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Hawaii Beat

By Star-Bulletin Staff

Wednesday, February 7, 2001

Wahine sweep softball
doubleheader on road

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Star-Bulletin staff

DELAND, Fla. -- Felicity Witt and Desiree Duran continued their early season pitching dominance as the Hawaii softball team threw a pair of shutouts at Stetson yesterday.

The Wahine improved to 5-1 in their season-opening Florida road trip with the 4-0 and 5-0 victories.

Witt, the freshman right-hander from Australia, allowed only two hits and walked five. She struck out eight.

Witt has given up only three hits and no runs in 14 innings, including last Friday's win over Tennessee.

"She mixed it up well," UH coach Bob Coolen said. "She can bring a fastball in the mid-60s (mph) and then come in with a nice change around 40."

The two-hitter against Tennessee with 11 strikeouts earned Witt WAC pitcher of the week honors, while teammate April Crowell was named WAC player of the week for hitting .455 last week, including a home run and double.

Duran, a senior lefty, yielded four hits and walked two while striking out 10 yesterday. She is also 2-0 after beating South Florida in last Friday's season-opener.

Stacie Hirano led Hawaii's offense, going 4-for-8 in the doubleheader.

Kate Judd and Trisha Ramos each had three hits on the day.

Coolen is pleased with the team's start.

"So far all the work is paying off," he said. "Going with different lineups and split-squads in the fall has given lots of people experience and confidence."

The Wahine completed their road trip today with a doubleheader against Bethune-Cookman at Daytona Beach.

They open their home season Feb. 15 in the Chevron Paradise Classic.

Ah Yat heads to camp

The Pittsburgh Pirates have invited Paul Ah Yat to their big league spring training camp as a non-roster player.

This is a first for Ah Yat, a left-handed pitcher who spent the 2000 season at Nashville in the Triple A Pacific Coast League.

A standout for the University of Hawaii, Ah Yat received the invitation in January from Paul Tinnell, Pittsburgh's minor league farm director.

"I was appreciative, but not overly excited. I'm thankful I've got the chance," Ah Yat said.

He reports Feb. 14.

New fishing class record

The International Game Fish Association has announced the approval of a new Hawaii line class record on 4-pound test line.

The butterfly peacock bass was caught in Kilauea, Kauai, by resident Jack Gushiken Sept. 30, 2000.

The trophy fish weighed four pounds, seven ounces, filling the vacant line class record.

Guthrie at Stanford

Jeremy Guthrie, a walk-on who transferred from Brigham Young, has earned a starting spot in the Stanford rotation.

The 6-foot-1 right-hander was drafted in the 15th round by the New York Mets in 1997 out of Ashland (Ore.) High School.

He pitched for BYU his freshman year, then went on a mission to Spain for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

His mother, Clarice Sugiura Guthrie, graduated from Kailua High School.

Sports Day for females

"No Stopping Us Now" is the theme for the 15th annual National Girls and Women in Sports Day to be held Saturday at the Stan Sheriff Center on the University of Hawaii campus.

The day serves as an opportunity to honor outstanding women athletes from Hawaii, as well as a fun setting for girls ages 5-14 to dabble in a variety of sports under the guidance of collegiate athletes and coaches.

This year, the Hawaii Pacific University women's NCAA Division II national volleyball champions and their coach, Tita Ahuna, will be honored. Also honored will be Olympic athletes Robyn Ah Mow (volleyball), Heather Bown (volleyball), Amy Tong (judo), Kathy Collin (kayaking) and Maureen O'Toole (water polo).

Jujitsu weekend coming

Ohana 2001 Weekend Celebration, sponsored by the American Jujitsu Institute, is scheduled for Feb. 17-18 at the Ocean Resorts Hotel and the Queen Kapiolani Hotels in Waikiki.

Over 500 martial arts enthusiasts from around the country and the world are expected to participate in clinics, demonstrations and tournaments in Kodenkan Jujitsu.

Clinics are Feb. 17 with the tournament and awards banquet Feb. 18.

Organizers say all martial artists are welcome.

For more information, call Daniel Saragosa at 224-1142.

Super Brawl scheduled

Extreme Sports Productions presents its 20th Super Brawl show on Feb. 23 at Blaisdell Arena.

Ray Cooper, will face Paul Rodriguez, World Extreme Fighting's top-ranked middleweight, according to organizers.

Rodriguez is coming off a third-round knockout over Dennis Halman. Others on the card are Baret Yoshida and former UH football standout Falaniko Vitale.

Tickets go on sale today at the Blaisdell box office and all ticket outlets.

Reserved seats cost $25 in advance and $29 the day of the show. There also will be a limited number of ringside seats available for $50 each.