UHH's Sing Chow Pac-West softball Freshman of Year

By Brandon Masuoka
Advertiser Staff Writer

As a true freshman, Hawai'i-Hilo's Leo Sing Chow impressed opposing coaches in the Pacific West Conference with her poise and pitching skill.

Yesterday, it was Sing Chow's turn to be amazed as coaches selected her Freshman of the Year.

"I'm very surprised," said Sing Chow, who was last year's Hawai'i high school state player of the year from Kamehameha. "I didn't even know they had that award. I just found out about it five minutes ago from Coach. I was like whoa."

Sing Chow is the first Hawai'i-Hilo softball player to win PacWest Freshman of the Year honors. She joins eight teammates on the PacWest postseason award list — the most in school history. The Vulcans finished 28-19 overall and second in the six-team PacWest at 12-8.

Sing Chow led 31 Hawai'i players honored yesterday by the PacWest. Hawai'i Pacific placed 10 players on the list. Brigham Young and Chaminade had six players each. See complete list in For The Record.

This season, the left-handed Sing Chow went 14-3 with a 0.66 earned run average — seventh in Division II — and limited opponents to a .159 batting average. In 19 appearances, Sing Chow struck out 70 batters in 106.1 innings.

"It's a great accomplishment for someone like Leo who is so deserving," UHH coach Callen Perreira said. "She works hard, she's very humble and she's a team player. She represents our program really well on and off the field."

Perreira said he was particularly impressed with Sing Chow's composure on the mound.

"She's very poised for a freshman," Perreira said. "She conducted herself like she's been in college for a long time, like this is routine for her."

Sing Chow credited her defense as contributing to her standout season. The Vulcans' .966 fielding percentage ranked No. 22 in Division II.

"They made some awesome plays this year," Sing Chow said. "Nancy (Vega) made some plays in the shortstop hole, balls that would be hits, turned into outs. They really helped me out a lot."

Sing Chow pitched the entire season after suffering a rotator cuff injury to her pitching shoulder in the fall. She said she rehabilitated the shoulder before the start of the season, but occasional soreness limited her ability to throw back-to-back days and sometimes prevented her from swinging a bat. Sing Chow said she's fine now and is resting her shoulder.

Several colleges, including including UH-Manoa, Chaminade and UNLV, pursued Sing Chow after her standout high school career, but she chose UH-Hilo because she liked the softball program and school.

"I feel like I made the right choice," Sing Chow said. "The girls are great, the team is great, I made a lot of good friends. It's a home away from home. My parents are close and my family is able to watch when we go to O'ahu."

UHH softball recruits: Seven players signed national letters of intent with the Vulcans.

Outfielder Zoie Sevilla of Baldwin High School (Wailuku, Maui) and infielder Jennifer McCockhill of Wilson High School (Hacienda Heights, Calif.) committed during the the early signing period in November.

The spring signing lists include infielders Haunani Hassenritter of Hilo High School and Jeani Jadlot of Mountain View High School (Mesa, Ariz.), outfielders Chelsea Osborne of Temecula Valley High School (Calif.) and Laura Kimborowicz of Canyon High School (Anaheim, Calif.), and pitcher/infielder Miki Asamura of Mililani High School.