HONOLULU - The UH softball team (29-20, 10-5 WAC) swept Louisiana Tech (18-38, 2-7 WAC) in the series finale, 6-3 at the RWSS. It is the third series sweep in a row for Hawai`i after beating both Tulsa and UTEP on the road. Kate Robinson shut down the Lady Techsters in relief for the win. She threw 4.2 innings and gave up no runs, no walks and struck out six in the victory. Leslie Aycock took the loss. In six innings, she gave up six runs on 13 hits with one walk and three strike outs.

Once again, the Rainbow Wahine came out firing, scoring two runs in the first inning. Kaulana Gould reached on a single to left, and was followed by Tyleen Tausaga who had a hit up the middle. With runners on first-and-third, Tausaga stole second and drew the throw to allow Gould to score from third. Ashley Ruff then got the third straight hit of the inning to score Tausaga after she had advanced to third on an illegal pitch called on the La Tech hurler.

With the score already 2-0, Hawai`i added two more runs in the bottom of the second. Kristi Yoshizawa smacked a stand-up double down to the rightfield corner. Tara Harbert followed with a single to the pitcher, but her throw was wild and Yoshizawa crossed the plate. Later, Gould picked up her second hit of the game to drive in Harbert from third. Score at the end of two had Hawai`i up 4-0.

After retiring the first seven La Tech batters in a row, starter Melissa Coogan gave up three consecutive singles. Amber Miles drove Sandy Carroll home for their first run of the game. The next two runs came off of wild pitches by Coogan. Robinson then entered the game in relief. She gave up a bunt single, and then another single to left, but then got an unconventional double-play with Tausaga getting a ground out at first and throwing to Ruff at second to apply the tag for the third out.

Robinson then settled down and shut the door on the Lady Techsters who only managed to get one ball out of the infield after the third inning. In the fourth, she struck out the side, two looking and one swinging. In the fifth she got three quick ground outs to end the inning. In the sixth, Robinson retired her seventh batter in a row before giving up a single to center. After a ground out to first, she got the La Tech clean-up hitter to ground out to second and struck out Brittany Welch for the last out of the inning. She closed the game with two more strike outs and a ground out to short.

The score remained 4-3 in favor of Hawai`i until the bottom of the sixth. Yoshizawa hit her second double of the game, then moved to third on a passed ball. Louise Harriden entered as a pinch hitter and responded by hitting a single up the middle to score Yoshizawa from third. Harbert reentered as the base runner and stole second. Tracie Uchima picked up her second hit of the day with a single to center that moved Harbert to third. Then Dahlberg hit a ground ball fielder's choice to short to score Harbert for the final run of the game, and giving Robinson a three run cushion going into the final frame.

Hawaii was led by Yoshizawa who was 2-3 with a run scored. Both hits were doubles. Ruff was 3-3 with a double and an RBI. Gould was 2-3 with a run scored and an RBI; Uchima went 2-3; and Harbert scored two runs.

The Rainbow Wahine now have a week off before they play their final regular season series against a tough San Jose State team with a single game on Friday, May 6 and a doubleheader on May 7. Saturday will also be Senior Day for five four-year players, Melissa Coogan, Denise Dahlberg, Noelle Izumi, Shannon Tabion, and Tracie Uchima.

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