Louisiana Tech puts Wahine in a bind

Hawaii couldn't quite dig itself out of an early hole last night. As a result the Rainbow Wahine face an arduous climb in their quest for the Western Athletic Conference softball title.

Louisiana Tech pitcher Krissi Oliver's second-inning homer proved to be the difference and the junior held off a Wahine rally in the bottom of the seventh to lead the fourth-seeded Bulldogs to a 2-1 win, putting third-seeded UH in jeopardy of making a quick exit as host of the WAC tournament.

"We definitely have to come back a little harder and refocus," UH senior Kaulana Gould said. "And if we have to play five or six games to get to the end of the tournament, then that's what we're going to have to do."

Hawaii pitcher Kate Robinson settled down after a rocky start to strike out nine Bulldogs in a complete-game effort, and the Wahine may need more out of her right arm today when they face the loser of today's 10 a.m. opener between top-seeded Nevada and San Jose State in an elimination game today at 4:45 p.m.

"I'm ready to go as many games as we need," said Robinson, who hit a seventh-inning homer that brought the Wahine to within a run. "Whatever spot we need on the field, I'm ready to do it. We're all tired, we're all sore, this is what we practice for."

Hawaii coach Bob Coolen's options in the circle thinned considerably with the absence of junior Courtney Baughman. Coolen declined to elaborate on Baughman's situation, which leaves him with Robinson and reliever Jessica Morton as his primary pitching options for the remainder of the tournament.

"Courtney's unable to play, that's all I can say," Coolen said.

Hawaii beat LaTech in the tournament's opening round the past two years, but couldn't make up an early deficit after two innings last night and the Bulldogs moved into the winner's bracket to face Fresno State today at 12:15 p.m.

Louisiana Tech broke on top in the first inning on Regan Clark's RBI double and added to the cushion in the second when Oliver powered an 0-2 offering from Robinson over the fence in left center.

Robinson settled down to retire nine straight Bulldogs from the second through fourth innings and escaped a bases-loaded jam in the fifth. LaTech filled the bases on two singles and a catcher's interference call with one out. But UH right fielder Tanisha Milca snared Amberly Waits' sinking liner and doubled off Danielle Sheridan at first to end the inning.

Oliver, meanwhile, breezed through the first six innings. She surrendered just four singles in that span, retiring the leadoff batter in each inning, and finished the night with four strikeouts while walking none.

"She did a great job as far as keeping them off balance," Louisiana Tech coach Sarah Dawson said. "She threw enough strikes and threw enough balls to keep them from being too aggressive at the plate. ... She was very focused and did a good job of not getting too amped out.

"She was in a nice rhythm and she dictated the pace of the game," UH coach Bob Coolen said.

Robinson kick-started the Hawaii offense in the seventh with a towering homer to right-center. Valana Manuma was hit by a pitch one out later and Richie-Anne Titcomb doubled into the left-field corner to advance Manuma to third.

But Oliver got pinch hitter Melissa Gonzalez to fly out to shallow left and LaTech right fielder Lyndsey McIlwain made a diving catch of Katie Grimes' foul popup to end the game.

"We have a long road to hoe right now," Coolen said. "We just waited too long and (Oliver) did a nice job and they took the game to us."

Fresno State 3, New Mexico State 2

Haley Gilleland drove in the winning run with a bases-loaded grounder up the middle with two out in the bottom of the seventh to send the 10th-ranked Bulldogs into the winner's bracket. WAC pitcher of the year Morgan Melloh (38-7) struck out 10 in a complete-game win.

San Jose State 8, Utah State 2

Brittany McConnell hit a grand slam in the bottom of the sixth and the Spartans pulled away from the Aggies. Sarah Taylor went 3-for-4 and drove in two runs for San Jose State and Deanna Mauer (13-15) earned the complete-game victory.

The Spartans face top-seeded Nevada at 10 a.m.