HONOLULU - The University of Hawai`i softball team took a pair of games today from Loyola Marymount, 6-2, and New Mexico State, 9-2, to propel themselves into the championship game Sunday in the Chevron Malihini Softball Tournament at the Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium.`

In the first game of the day against Loyola Marymount, UH's Sheri Oronoz (10-5) went the distance as well aided her cause at the plate as UH won, 6-2.

Oronoz scattered seven hits while striking out one, and at the plate, went 2-for-4 with three RBI and two runs scored. She picked up the three runs batted in in the second inning with UH already leading 1-0, she hit a three-run homer to right centerfield to give UH a 4-0 lead and they never looked back.

Five UH hitters collected two hits apiece in a 14-hit barrage, UH's highest output of the season.

In the nightcap against New Mexico State, UH's Melissa Coogan (6-5) spaced two hits going all the way while striking out a season-high eight batters. One of her two hits allowed was a two-run homer to Jodi Spino in the second inning.

UH posted nine-unaswered runs with Oronoz coming off the bench and hitting her second three-run homer of the day in the seventh and picked up another RBI in the sixth on an RBI single.

UH posted 13 hits in the game against the Aggies, with five UH batters with two hits.

Sunday's schedule looks like this: at 10 a.m. HST New Mexico State and Oregon State play an elimination game with the winner having to defeat UH twice at noon.