Coogan pitches
Hawaii to sweep"Go for two" had a new meaning last night at Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium.
Hawaii used two double steals in the fourth inning of Game 1 to score four runs and Melissa Coogan held San Jose State to two hits in a 4-0 victory.
The Wahine then doubled up on their win total -- and Coogan (25-9) picked up a second complete-game victory of the night -- when downing the Spartans 6-1 in the second game of the Western Athletic Conference doubleheader. Hawaii (31-16, 12-2 WAC) has won 10 straight, taking a four-game lead in the conference; San Jose State (22-32, 3-9) has dropped 11 in a row.
"This is exciting," said Crowell, who drove in single runs in each of the two games. "We need to be heads-up over our last eight games and pull through. Coogs is pitching great, and everyone is hitting the ball well."
The teams meet again tomorrow in a doubleheader scheduled for 1 p.m. It will be the final home games for the Wahine and their two seniors, Kate Judd and Trisha Ramos.
Hawaii 4, SJSU 0: It took the Wahine until the fourth inning to figure out Spartans pitcher Carol Forbes (15-14).
The second time leadoff batter Tracie Uchima saw Forbes, the Wahine right fielder was ready, drilling a 1-0 pitch to the wall in center for a double. April Crowell followed with a single up the middle to score Uchima and push her team-leading RBI total to 32.
Stacey Porter singled to left and the Wahine capitalized on Forbes' slow delivery on her change-up by calling a double steal. It put pinch runner Hannah Butler on third with her first stolen base of the year and Porter on second, keeping her perfect in 10 steal attempts.
After a walk to Ramos loaded the bases, Marie Jackson pounded a grounder that bounced over third, scoring Butler and Porter. Another double steal led to Spartans catcher Megan Delgado's errant throw that went into right, allowing Ramos to score Hawaii's final run.
It was the 11th shutout for Coogan, who struck out four and walked two.
Hawaii 6, SJSU 1: The Wahine only needed one big inning to get the job done. Instead, they got two. Hawaii scored three runs in the second, highlighted by Porter's lead-off home run, and added three runs in the sixth.
In the second, Porter lofted a 2-2 pitch over the center-field wall for her 11th homer of the season and a school-best 32nd of her career.
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