UH softball
wins WACCoogan ties the record for
victories in a season, as the
Wahine head to the postseasonWAC standings
RUSTON, La. >> The Hawaii softball team traveled more than 4,200 miles to bring home its first Western Athletic Conference championship.
UH swept a doubleheader at Louisiana Tech yesterday to finally win an outright league title, after sharing the Big West crown in 1994 and just missing out on a WAC title in 2001.
Hawaii earns a berth in the NCAA tournament, and will find out next Sunday where it will start postseason play.
"It feels unbelievable," said coach Bob Coolen, who is in his 13th season at UH. "It's been a while in coming."
The Rainbow Wahine beat the Lady Techsters 6-3 and 7-0 -- with sophomore Melissa Coogan earning the victory in the second game to tie the school's record for pitching wins in a season with 29.
UH swept the four games against LaTech to finish the conference season at 17-3.
"We knew coming in if we won all four we'd be outright champs," Coolen said. "If we won three of four we'd leave the door open to be co-champs (with Fresno State). Everyone knew what was going on."
Coogan improved to 29-9, tying All-American Brooke Wilkins, who reached that mark in 1994 and '95.
"Tying the record is cool," the right-hander from California said. "I was more excited with winning (the WAC).
"We knew we couldn't lose any games. We got that off our backs. It's cool winning and being the first team to win the WAC for Hawaii softball. Bob got the water thrown on him and we went out and to dinner (to celebrate)," she said.
First baseman Stacey Porter broke her own single-season home run record by hitting one out in each game to give her 17 for the season. Porter hit 15 homers last season and set the UH record for career round-trippers earlier this season.
Coogan started the first game in the early Louisiana heat and quickly got into trouble, giving up three runs in the first 1 1/3 innings.
"I was having trouble holding the ball because it was so hot and I was sweating," Coogan said. "I've never had a problem with that before."
Sophomore Shannon Tabion relieved her, and pitched the final 5 2/3 innings without allowing a run.
"Shannon pitched really well. It was a real gutsy ballgame," Coolen said.
Tabion (6-8) got hit hard in Wednesday's nonconference loss to Centenary, but bounced back to earn her first WAC victory.
Porter bashed a three-run home run in the fifth inning to put UH ahead 5-3. Third baseman Trisha Ramos knocked in an insurance run in the sixth.
UH was aided by four LaTech errors. Marla Pinkston (11-7) gave up six runs -- five earned -- in the complete-game loss.
The second game was a different story for Coogan.
"My change-up was definitely (working)," she said. "We were trying to keep the ball away, throwing a lot of drops and curves."
Coogan scattered four hits, all singles, and struck out three.
Porter again provided the offense, smacking a two-run homer in the third to put UH up 2-0. Ramos got into the act in the fourth with a solo home run.
Porter extended her single-season team record with her 16th and 17th home runs.
Center fielder Marie Jackson sealed the deal with a two-out, three-run double in the fifth that gave Hawaii a 6-0 lead.
Porter and Ramos combined for six hits, seven RBIs and seven runs scored in the doubleheader. Jackson was 4-for-4 in Game 2.
The team returns to Honolulu tonight at 8:13 on Delta flight No. 219.
"We have a week to get our lives in order," Coolen said. "It'll be good for us. We were getting beat up at the end. It'll be a good week for us to get back in the practice mode and get our academics in order."
The Rainbow Wahine last went to the NCAA Regionals in 2001, losing both games in Tucson, Ariz.
The 64-team NCAA tournament runs May 15-26. The Women's College World Series is May 22-26 in Oklahoma City.
Single-season win record
29: Melissa Coogan, 2003
29: Brooke Wilkins, 1995
29: Brooke Wilkins, 1994
24: Kelly Gentle, 1997
22: Kelly Gentle, 1998
22: Felicity Witt, 2001
BACK TO TOP |
WAC softball standings
Conference Overall W L Pct. GB W L Pct. Hawaii 17 3 .850 -- 37 18 .673 Fresno St. 10 4 .714 3 29 20 .592 Tulsa 8 8 .500 6 34 25 .576 Louisiana Tech 6 10 .375 7 16 38 .296 San Jose St. 4 10 .286 9 22 33 .400 Nevada 5 15 .250 11 22 35 .386 Yesterday
Hawaii 6, Louisiana Tech 3
Hawaii 7, Louisiana Tech 0
Tulsa 5, Nevada 2
Nevada 8, Tulsa 1Tomorrow
Fresno State at San Jose State
UH Athletics
