Box Score

Las Vegas, Nev. - Southern Utah held off the Hawai`i, 5-4 to pick up its first win on the season. The Thunderbirds' (1-5) Corie Jensen got the win with Ashley Christiansen picking up the save. For the Rainbow Wahine (4-3) Justine Smethurst took the loss, dropping her record to 2-1 on the season. She threw 7.0 innings giving up five runs on six hits with five walks while striking out nine.

The Thunderbirds scored their first three runs with two outs in the top of the first inning. Smethurst struck out the lead off batter. But the second batter, Erin Neiderhauser reached on a single to center. A pair of walks to Tiffany Burt and Jentry Johnson loaded the bases for Kortney Hall who then hit a double to drive in two runs. The next batter, Ashley Christiansen then came up with a timely hit to right to drive in Johnson for the third run.

The Rainbow Wahine got a run back in the bottom of the inning. Valana Manuma hit a single to leftfield, moved to second on a wild pitch, and scored on a base hit to centerfield by Kaulana Gould.

Both pitchers then buckled down, holding the opposing teams scoreless for the next five innings. But in seventh, both teams put runs on the scoreboard. In the top of the seveth, leadoff batter Neiderhauser, reached on a error by the shortstop. The next batter, Marci Pratt hit a flair to shallow right, but second baseman Richie Ann Titcomb couldn't come up with it. A ground ball to Tausaga at first moved both runners into scoring position. Then on a wild pitch that careened off the backstop, both runners crossed the plate, extending Southern Utah's lead to 5-1.

Hawai`i, however, battled back in the bottom of the seventh. Valana Manuma was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning. Gould followed with a single to rightfield. With two runners on, Tausaga ripped a shot that was about two feet from leaving the park to straightaway center. She ended up with a two-run double. She then moved to third on a ground out to the pitcher by Audrey Andrade and scored on a wild pitch to make the score 5-4. But Southern Utah's defense stiffened to get the final two outs to preserve the victory.

For Hawai`i, Tausaga led the offense, going 2-4 with a double, a run scored, and two RBI; Valana Manuma was 1-1 with two runs; Gould was 2-4 with a run and an RBI; and Brandi Peiler was 2-4.

SUU was led by Christiansen who was 2-4 with a double and an RBI; Hall was 2-4 with two RBI; and Neiderhauser scored two runs while going 1-4 on the day.

UH will now face SUU in the second game of a double header.

 

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