[ WAHINE SOFTBALL ]
Wahine swept in key
WAC doubleheader
The Rainbow Wahine softball team had an off night at the most inopportune time.
Fresno State and All-American Jamie Southern weren't unbeatable, but Hawaii (22-21, 4-2) did little to resist as the 16th-ranked Bulldogs swept a Western Athletic Conference doubleheader 7-0 and 9-2. The teams meet again today in another doubleheader at 3 p.m.
"We've had a few problems on defense," Bulldogs coach Margie Wright said. "We did a good job on offense."
The Bulldogs (35-12, 8-0) pounded 11 hits off junior Shannon Tabion (14-7), including home runs from Christina Clark (1-for-2, 2 RBIs), Iolani alum Mitzi Ing and Rachael Donaldson in the second game.
Hawaii coach Bob Coolen predicted Fresno State would be swinging for the fences and the Bulldogs did, hitting six long balls.
"Pitching wasn't there tonight," Tabion admitted. "Hitting, we couldn't put it all together. She scattered the hits. We had a lot of opportunities to score.
"We needed to press them more like we did in the fifth. That's what we need to do tomorrow."
Southern scattered five hits in the second game and struck out nine. The junior right-hander shut down Hawaii's bats for the most part and she got the outs when she needed to.
"Coming here, I knew it was going to be a battle," Southern said. "I knew what to expect. I knew we had to hold them because they're a good team and they can come back."
The Rainbow Wahine nearly did. Down 3-0, Hawaii loaded the bases in the fifth on a single by Noelle Izumi, an error by Southern and Tracie Uchima's fielder's choice. With none out, Southern struck out Denise Dahlberg.
After April Crowell singled to right, an error by Nichole Willis scored Izumi and Uchima. But Southern escaped the jam by fanning Tyleen Tausaga and Stacey Ritter to end the inning.
"Jamie did a great job," Wright said. "She came through when she needed to. She got an out when she needed to."
Ing hit a solo shot to left field in the second inning. It was the first homer of her career.
"That was so embarrassing," Tabion said.
It would get worse for Hawaii.
Clark blasted her 15th homer of the season in the next inning, tying a school record that she shares with Michelle Bolt, to put the Bulldogs up 3-0.
After Hawaii's two runs in the fifth, the Bulldogs erupted for five hits in the seventh, including Donaldson's homer to lead off. Southern retired the last three Hawaii batters to end the game
In the first game, starter Melissa Coogan lasted 3 1/3 innings, her second shortest outing of the season since facing Portland State in February. Coogan gave up 10 hits and seven runs.
In the first inning, Fresno State ripped four consecutive singles but only managed to score one run. The Bulldogs added two runs in the third as catcher Willis drove a 2-1 pitch over the center-field wall to score Southern, who singled with one out.
Shasta Lewis hit a three-run shot that barely dropped over the fence in center field. Clark followed with another home run to chase Coogan out of the game. Sophomore Paula Blanning relieved Coogan and was steadier, but the damage had been done.
Hawaii didn't get many chances to score off Southern, who only gave up multiple hits in the bottom of the first. But the All-American struck out the next two Hawaii batters to end the inning and allowed one more hit the rest of the game.
Notes: UH athletic director Herman Frazier and associate AD Tom Sadler attended the game, as did Hawaii basketball coach Riley Wallace and baseball coach Mike Trapasso. ... Also attending was Fresno State football coach Pat Hill, who stopped in and tried to wish Wright good luck before the game.