HONOLULU - The University of Hawai`i softball team swept a Western Athletic Conference doubleheader with UTEP this afternoon at the Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium.

In game one, UTEP (7-29, 0-6 WAC) broke a string of 23 and two-thirds scoreless innings in the third. Miner leadoff batter Laura Joiner tried to bunt her way on, but UH second baseman Noelle Izumi dropped the throw from third baseman Kea Yamaguchi for an error. Denise Emmons then doubled to the right center driving home Joiner from first.

Hawai`i (22-19, 4-0 WAC) answered in the bottom of the third as Yamaguchi singled and was pushed to second on the walk to Amanda Garza. Justina Kahaku then tried unsuccessfully to sacrifice both runners up as Yamaguchi was forced at third. Miner shortstop Kristin Hardy then robbed Tracie Uchima of a base hit when she dove on a grounder up the middle and forced Kahaku at second. Uchima then got in a run down between first and second allowing Garza to score beating the throw to the plate.

UH took the lead for good in the fourth tacking on three runs highlighted by a two-run triple by Ashley Ruff, who later scored on Yamaguchi's ground out to shortstop.

UTEP battled back adding a run in the fifth when Lindsey Pridgen hit a one-out single to left, moved to second on Joiner's single up the middle, and scored on Emmons' single down the left field line.

In game two, UH posted single runs in the first and second innings. In the first, Denise Dahlberg doubled to right center and scored on Tyleen Tausaga's single down the left field line. In the second, Stacey Ritter was hit by a pitch and scored all the way from first on Izumi's double to left center.

Ruff's two-run homer to left center capped a three-run outburst in the third for the Rainbow Wahine.

In the first game, UH's Melissa Coogan (8-10) picked up her second win in two days against the Miners spacing seven hits and allowing two (one earned) runs as she struckout eight and walked one. In the second game, Shannon Tabion (14-6) got the victory in the complete-game effort striking out 10. UTEP's Renee DiPuccio (6-15) dropped both decisions in the circle for the Miners.