No scouting reports. No distractions. No problems.

The University of Hawai'i softball team will enter today's NCAA Regional opener with minimal information on UC Santa Barbara — a blind-date approach that has proven to be successful.

"It's an over-emphasis when you have too much to think about," UH coach Bob Coolen said. "It must be mind-boggling to those people (who keep detailed scouting reports). 'This is how they pitched to you before.' We like to do it the old-fashioned way."

That means the Rainbow Wahine will try to decipher tendencies of opposing hitters and then "we'll go from there," Coolen said.

The Rainbows know the Gauchos defeated UCLA, host of this regional, and Arizona State. The Gauchos rebounded from an 0-8 Big West start to finish 7-11 in the league.

Jennifer Davis is the Gauchos' ace. Despite a 14-14 record, the right-hander was named the Big West's Pitcher of the Year after striking out 203 strikeouts in 191 1/3 innings, and limiting opponents to a .164 average.

The Gauchos are slap-hitters, batting .251 with 23 home runs. In contrast, the Rainbows have 79 homers in 57 games, and eight starters are hitting at least .285.

Coolen said Justine Smethurst (17-8, 1.72 ERA) will start. In last year's meeting she pitched a three-hitter in a loss.

Both teams practiced yesterday at UCLA's Easton Stadium. The Rainbows were not permitted to watch the Gauchos' practice.

The Rainbows spent most of their one-hour practice in the batting cage.

Coolen described Easton as a "cozy" enclosed stadium. The stands block the wind. "It can be howling outside, but the field is stagnant," he said.

It is 190 feet down each line, and 210 to center. The fences are 8 feet high, 2 feet taller than UH's. The side walls in foul territory near the fences lead to unpredictable ricochets.

"If you don't watch out, someone will get an easy triple or inside-the-park homer," Coolen said.

For now, the Rainbows' only concern is the Gauchos. UH's disappointing 1-2 record in the WAC Tournament is history.

"The WAC tournament was a bit of a reality check for us," Smethurst said. "I don't think we were as mentally prepared as we should have been. Now we have no worries with finals. We don't have to worry about school. We only have to worry about softball."