Stephanie Ricketts was credited with her second no-hitter of the season last night. But the Hawaii freshman was quick to share the credit for the feat after shutting down Boise State 8-0 in five speedy innings at Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium.

“;I had a lot of help,”; Ricketts said. “;There were so many good plays behind me. That's why it was a no-hitter.”;

The Rainbow Wahine (27-22, 13-6 Western Athletic Conference) needed just 74 minutes to capture the opener of the three-game series. Defensive plays by Kanani Pu'u-Warren and Clare Warwick preserved the no-hitter, and the Hawaii offense pounded out 12 hits in ending the game after five innings due to the mercy rule.

Ricketts struck out four, walked none and threw just 61 pitches while earning her 20th win of the season. She allowed two baserunners, both reaching on errors, and retired the last 10 batters in order.

Offensively, senior left-fielder Audrey Andrade had two doubles and drove in two runs, maintaining her focus while anticipating today's senior day festivities, which follow a doubleheader with the Broncos (21-26, 4-14) to close the regular season.

The first game starts at 2 p.m. Eight UH players will be honored after the finale.

“;It's hard. I was already thinking about it and I was like, 'stop, block it out,' “; said Andrade, who is also looking forward to graduating later this month. “;You just have to concentrate on every pitch and every ball.”;

The Wahine took the pressure off Ricketts by scoring three runs in the first inning and adding four more in the third.

Amanda Tauali'i drove in the game's first run with a shot that rolled through the left-center gap for an RBI double. Andrade's first double followed nearly the same path to the fence and scored Makani Duhaylonsod-Kaleimamahu and Tauali'i.

It looked like Boise State would break up the no-hitter in the second when Pu'u-Warren short-hopped Kelly Sweeney's line drive with a runner on first. But the UH center fielder threw out Christin Capobianco at second, turning the play into an unorthodox fielder's choice.

“;I thought the ball was going deep, so I was running back and I saw it died somehow,”; Pu'u-Warren said. “;It was rehearse and react. I just did what we usually do in practice and it played out that Steph had her no-hitter.”;

The Wahine bunched five singles in the third inning to extend the lead and brought the mercy rule into effect on Pu'u-Warren's RBI single in the fourth.

Warwick, starting her 216th straight game at third base, kept the no-hitter intact by making a diving snag of Ashleigh Viers-Gordillo's liner to open the fifth inning. After a strikeout, second baseman Dara Pagaduan fielded a tricky hop in the hole to end the game.