Box Score

Las Vegas, Nev. - The Rainbow Wahine softball team bounced back to defeat Central Michigan, 3-2. Hawai`i was down 2-1 early, but came back and scored single runs in the fourth and fifth innings to get the win. Justine Smethurst threw a complete game and improved her record to 4-1 on the season. She gave up two runs on five hits, two walks and five strike outs.

Brandi Peiler hit her second home run as a Rainbow Wahine in the bottom of the first to give Hawai`i an early 1-0 lead. But the Chippewas (0-3) responded in the top of the second. The second batter in the inning, Brittany Decker walked and then moved to second on a double to left-centerfield Chivon Kloepfer. Both scored on a sacrifice fly to rightfield, with Kloepfer hustling around third to beat the tag.

With the Chippewas up 2-1, UH had runners on in every inning. In the third, Hawai`i loaded the bases with one out. Tyleen Tausaga hit a line shot right at the shortstop who flipped the ball to third to double off the runner. In the fourth though, the Rainbow Wahine tied the game. Again, they were able to load the bases.This time they were able to get one run out of it with Malamaisaua Manuma coming home off a sacrifice fly to leftfield by Kristi Yoshizawa.

With two outs in the fifth, the Chippewas walked Tausaga. Richie Anne Titcomb came in to pinch run, Malama Manuma then hit a shallow fly ball to right center that scored Titcomb who raced all the way from first to score what proved to be the winning run.

Peiler went 3-3 with a home run to lead UH. Kloepfer of Central Michigan was 2-3 with a double and a run scored.

Hawai`i will play No.4 Tennessee tomorrow at 3:45 (schedule changed from 9:00 a.m.).

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