball I’ve grown up to love.”

This season, she has 24 starts at third — sharing time with senior Rachel Sabourin — and 10 each in left and right field.

Still listed as a catcher on the NCAA website, Keliinoi leads the Big West and ranks fourth nationally in sacrifice bunts per game (14 total, 0.32 per game). But she’s also tied for third on the team and fifth in the conference with six home runs and her six doubles rank second on the team.

Whether Coolen gives her a sign to drop a bunt or swing away, “as long as I’m doing my job to help my team, moving a runner over, I’m fine with that.”

Keliinoi is hitting .231 for the season and has hit safely in seven of UH’s last eight games. The Wahine have won five of their six Big West series, all decided by 2-1 margins, to remain in contention with matchups against the teams above or even with them in the standings coming up. They’re two games behind LBSU, three behind conference leader Cal State Fullerton (27-16, 14-4), which hosts UH next week, and tied with UC Davis (25-15, 11-7), which visits Manoa for the final series of the regular season.

“I always say (Long Beach State is) our rival, big time,” Coolen said. “Fullerton is our nemesis and Davis has become a thorn in our side.”

Youth is served

Saturday’s doubleheader has been designated as “Youth Day” at RWSS. Youth softball teams will have a chance to get autographs and take photos with the Rainbow Wahine from 11:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. and take the field for the national anthem and Hawaii Pono’i. To register a team, e-mail kayleenf@hawaii.edu. More information is available at hawaiiathletics.com.

Big West softball

At Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium

Long Beach State (23-20, 13-5 BWC) vs. Hawaii (28-16, 11-7)

>> When: Today, 6 p.m.; Saturday (doubleheader), 2 p.m.

>> TV: Spectrum Sports. Radio: 1500-AM