Thursday, March 22, 2001
UH’s Woodruff Tyree Woodruff tried to recruit Tiffany Goudy three years ago. Tonight she tries to beat her.
to square off
against old friend
Her former teammate is here
with the Aztecs to play the
Wahine as invitational beginsBy Dave Reardon
Star-BulletinThe leading hitters for the University of Hawaii and San Diego State softball teams played together on the Orange County Batbusters club team in California before Woodruff joined the Wahine and Goudy ended up with the Aztecs.
"She's one of my good friends," Woodruff said.
"She came for a visit here and I was her host."
Beaches, sunshine and an old friend to hang out with couldn't close the deal, and Goudy chose Colorado State.
Then she transferred to SDSU.
The Wahine (22-10) play the Aztecs (17-10) at 4 p.m. today in UH's first game of the seven-team, four-day Hawaii Invitational at Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium.
UH then meets Wright State (12-7) in the next game, scheduled for 6 p.m.
San Diego State opens the tournament with an 8 a.m. game against McNeese State (10-17).
On Sunday, 27 games later, a 6 p.m. final will determine the champion from a field which also includes Eastern Illinois (1-9), San Diego (6-20) and last year's winner, Tokyo Women's College of Physical Education.
The Wahine come off winning three-of-five games in last week's Kia Classic in Fullerton, Calif., but the Aztecs are on a high, having beaten No. 6 Oklahoma, 4-1, on Tuesday in San Diego.
Goudy leads SDSU's attack with a .372 batting average and 20 runs batted in.
Meanwhile, Woodruff shook off a slow start for the second consecutive season, and leads the Wahine with a .338 average, pumped up with a .421 mark (16-for-38) in March.
"Last year when she started slow, we sat her down," UH coach Bob Coolen said. "This time we moved her to the nine spot (second) and her average started skyrocketing."
Coolen has done quite a bit of fidgeting with his lineup, which lost three of its top sluggers from a year ago. With Woodruff reinstated to No. 2, the first four batters are Natalie Gonzales (.320), Woodruff, Stacie Hirano (.314) and April Crowell (.324) -- all lefties.
"That's very rare to see that," Coolen said.
"And they all can hit the other way (to left field)."
When she was slumping, Woodruff often didn't get around on the ball because her bat --not by intent --was slow. She started the season 8-for-33.
"I couldn't get a good piece of the ball," Woodruff said.
"Bob told me it looked like I was losing my strength. So I increased my weightlifting and I practiced with heavier bats. My swing is a lot with my wrists, so I rely on bat speed instead of power."
Hawaii has batted .284 overall this season, and Felicity Witt (12-5, 1.04 ERA) and Desiree Duran (6-3, 1.86) have enjoyed the support.
UH Athletics
Ka Leo O Hawaii
