Friday, March 23, 2001
Here's one for the "Hey, whatever works" file. Homer boosts Wahine
past Aztecs, 5-2By Dave Reardon
Star-BulletinUniversity of Hawaii softball coach Bob Coolen played a hunch yesterday, pinch-hitting in the No. 3 spot of the batting order for no apparent reason.
The result was a two-run homer by Sheri Oronoz, helping UH to a 5-2 victory over San Diego State in the host's first game of the Hawaii Invitational.
Then the 89 fans at Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium saw Hawaii (24-10) beat Wright State, 11-4. The Wahine pounded 16 hits against the Raiders (12-9) to go with nine off the Aztecs (17-12).
Oronoz, a part-time pitcher and part-time outfielder, was a full-time benchie last week. She missed the Kia Classic at Fullerton, Calif., after breaking her right ring finger the week prior.
She'd batted only 15 times all season when Coolen called on her to hit for Stacie Hirano (.302) in the fifth with Marie Jackson on first and none out, and UH leading 2-0.
Oronoz jacked an inside fastball from Aztecs ace Sandra Durazo over the fence.
"Sheri's been real hot in practice and we needed to see what she could do," Coolen said. "I don't know what it was. It was just a hunch."
April Crowell followed with her team-leading fourth homer.
"Everyone on this team has the potential to hit the longball," Oronoz said.
UH's Felicity Witt yielded solo homers in the seventh to Summer Ehrsam and Janna Kovensky.
"Until then, we had a lot of at-'em balls," SDSU coach Kathy Van Wyk said.
Against Wright State, every UH batter got at least one hit. Crowell and Natalie Gonzales each got three hits, and Trisha Ramos drilled a bases-loaded triple.
Defending champion Tokyo WCPE is also 2-0 after day 1.
In the late game last night, University of San Diego (8-21) beat Wright State, 5-3.
UH meets Eastern Illinois at 6 p.m. and McNeese State at 8 in the final two games today.
UH Athletics
Ka Leo O Hawaii
