[ WAHINE SOFTBALL ]
Rainbow Wahine lose to
Tennessee, finish third
Pitcher perfect? Pretty close.
Tennessee freshman pitcher Monica Abbott followed up her perfect game against Hawaii on Saturday with a two-hitter against the hosts yesterday at the Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium. Helped by less-than-perfect fielding by Hawaii, which accounted for three unearned runs in the seventh inning, Abbott and the Lady Vols topped the Rainbow Wahine for the second straight day, 4-1.
Abbott (6-0) completed her personal doubleheader by striking out a UT record-tying 15 batters as Tennessee (6-1) claimed the championship of the 8th Paradise Classic with a 2-0 victory over No. 23 Oregon State (9-3). Abbott was named the Most Outstanding Pitcher, striking out 72 over 37 innings.
"I knew that I'd be pitching both before the first game," Abbott said. "I felt really good that my team was there for me, I had the confidence in them to back me up. Everything was clicking for us today."
It didn't click for Hawaii, which dropped two consecutive games at home for the first time since this tournament last year. The Wahine, finishing third yesterday, take a 3-3 record on the road to this week's UNLV Rebel Classic.
Wahine losing pitcher Paula Blanning hopes the team will take along some confidence as well.
"This was a winnable game," said the sophomore right-hander (0-1). "I think we saw some good things and saw things we can work on, like feeling more confident.
"Abbott ... she's a big girl (6-foot-3) with a lot of movement and speed on the ball. I know our hitters are skilled enough to hit her, but we weren't all there mentally."
Blanning pitched well enough to win in her first appearance of the season. She relieved starter Melissa Coogan with two runners on and one out in the top of the fourth, and with Tennessee nursing a 1-0 lead.
Blanning got Katherine Card to pop up to second, then fooled Lindsay Schutzler for a called strikeout to end the threat. She gave up just one hit over the next two innings and her team backed her up, tying it at 1-1 in the bottom of the sixth when Tracie Uchima scored on a passed ball.
On the sixth pitch in the top of the seventh, the wheels came off for Hawaii. Danielle Arriaga singled off Blanning's glove. Card, pinch-running for Arriaga, scored what would be the first of Tennessee's three unearned runs on the second of two errors committed by Wahine shortstop Ashley Ruff.
"When they got that first runner on in the seventh ... they have the same demeanor we have when Coog (Coogan) is on the mound," Hawaii coach Bob Coolen said. "We think we're invincible, that we can win any game. They had that same swagger with Abbott out there. I think our girls made some nice adjustments and believed they could hit her today.
"Paula did a nice job, did what we need her to do, but we didn't play behind her in the seventh. We know we can beat good teams. It's a matter of putting it together."
The two hits the Wahine managed off Abbott were a pop-up by Stacey Ritter that second baseman Mandie Fishback lost in the sun in the third, and Ruff's bunt that she popped over the head of Abbott, who was charging in on the play in the fifth. Abbott struck out nine, with the one run being unearned.
Tennessee 2, Oregon State 0
Abbott got all the support she needed against the Beavers on Angela Brewer's run-scoring single in the fourth. The Lady Vols added an insurance run in the sixth when Lauren Mattox doubled home India Chiles, helping to avenge Tennessee's only loss of the year.Oregon State 8, St. Mary's 0 (5)
Monica Hoffman and Ta'Tyana McElroy combined for a perfect game, striking out six, as the Beavers cruised into the championship with a shutout of the Gaels (2-7), who finished fourth.St. Mary's 5, UAB 1
First baseman Claudia Williams drove in two runs, including a solo homer in the fifth, to lead the Gaels over the Blazers (1-5).All-Tournament--Hawaii: Tylene Tausaga, 1B. Oregon State: Lisa Allen, C; Vanessa Iapala and Kelly Peterson, IF; Adrienne Alo, OF; Monica Hoffman, pitcher. Tennessee: Lindsay Schutzler and Lauren Mattox, OF; Amber Rhinehart, DP. UAB: Beth Mullins, 2B.
Most Outstanding Player: Adrienne Alo, Oregon State.
Most Outstanding Pitcher: Monica Abbott, Tennessee.