Saturday, May 19, 2001
[ WAHINE SOFTBALL ]
Wasted chances TUCSON, Ariz. >> A young University of Hawaii softball team learned the hard way that big hits are needed in postseason NCAA regional action.
end UH’s season
Wahine strand 11 in 4-2 loss to
Raiders in softball regionalBy John Moredich
Special to the Star-BulletinThe Wahine found out what happens when runners in scoring position are constantly left stranded in a season-ending 4-2 loss to the Texas Tech Raiders yesterday at Hillenbrand Stadium. Hawaii, with only four seniors, finished the season 46-18.
"We have a lot of positives coming out of this year," Hawaii coach Bob Coolen said. "Once you get to this aspect of the game, everyone is 0-0. But everyone has to elevate their game. That is something we have to work on down the road. We need to elevate our game to the (level of the) regional we are at."
Not being able to establish a consistent offensive attack proved costly in a first round 2-1 loss to Southwest Texas State on Thursday. Hawaii had 11 hits against Texas Tech yesterday, but not enough when the pressure mounted and a base hit was needed.
The Wahine left 11 players on base.
"We were setting the table, but we were just not clearing it," Coolen said. "It was frustrating, but their pitcher did a nice job of holding us at bay when she got into trouble."
Texas Tech (37-23) did get the big hit -- Andrea Joachims' three-run homer in the first inning. The freshman with a .198 batting average cleared the left-field fence off Hawaii starting pitcher Janelle Gonzales (5-2), who gave up a single and a walk previously.
Hawaii's Stacey Porter countered with a line-drive homer on the first pitch of the second inning, setting a school freshman record for home runs in a season with six.
"I didn't think it was going out," Porter said. "Usually I can tell when I hit one, but I was running hard on that one. It was a big relief when it went over."
The Wahine managed a sixth-inning run when Tyree Woodruff singled in pinch-runner Michelle Mumaw to close the gap to 4-2.
In between the Hawaii runs were plenty of base runners and even more frustration. The Wahine continually tagged Texas Tech pitcher Amanda Renfro (34-18), but not when it counted the most.
Following Porter's homer in the second, Hawaii had the bases loaded with one out, but failed to score, ending the threat on a strikeout and a grounder. Two more runners were stranded in the third after both reached with only one out. The first two batters were on in the fourth before the same result occurred.
"When you get one or two on in each inning, it is hard to see them left out there," Porter said.
But a Wahine team consisting of mostly freshmen and sophomores should be back in regional play a year from now. At least that was the talk as the team packed its bags for the flight home.
"It was fun season. I thought we did well in our conference and in the tournaments that we played," said senior pitcher Desiree Duran, who relieved in the fourth inning. "Unfortunately, it ended this way. We made it to regionals. That was one of our goals. The team next year will be really strong, and hopefully it can get back."
SOFTBALL
NCAA Division I Regionals
SEED 1 REGIONAL
At Tucson, Ariz.Yesterday's results
Texas Tech 4, Hawaii 2, Hawaii eliminated
Cal State Fullerton 10, Southwest Texas State 1, 5 innings
Arizona 8, Texas Tech 0, 6 innings, Texas Tech eliminated
Today
Cal State Fullerton (48-12) vs. Arizona (59-4)
Southwest Texas State vs. Loser
Hawaii 010 001 0 -- 2 10 0 Texas Tech 300 100 0 -- 4 6 1 Janelle Gonalez, Desiree Duran (4) and Michelle Mumaw; Amanda Renfo, Maggie Ayres (7) and Shauna Briggs. W--Renfro (34-18). L--Gonzales (5-2).
Leading hitters--Hawaii: Stacey Porter 3-4, HR, run; Kristin Anderson 2-3; Tyree Woodruff 2-4, RBI; Michelle Mumaw 1-1, run. Texas Tech: Eva Harshman 2-2, RBI; Andrea Joachims HR, 3 RBIs.
UH Athletics
Ka Leo O Hawaii