EL PASO, Texas - The Rainbow Wahine softball team (24-20, 5-5 WAC) took the first game in a three-game series against UTEP (17-26, 3-4 WAC). UH defeated the Miners 9-0 in six innings at the brand new Helen of Troy Stadium, which is located on the UTEP campus. Melissa Coogan (12-9, 3-3 WAC) fired a complete-game, two-hitter to pick up the win. It was Coogan's 15th complete game and fifth shut-out of the year. UTEP's Megan Barber (9-13) took the loss.

Hawaii got off to a fast start, scoring two runs in the top of the first inning. Tracie Uchima led off the game with a single up the middle. Denise Dahlberg then moved Uchima to second on a sacrifice bunt. Kaulana Gould then stepped to the plate and hit a single to leftfield. On the hit, Uchima moved to third, and then scored when the leftfielder overthrew the catcher at home. Next up was Tyleen Tausaga who hit a single to centerfield to plate Gould from second base, making the score 2-0.

In the second inning, UH added two more runs. Uchima reached on a single to leftfield and moved to second on a ground out to the pitcher. Gould again hit a single to centerfield, scoring Uchima from second. Then Tausaga got her second hit on the day to score Gould from second.

UTEP pitcher Barber retired the next six batters in a row, but in the fifth inning the Rainbow Wahine scored two more runs off an Ashley Ruff monster home run shot that made the entire crowd say a collective "Wow." The ball landed almost on the top of the large, rocky hill right behind the leftfield fence. Ruff drove in Jennifer Hackett who went in to pinch run for Tausaga who earlier hit a single to right. The score after five innings was 6-0.

The sixth and final inning saw three more Hawaii runs cross the plate. Tausaga hit a looping three-run double to right between the left and centerfielders. Scoring on the hit was Tara Harbert, Uchima, and Gould. Due to the eight-run mercy rule, the game ended at the end of the sixth inning.

For the game, Uchima went 3-4 with three runs scored; Gould was 2-3, scoring three runs and knocking in one RBI; Tausaga was 4-4 with a double and a career-high five RBI; and Ruff was 1-3 with a home run, a run scored, and two RBI.

In six innings of work, Coogan gave up only two hits with two walks and five strike outs.

The Rainbow Wahine will take on the Miners again tomorrow afternoon in a doubleheader starting at 1:00 pm. It will mark the final two games Hawaii will face UTEP as WAC opponents, as the Miners are to join Conference USA in the fall.

Box Score

* Because the Helen of Troy Softball Complex is not quite finished yet, there is no internet connection at the field's press box. So the "Live Stats" that usually run on our webpage will not be active for the UTEP series.