EL PASO, Texas - The Rainbow Wahine softball team (25-20, 6-5 WAC) defeated UTEP (17-27, 3-5 WAC) in six innings, 8-0. Shannon Tabion (8-4, 2-1 WAC) picked up her second shut-out on this road trip. She threw the complete game, scattering four hits, walking only one, and striking out four. Kandice Henry (0-1, 0-1 WAC) got the loss for UTEP. Hawai`i was led by Denise Dahlberg who went 4-4 with a triple, three runs scored, and had three RBI on the game.

Hawai`i got on the scoreboard first, scoring a single run in the first inning. Tracie Uchima led off the game with a single to rightfield. Denise Dahlberg followed with a bunt single, moving Uchima to second. Kaulana Gould then came up and hit a ground ball, fielder's choice in which the UTEP shortstop cut down the lead runner, Uchima at third. A ground-out to the pitcher by Tyleen Tausaga moved both Dahlberg and Gould into scoring position. Ashley Ruff then hit a single to the right side of the inflield to score Dahlberg for the first run of the game.

In the second inning UH added two more runs, Noelle Izumi started the inning off with a single to the second baseman. Kristi Yoshizawa moved to second on a sacrifice bunt to the third. Izumi stole third, and two batters later, Uchima drew a walk. With runners at first-and-third and two outs, Uchima stole second. Dahlberg then reached on an infield single, allowing Izumi to score. On the play, the throw by the shortstop went wide of first, which scored Uchima and moved Dahlberg to second. Gould then stepped to the plate and smacked a triple to left-centerfield, scoring Dahlberg from second.

The Rainbow Wahine extended their lead in the fourth, when Dahlberg hit a triple to the rightfield fence, driving in Harbert and Uchima. Gould followed with a sacrifice fly to centerfield to plate Dahlberg.

In the top of the sixth, Gould reached on a fielder's choice, and eventually scored on a Kate Robinson sacrifice fly to right field to secure the mercy-rule win in six.

On offense, the Rainbow Wahine were led by Dahlberg; Gould who had a triple, a run scored, and two RBI; Ruff who went 2-3 with an RBI; Izumi who was 2-3 with a run scored, and Uchima was 1-3 but scored twice.

Hawai`i will now take on the Miners in the final game of the three-game series in the second half of today's doubleheader.

Game statistics