Sunday, April 22, 2001
[ WAHINE SOFTBALL ]
A previously underachieving hitter, a pitcher coming off an ankle injury and another with the flu led the University of Hawaii softball team to a doubleheader sweep of Portland State yesterday at Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium. Judd HRs lead
UH to sweepBy Dave Reardon
Star-BulletinKate Judd hit two homers and drove in four runs as the Wahine came back to win the second game, 6-5. The sophomore shortstop also knocked in both runs as UH took the first game, 2-1.
With its first doubleheader sweep since March 29, Hawaii improved to 37-16 and 8-4 in the Western Athletic Conference. Portland State fell to 18-25 and 4-5. UH remained a half-game behind Fresno State (33-17, 8-3), which swept a doubleheader against Loyola-Marymount yesterday.
Without Judd's production the Wahine would have lost both games and any realistic chance of catching the Bulldogs with just under half the WAC regular season remaining.
"I've been struggling a bit all season so it felt good. I guess it's mental. I wish I knew," said Judd, who batted .293 as a freshman, 30 points above her current average. "Today I just relaxed and saw the ball. The second one (to give UH the eventual winning run in the seventh inning) was a change-up. I've been seeing it and wanting to hit it, but this is the first time I was able to wait on it."
She took the team-lead in homers (5) and RBIs (23).
Janelle Gonzales, who hadn't pitched in over a week because of an ankle injury, also came up huge to get the second-game win (5-1). Her relief of Felicity Witt allowed Judd's homers to mean something. She came in after Hawaii fell behind, 5-1, on Kiauna Anderson's second-inning grand slam and yielded no runs on two hits in 413 innings.
"She was pumped today, and we needed that," UH coach Bob Coolen said. "We needed to give Desi a break."
Coolen considered starting Duran in both games, but she was on medication for the flu. The left-hander (13-4) still managed to win her sixth consecutive decision in the opener. She also saved the second game despite giving up two long belts in the seventh as the Vikings left the potential tying run in Monica Martell on third.
"We've got a great pitching staff. If one of them's having a hard time, another one will come in and help them out," Judd said.
Judd's sacrifice fly in the second inning and double off the center-field fence in the fourth plated UH's runs in the first game.
"You've got to tip your hat to Judd. She came up there and smack, smack," PSU coach Teri Mariani said. "They're a good solid team. They were our pick to win the WAC."
Hawaii 2, Portland State 1
Hawaii 6, Portland State 5
At Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium
Game 1
PSU 000 001 0 -- 1 6 0 Hawaii 010 100 x -- 2 5 0 Morgan Seibert and Erin Newlean, Gina Papasadero; Desiree Duran and Michelle Mumaw. W--Duran (13-4). L--Seibert 9 (13-14). Leading hitters--Portland State: Marissa Smith 2-3; Seibert, RBI. Hawaii: Kate Judd 1-1, 2 RBIs.
Game 2
PSU 050 000 0 -- 5 6 3 Hawaii 113 001 x -- 5 8 2 Nichole Ivie and Gina Papasadero; Felicity Witt, Janelle Gonzalez, Desiree Duran (7) and Michelle Mumaw. W--Gonzales (5-1). L--Ivie (5-10). S--Duran (1). Leading hitters--Portland State: Kiauna Anderson, HR, 4 RBIs; Monica Martell 2-3, 2b, RBI. Hawaii: Kate Judd 2-3, HR, 4 RBIs; Stacey Porter, RBI.
UH Athletics
Ka Leo O Hawaii
