FULLERTON, Calif. >> A four-run outburst in the fifth inning sent Hawaii to its biggest win of the softball season yesterday, as the Rainbow Wahine beat No. 4 Texas 5-3 at the Kia Klassic. Hawaii upsets
No. 4 Texas in softballIn its second game, UH (15-10) lost to Fresno State 3-1.
Against Texas, Melissa Coogan gave up just four hits and three runs -- two earned, while striking out three and walking none.
Coogan struggled early, giving up two runs in the first on a Wynter Turner home run, and UH (15-9) trailed 3-0 against the Longhorns (22-5).
Stacey Porter got the comeback started with a home run in the fourth, and UH scored four runs on three hits and an error in the fifth. Noelle Izumi and Trisha Ramos had RBI hits in the inning.
Against FSU, Coogan (12-4) gave up six hits and three runs.
Christina Clark and pitcher Jamie Southern homered for the Bulldogs (9-14).
West still leading at Stroke-Play event
Mark West wasn't as sharp as he was on Thursday, but his even-par 72 yesterday was good enough to hold the lead in the 2003 Hawaii State Amateur Stroke-Play Championship played in ideal conditions at the Pearl Country Club.West remained 5 under for the tournament at 139 after opening with a 67 on Thursday. Travis Toyama fired a 3-under 69 yesterday for a two-day total of 140. He is alone in second at the halfway point of the 72-hole event.
Chase Chulakote, who was tied for second after the first round, is in third at 141 after shooting a 1-under 71 yesterday. Paul Kimura is in fourth at 142 and Norman-Ganin Asao rounded out the top five with a 1-under 143.
Michelle Wie fell back into the pack after following her opening round of 71 with a hefty 76. She is currently tied for 13th at 147. Defending champion Joe Phengsavath is also in at 147. He opened with a 70 on Thursday, but came back with a 5-over 77 round yesterday.
Hawaii's Gowdy going to nationals
OKLAHOMA CITY >> Hawaii diver Mike Gowdy qualified for the NCAA Championships today in the 3-meter event at the Zone E Championships.The men's national meet is March 27-29 in Austin, Texas.
High school baseball starts on Oahu today
The high school boys baseball season gets under way today on Oahu.All eight Interscholastic League of Honolulu teams open with games at Ala Wai Field.
Saint Louis and Kamehameha play first at 9 a.m., followed by Damien vs. Punahou at noon, Maryknoll vs. Iolani at 3 p.m. and Pac-Five vs. league and state champion Mid-Pacific at 6.
The ILH regular season continues through April 22, and a double-elimination tournament starts April 26.
The Oahu Interscholastic Association starts March 26 with 10 games. The regular season runs through April 19 with playoffs starting May 7.
The state tournament is May 14-17 on Maui.
Jaskulski sets world record in 400
Erwin Jaskulski, the 100-year-old sprinter from Honolulu, set an age-group record in the 400 meters tonight with a time of 3:40.79. He is the first 100-year-old to ever finish the race in a timed official meet.The race was part of the University of Hawaii Sunset Series, held at the UH track.
Jaskulski now holds the world record for the 100 meters, 200 meters and 400 meters in both the 95-99 and the 100-plus age groups.
Wrestler advances at NCAA II meet
SAN FRANCISCO >> Joey Bareng of San Francisco State won his first match of the NCAA Division II National Wrestling Championships yesterday.The Moanalua High School graduate beat Wiley Craft of Indianapolis 6-4.
Gatlin wins first world title
BIRMINGHAM, England >> Maurice Greene and Tim Montgomery, look out. The United States has a new star sprinter -- and he's 21.Justin Gatlin, competing overseas for the first time, underlined his reputation as track and field's latest sensation by winning the 60 meters yesterday at the World Indoor Championships.
Gatlin followed up his victory at the U.S. championships by outracing an international field in 6.46 seconds. He didn't have to beat the best, though: Greene and Montgomery sat the race out.
Still, it was a breakthrough win that establishes Gatlin as a potential challenger for Greene's world outdoor and Olympic 100-meter titles and Montgomery's world record in the 100.
"I have status now on the world level," Gatlin said. "This is a message for everybody, not just Maurice and Tim. I'm trying to show them that I'm out there and able to compete on the world stage now. Everybody should be listening."
Collins was second in 6.53, with Jason Gardener of Britain third in 6.55.
"World records -- that's what I'm shooting for," Gatlin said. --Associated Press