UHH softball's Sing Chow ailing

By Brandon Masuoka
Advertiser Staff Writer

•

RESULTS/SCHEDULES Last week's men's basketball results Brigham Young-Hawai'i 80, Hawai'i-Hilo 62 Hawai'i Pacific 83, Chaminade 78 Utah Valley 74, Western New Mexico 52 Hawai'i-Hilo 84, Brigham Young-Hawai'i 72 Brigham Young-Hawai'i 88, Chaminade 71 This week's men's basketball schedule Today's game Western New Mexico at Montana State-Billings* Tomorrow's game Hawai'i Pacific at Brigham Young-Hawai'i* Saturday's games Western New Mexico at Montana State-Billings* Chaminade at Hawai'i-Hilo* *—Pacific West Conference game This week's women's softball schedule Monday's results Notre Dame de Namur (Calif.) 8, Chaminade 2 Notre Dame de Namur (Calif.) 5, Chaminade 0 Today's games Montana State-Billings vs. Humboldt State (Calif.) in Richland, Wash. Notre Dame de Namur (Calif.) at Hawai'i-Hilo Tomorrow's games Notre Dame de Namur (Calif.) at Hawai'i-Hilo Montana State-Billings at Central Washington Invitational Western New Mexico at Leadoff Classic in Dallas Saturday's games Brigham Young-Hawai'i at Hawai'i Pacific* Montana State-Billings at Central Washington Invitational Western New Mexico at Leadoff Classic Sunday's games Montana State-Billings at Central Washington Invitational Western New Mexico at Leadoff Classic *—Pacific West Conference game

Sing Chow, the 2002 Hawai'i high school state player of the year from Kamehameha, underwent surgery in November after doctors found a slight tear in her left (pitching) shoulder.

"They said (the injury) was from overuse," Sing Chow said. "It added up through all the years."

Sing Chow has an option of redshirting this season, but hasn't decided on that yet. Currently, the Vulcans are 12-3 overall and in first place in the PacWest at 6-0.

"At one point, I was just going to take the redshirt, but the trainers have told me that I'm expected to return with a full recovery and be able to play," Sing Chow said. "So it's hard. I'm not sure what I want to do."

Last season, Sing Chow became the first Hawai'i-Hilo softball player to win the PacWest's top freshman honor. She also earned National Fastpitch Coaches Association Scholar-Athlete honors, along with teammate Sarah Steele.

Sing Chow went 14-4 last season and led the conference with a 0.66 earned run average. She struck out 70 in 106¡ innings and allowed 60 hits and 13 walks. By comparison, the top pitcher in the conference last season, Western New Mexico's Angela Slaugh, went 29-6 and pitched 226 innings.

Sing Chow said the injury prevented her from pitching in back-to-back games, and batting during the second half of last season.

She said doctors told her she could resume competitive throwing as soon as this month. She is currently rehabilitating her shoulder, and said she's about "85 percent" healthy and throwing about 60 fastballs per session.

"I just started throwing less than a month ago," Sing Chow said. "The last time I threw before that was our last game in May."

Hawai'i-Hilo coach Callen Perreira said he plans to consult with doctors, trainers and Sing Chow on whether or not she'll pitch this season. He said Sing Chow's health was his primary concern.

"We're not going to rush her," Perreira said. "We're not going to push her too hard, too fast, too soon."

Sing Chow said she's happy that the team is playing well without her.

"I think our team has grown to play to together and has overcome a lot of obstacles," Sing Chow said. "I'm just proud because all of the pitchers have stepped up. I'm really glad that they did so well. They deserve it. They worked really hard."

BASEBALL

FieldTurf greets HPU: The Hawai'i Pacific Sea Warriors will be the first team to play baseball on Aloha Stadium's FieldTurf playing surface Saturday when they begin a six-game series against the University of Tampa.

Saturday's doubleheader will start at 4 p.m., followed by a noon doubleheader on Sunday and a 4 p.m. doubleheader on Tuesday.

Reach Brandon Masuoka at bmasuoka@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-2458.