Friday, May 18, 2001

[ WAHINE SOFTBALL ]

ASSOCIATED PRESS
UH right fielder Tyree Woodruff reached over the wall to
rob Southwest Texas State's Haley Gaddis of a two-run
homer in the third inning yesterday. The Wahine lost, 2-1.

UH Wahine
fall to Bobcats
at regional

UH faces Texas Tech today
in the double-elimination
tourney

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By John Moredich
Special to the Star-Bulletin

TUCSON, Ariz. >> The University of Hawaii team is thirsting not only for some water, but a victory after losing 2-1 to Southwest Texas State in NCAA regional softball action yesterday.

The loss dropped the Wahine into the losers' bracket today at 11:30 a.m. HST against Texas Tech in the double-elimination tournament at Hillenbrand Stadium.

NCAA SOFTBALL REGIONAL At Tucson, Ariz. Yesterday SW Texas State 2, Hawaii 1 CS Fullerton 1, Texas Tech 0 Arizona 4, St. Peter's 2 Texas Tech 3, St. Peter's 2 (St. Peter's eliminated) Today (Times HST) Texas Tech (36-23) vs. Hawaii (46-17), 11:30 a.m. CS Fullerton (47-12) vs. SW Texas State (53-10) Arizona (58-4) vs. Texas Tech-Hawaii winner, 4:30 p.m.

"Hopefully, we will realize the consequences (of losing)," Hawaii coach Bob Coolen said. "We are not going to do anything differently. We are going with the same lineup."

But a few changes are needed or Hawaii's (46-17) season will come to an end today.

The first step might be to add a few more water coolers in the dugout to counter the 100-degree temperatures.

"We are parched," Coolen said. "It is a tougher place for us to come and play."

Other than some water, the Wahine will also try to add more hits and reduce their baserunning mistakes and pitching jams.

Hawaii's bats were frigid against Jessica Chase, the starting pitcher for the 19th-ranked Bobcats (53-10). The Wahine managed only six hits, two from Tyree Woodruff.

"Southwest Texas State's pitcher did a real nice job," Coolen said. "She handcuffed us. We couldn't get our bats going. We struggled out there. We couldn't get any momentum."

Hawaii's problems started in the second inning when Jennie Tomme cleared the left-field fence for a solo homer off Desiree Duran.

The Wahine troubles could have been much worse. Woodruff made a leaping catch over the right-field fence to take a two-run homer away from Haley Gaddis in the third. Duran escaped trouble in the fourth with a strikeout that stranded two runners.

Duran could not wiggle out of a fifth-inning jam. The Bobcats' Kristen Zaleski singled, stole second and scored on a double by Stephanie Hughes to give Southwest Texas State its eventual game-winning run.

Hawaii's lone score came as Woodruff began the fourth with a single. Pinch runner Kimi Kaneshiro eventually scored on Kate Judd's short fly ball to right.

The Wahine had their scoring chances but couldn't convert. Pinch runner Marie Jackson was picked off trying to steal second with no outs in the fifth; Woodruff was doubled off first on a soft liner in the sixth.

Hawaii put two on with one out in the seventh but relief pitcher Nicole Neuerburg got Stacie Hirano to strike out swinging and Michelle Mumaw on a game-ending pop-up.

"We are not going to let this (loss) hold us back," Woodruff promised.

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SOFTBALL

NCAA Division I Regionals

SEED 1 REGIONAL

At Tucson, Ariz.
Yesterday

Game 1 -- Arizona 4, St. Peter's 2

Game 2 -- Cal State Fullerton 1, Texas Tech 0

Game 3 -- Southwest Texas State 2, Hawaii 1

Game 4 -- Texas Tech 3, St. Peter's 2

Today

Game 5 -- Hawaii (46-17) vs. Texas Tech (36-23)

Game 6 -- Cal State Fullerton (47-12) vs. Southwest Texas State (53-10)

Game 7 -- Arizona (58-4) vs. Game 5 winner

Southwest Texas State 2, Hawaii 1

SW Texas State	010	010	0	--	2	7	2
Hawaii	000	100	0	--	1	6	1

Jessica Chase, Nicole Neuerburg (7) and Jenni Tomme; Desiree Duran, Felicity Witt (5) and Michelle Mumaw. W--Chase (29-3). L--Duran (17-5). S--Neuerburg (3).

Leading hitters--SW Texas State: Stephanie Hughes, 2-4, RBI, 2b; Tomme, 3-3, RBI, HR. Hawaii: Tyree Woodruff 2-3; Kate Judd, RBI.

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UH Athletics
Ka Leo O Hawaii