STANFORD, Calif. - The Hawai'i softball squad defeated Illinois, 7-2, on the first day of The Stanford Classic at Boyd and Jill Smith Family Stadium. True freshman Kate Robinson threw five shut-out innings in relief and earned her first career win. The right-hander gave up two hits, had no walks and struck out three Fighting Illini batters in her first non-exhibition collegiate game on the mound.

Although Illinois notched a run in the top of the first, Hawai'i answered quickly, scoring four runs in the bottom of the first. Tracie Uchima led the inning off with a walk. Noelle Izumi followed with a base hit up the middle. Denise Dahlberg then hit a single to left that scored Uchima. Tyleen Tausaga stepped to the plate and hit a second single to left that scored Izumi. Kaulana Gould hit a ground ball to the second baseman that she was unable to come up with, which in turn scored Dahlberg. And finally, Robinson was able to drive a sacrifice fly ball to centerfield, scoring Tausaga.

Hawai'i added another run in the third inning, but pulled away in the bottom of the sixth after Uchima hit a two-run single up the middle, scoring Ashley Ruff and Tara Harbert. Ruff reached on an infield single to the shortstop and Harbert was pinch-running for Robinson who reached on an infield single to the third baseman.

Leading hitters for Hawai'i were Uchima 2-3, one run, one walk, and two RBI; Dahlberg went 2-3 with two runs scored and one RBI; Tausaga was 2-3 with a run scored and an RBI; and Ruff was 2-3 with a run scored and one RBI.

UH will now take on No.5 and host-school Stanford at 5 pm PST.

Game statistics