STANFORD, Calif. » Hawaii's softball team slugged its way past host Stanford yesterday and into the championship round of the NCAA softball regional. The Rainbow Wahine posted a 6-3 victory using the same formula they have all year—the long ball and pitcher Stephanie Ricketts.

Today, they'll face Texas Tech at 10 a.m. Hawaii time. If the Red Raiders win, the teams will play again at 12:30 p.m., with the winner advancing to the super regional.

“;It's great to make it to Sunday, but we're not done yet,”; Ricketts said. “;After we won that game, it was great, but I think everyone knows in the back of their mind we have another game left.”;

Ricketts was excellent, if not overpowering, allowing three runs on eight hits with just one strikeout. Instead, she relied on her defense, especially on the infield, as first baseman Amanda Tauali'i had 16 putouts.

Hawaii (46-13) was the visiting team in the game and got on the board immediately with two runs in the first. In the second, Melissa Gonzalez unloaded on an Ashley Chinn pitch, depositing it well over the center-field fence for a three-run homer. Gonzalez said she was trying to be more aggressive on the 3-1 pitch.

“;Earlier in the tournament, I was caught swinging defensively when I was ahead in the count,”; she said. “;My coaches were telling me to start swinging harder and offensively. That's what I was focused on. I knew I was ahead, so I could swing for the fence.”;

In the third, Tauali'i added a solo shot, her second in as many days. That 6-0 lead proved insurmountable for the Cardinal.

“;It was good to be visitors in this game,”; Rainbow Wahine coach Bob Coolen said. “;We wanted to hit first. It was good to get on the board first and just sort of set the tone for our offense.”;

Said Stanford coach John Rittman, “;When they jump out with five runs in the first two innings, that pretty much eliminates you stealing bases and moving runners. You're now in a slugfest and you're trying to play for a big inning.”;

Then it was up to Ricketts to hold the fort. The sophomore didn't allow a hit in the first two innings, then was touched for two runs in the third. Alissa Haber had an RBI single and Ashley Hansen knocked her in with a triple. With No. 3 hitter Shannon Koplitz up next, things could have gotten ugly, but Ricketts retired Koplitz on a groundout to second.

The Cardinal (37-18) got another run in the fourth on Maya Burns' RBI triple, but she was also stranded at third when Jenna Becerra grounded back to Ricketts.

Stanford had chances in the fifth and seventh, but Ricketts came up huge both times. In the fifth, the Cardinal had two on with nobody out. But Hansen grounded out, Koplitz popped out and Jenna Rich grounded out.

In the seventh, Stanford had two on with one out. Here, Ricketts recorded her only strikeout, getting Hansen to end an eight-pitch at-bat, then getting Koplitz on a fly ball to end the game.

“;They started jumping on any mistakes that I made,”; Ricketts said. “;I just knew, your team gives you six runs, you should be able to close out the game.”;

Then it was time to sit back and watch the elimination games to find out who Hawaii would play today.

Or not.

“;Not at all,”; Coolen said when asked if his team would stay. “;We worry about our uniforms. I'm sure we'll get a phone call later from the NCAA saying who we're playing and what we are, home or visitor.”;