HONOLULU - Long Beach State scored five unearned runs in the top of the 7th inning to pull away and defeat the University of Hawai`i, 9-1, this afternoon to win the championship of the 6th Chevron Paradise Classic at the Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium.

The 49ers took a 3-0 in the second after scoring once in the first on the sacrifice fly by Jamie Farnworth. In the second, LBSU added two more on a solo homer by Carrie Hamilton and an RBI single by Christina Zepeda.

UH cut the deficit in half in the bottom of the second as Stacey Porter singled, went to second on April Crowell's ground out, and scored on Marie Jackson's single.

UH's Melissa Coogan (3-2) lasted only three innings allowing three runs (two earned) and five hits. Reliever Paula Blanning went the final four frames giving up six runs (only one earned) while striking out five and walking one.

LBSU's Lindsey Knoff went the distance striking out three and scattering two hits.

Long Beach State (14-4) went a perfect 6-0 in the tournament while Hawai`i (9-6) went 4-3).

Earlier in the day, UH eliminated Texas-Arlington, 7-1, behind the complete-game performance by Sheri Oronoz (5-2) who struckout four and walked one spacing five hits along the way.

UH got some early support offensively tallying three runs in the first on two hits aided by one UTA error.

UH would add two more runs in each of the fifth and sixth innings to pull away setting up the final against Long Beach State.

Texas-Arlington (7-10) finished in third in the tournament going 3-4, while Mercer was eliminated yesterday going 0-5.