HONOLULU - The University of Hawai`i took over sole possession of the Western Athletic Conference today as the Rainbow Wahine swept a pair of league games from Nevada winning 5-1 and 2-1 at the Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium.

In the first game, Melissa Coogan went the distance for her third-straight complete-game victory over the Wolf Pack. She held Nevada to four hits and tied her career-best with eight strike outs.

UH scored in the first three innings chasing UN starter Candice Rainwater (5-8), who went only 2.1 innings allowing five hit and four runs (three earned), while walking three. She was relieved by Judith van Kampen who went 2.2 innings and posted three strike outs. Robyn Ford-Feitz pitched the final inning allowing a hit and an unearned run.

Tracie Uchima led off the first with a double down the left field line, advanced to third on a ground out, and scored on Kate Judd's fielder's choice.

In the second inning, Marie Jackson drew a walk, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Ashley Ruff, and scored on Uchima's single to right.

Nevada got on the board in the third as Sonia Rojo walked, advanced to third on Annie Steven's double to left center, and scored on Stacy Mueller's single to left.

UH responded with two more runs in the bottom of the inning when April Crowell led off with a single and went to second on a passed ball. Erica Bonilla came in to run for Crowell and advanced to third when Stacey Porter reached on an error by the shortstop. Porter then stole second. Bonilla came home on the sacrifice fly to left by Judd. Trisha Ramos hit an RBI single up the middle to score Porter and chase Rainwater.

UH took a 4-1 lead into the sixth. Ford-Feitz gave up a lead off single to Ramos, who then stole second, and moved to third on a ground out. Ruff then chopped a ball up the third base line, but Wolf Pack third baseman Stevens threw it too high allowing Ramos to score.

In the second game, UH's Shannon Tabion got the start in the circle and had her biggest game of the season. The sophomore from Baldwin High tossed a two-hitter and took a shutout into the seventh inning before surrendering a two-out solo home run to pinch-hitter Kari Stockstill.

Tabion (5-6) struckout seven and walked one as UH completed the four-game sweep of the Wolf Pack and moved into first place in the WAC.

UH picked up its two runs in the third inning as Uchima led off with a triple down the right field line and scored on Denise Dahlberg's sacrifice fly to left. With one out and a 1-1 count, Porter took a van Kampen (6-7) pitch and hammered it over the right centerfield fence for her ninth of the season and giving her 30 in her career. With that blast, she overtake Dana Degan (29) on the UH all-time home run list.

Hawai`i raises its overall record to 25-16 and 6-2 in the WAC. Nevada falls to 17-24 and 1-7.