Hawaii Beat Star-Bulletin staff

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UH's Manuma beats Bulldogs with homer

Hawaii shortstop Valana Manuma hit a two-out, two-run homer in the bottom of the seventh inning, sending the Rainbow Wahine softball team to a 3-2 win over Mississippi State yesterday in the Louisville Slugger Desert Classic in Las Vegas.

Jessica Morton (3-0) pitched 2 2/3 innings of shutout relief to earn the win for UH.

After Hawaii (7-2) took a 1-0 lead in the second inning, Mississippi State (6-3) scored twice in the fifth and kept the lead going into the seventh. With one out, Tyleen Tausaga reached on an error and after a strikeout, Manuma ended the game with her smash over the left-field fence.

The Wahine face Cal State Northridge and Utah today.

» The UH-Hilo softball team claimed the Silver Division Championship in the Shutt Division II Leadoff Classic last night in Phoenix, Ariz.

The Vulcans improved to 10-2 on the season after winning six of eight games on the trip that began on Wednesday, including three straight victories over Central Washington, UC San Diego and Western Washington en route to the title.

Haunani Hassenritter slammed six home runs over the eight-game span.

UH swimmers second at league meets

The University of Hawaii women's swimming team placed second overall and the team claimed three individual honors at the Western Athletic Conference championships in San Antonio.

UH's Nicole Mackey was named Swimmer of the Year, becoming only the second swimmer to earn the award three times. Megan Farrow earned Diver of the Year honors, and Mike Brown was named Diving Coach of the Year.

Nevada won its first WAC title with 810.5 points while the Wahine finished the meet with 730 points.

UH won 15 of 21 events in the meet and got gold-medal performances yesterday from Claudia Barsi (1,650 freestyle), Mackey (200 backstroke), Bache Atkins (100 free), Mia Broden (200 butterfly), and Farrow (platform diving). The Wahine team of Mackey, Karli Rice, Broden and Atkins also won the 400 freestyle relay.

» The UH men's team also finished second at the Conference USA Men's Invitational in Houston.

SMU won the meet with 923 points, followed by UH's 890.

Mark Higley won the 100 freestyle, Greg Wilson captured the 200 butterfly and Mats Wiktorsson won the platform diving event with teammate Magnes Frick in second.

UH's Mike Brown was named Diving Coach of the Year and Frick won Diver of the Year honors.

Mason sparks UH water polo win

Hawaii's Kelly Mason scored five goals to lead the fourth-ranked Rainbow Wahine water polo team to an 11-9 win over No. 12 Long Beach State yesterday at the Duke Kahanamoku Aquatic Complex.

Mason's fourth goal of the match gave UH the lead for good at 9-8 in the fourth period. Lisa van Raalte and Anna Sieprath scored two goals each for the Wahine (5-3, 3-1 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation). Rachelle Denaro led LBSU (3-2, 0-1) with three goals. Kamehameha graduate Keala O'Sullivan scored the 49ers' final goal of the match.

UH concludes its three-game homestand against Arizona State at 10 a.m. today at the DKAC.

Whiting nets triple-double for Silverswords

Chaminade guard Zack Whiting's triple-double highlighted the Silverswords' 78-48 rout of Notre Dame de Namur yesterday at McCabe Gym.

Whiting finished with 11 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists. Marko Kolaric had 11 points and 15 rebounds and Stewart Kussler ended with 14 points for Chaminade (14-10). Eric Bossom led Notre Dame de Namur with 12 points.

» Richard Davis scored 25 points to lead Grand Canyon (15-7) to a 72-64 win over Hawaii-Hilo at Afook Chinen Civic Auditorium. Travis Sobers paced the Vulcans (9-16) with 19 points and Vince Alvarado and Darryl Harris had 14 each.

» Jennifer Cobb led four Grand Canyon players in double figures in the GCU women's team's 91-72 victory over UH-Hilo. Sheila Azevedo led the Vulcans (5-16) with 20 points and 14 rebounds.

Division II tennis matches postponed

Yesterday's scheduled men's and women's tennis matches between Brigham Young-Hawaii and Hawaii Pacific was postponed due to inclement weather. No makeup date has been announced.