LIHU‘E — The Rainbow Wahine stuck to their script and can celebrate a Western Athletic Conference regular-season championship after Friday night’s 5-0 win over Fresno State. The longball remained the primary weapon for Hawai‘i, with three of its five hits
LIHU‘E — The Rainbow Wahine stuck to their script and can celebrate a Western Athletic Conference regular-season championship after Friday night’s 5-0 win over Fresno State.
The longball remained the primary weapon for Hawai‘i, with three of its five hits on the night coming from the home run. Melissa Gonzalez, Jenna Rodriguez and Katie Grimes all went deep, while Stephanie Ricketts strengthened her resume with a two-hit, complete-game shutout on the mound.
The win clinches the WAC title for UH (40-11, 18-0 WAC), which came into the week tied for 20th in the ESPN/USA Softball Top 25 national rankings.
The Wahine got on the board in the bottom of the first, after Kaua‘i’s Jessica Iwata drew a one-out walk. With two outs and Iwata on first, Rodriguez blasted a home run to left field, giving UH the early 2-0 lead.
Hawai‘i was back at it in the third, when Iwata got things going again with a two-out single, followed by a Gonzalez two-run shot to left-center field.
Its final run came in the fourth on Grimes’ solo shot to left-center, creating the final tally.
Ricketts (21-6, 12-0 WAC) was dominant once again, throwing the full seven innings and giving up lone singles to Lisamarie Coronado and Courtney Moore, walking two and striking out three.
UH will conclude its regular season today with a doubleheader against Fresno State. The first game is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m.
It will be Senior Night as the first 500 fans at the doubleheader will receive a team photo. Plaque presentations will follow the second game, after which fans will be able to come down to the field and get autographs.
The team’s five seniors are Grimes, Tasha Pagdilao, Kanai Pu‘u-Warren, Amanda Tauali‘i and Traci Yoshikawa.
The WAC Championship Tournament will take place May 12-15 in Las Cruces, N.M.
