HONOLULU - The University of Hawai`i softball team edged Louisiana Tech 5-3 in the second game of a Western Athletic Conference doubleheader to salvage a split with the Lady Techsters tonight at the Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium. It was also the final two home games for four seniors -- Justina Kahaku, Marie Jackson, Kealohapauole Yamaguchi, and April Crowell.

UH's Shannon Tabion (16-9) notched her second-straight victory against LTU in as many nights limiting Tech to just five hits. She got some early run support as UH took a 5-0 lead and held on in the seventh.

In the first inning, Tracie Uchima and Denise Dahlberg led off the game with singles and came around to score on a ground out and a throwing error.

The Rainbow Wahine tacked on three more runs in the second inning on Dahlberg's ninth homer to center. Dahlberg originally made the final out of the inning, but LTU was called back onto the field because of submitting an inaccurate lineup card. Dahlberg took advantage of the situation smacking a 2-0 pitch from Kristin Blodgette (3-5) deep over the 200-foot mark in center.

Tech picked up three unearned runs in the seventh aided by two errors, two singles, and a hit batsman.

In Game One, Tech's Amber Miles hit the first pitch of the game back up the middle for a single, stole second, and scored on Bridget Broadnax's single to center.

Tech added single runs in the third and fourth innings. In the third, Melissa Coogan (9-17) walked Aimee Coleman to start the inning. Miles then laid down a sacrifice bunt that was fielded by first baseman Tyleen Tausaga whose throw to first was dropped by second baseman Tara Harbert allowing Coleman to advance to third. In the fourth, Broadnax was issued a leadoff walk, moved to second on a wild pitch, was sacrificed to third, and scored on Jennifer LaRussa's single to center.

UH cut the deficit to one as Ashley Ruff hit her sixth home run of the season, a solo shot to left field in the fourth, and April Crowell added a solo blast to center in the fifth.

UH tied it up in the sixth when Ruff drew a walk, went to second on Stacey Ritter's single to center, and scored on Jennifer Hackett's RBI single to center.

LTU loaded the bases in the seventh on a single by Miles and back-to-back walks to Broadnax and Mary Cohn. LaRussa then drove an 0-2 pitch deep to right field for a two-run double to make it 5-3.

Hawai`i mounted a rally in the home seventh as Denise Dahlberg reached on an infield single to short and moved to second on a walk to Crowell. Tausaga then hit into a fielder's choice retiring pinch-runner Marie Jackson at second. Noelle Izumi then came on as a pinch-runner at first and UH pulled off the double steal to cut the deficit in half.

Hawai`i closes out the 2004 season May 7 and 8 at San Jose State in a pair of WAC doubleheaders.