Tempe, Ariz. - The Rainbow Wahine softball team defeated previously unbeaten Arizona State, 8-6 in the first game of a doubleheader. In the second game, UH lost 2-0, behind a strong pitching performance by ASU freshman, Katie Burkhart.

In the first game, Hawai'i took the early lead, scoring five runs in the third inning. UH strung five hits together with Tracie Uchima driving a single up the middle to score third baseman Kristi Yoshizawa. Later in the inning, senior catcher Denise Dahlberg ripped a deep-fly ball over the leftfield fence for a grand slam home run.

In the fifth inning, the Rainbow Wahine added two more runs. The first run was scored on a first-and-third situation in which the runner on first, Yoshizawa, got caught in a run-down. Tyleen Tausaga, the runner on third, released for home, getting into a run-down between third and home, but an errant throw by the ASU third baseman scored Tausaga, and left Yoshizawa on third. Then leftfielder Jennifer Hackett hit a looping single into centerfield scoring Yoshizawa.

In the bottom of the fifth, Arizona State starting chipping away at the 7-0 lead. The Sun Devils scored one run when Michelle Smith drew a walk; got pushed to second on a ground-out; and scored on a single by Mindy Cowles.

In the sixth, after reaching safely on an error on the ASU catcher, Noelle Izumi added one more run off a double to the rightfield fence.

Then the Sun Devils battled back, scoring five runs, three of which were unearned, in the last two innings. The rally was highlighted by a first-pitch, leadoff home run to dead-centerfield by Sharee Zaleski, a two-run double by Valerie Sevilla, and a double that led to a run scored by Brigette Caron.

Melissa Coogan (2-1) picked up her second win of the season, giving up six runs on 11 hits, walking three, and striking out five. Ashley Werschky (2-1) got the loss, going 2-1/3 innings, before yielding to Desiree Serrano who finished the game.

In the second game, UH lost in a tight 2-0 match. The only two runs scored in the game came off the bat of ASU second baseman, Mindy Cowles, on a pair of lead-off home runs in the fourth and sixth innings.

ASU's freshman lefty-hurler Katie Burkhard used her unsolvable rise-ball to strike out 13 Rainbow Wahine en route to a complete game shut-out. Senior Shannon Tabion (2-1) got the loss, throwing a complete game, giving up six hits, with one walk, and four strike outs.

The Rainbow Wahine now will head off to Tucson, Ariz. to play in the Worth Wildcat Invitational, where they will take on Northern Iowa, Marshall, and No.2 Arizona. The tournament runs from Fri., Feb. 18-Sun., Feb. 20.

Game One Statistics

Game Two Statistics

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