Box Score

RUSTON, La. - The Rainbow Wahine (15-13, 1-0 WAC) opened their WAC season with a 7-1 victory over Louisiana Tech (7-15, 0-1). Pitcher Justine Smethurst (7-7) threw a complete game, holding the Lady Techsters to one run on six hits with two walks and seven strike outs. Valana Manuma led the Hawai`i offense, going 4-4 with her first home run of the season.

Hawai`i was held scoreless in the first inning, but in the second, UH got back-to-back home runs to get an early 2-0 lead. Centerfielder Kaulana Gould led the inning off with her first home run of the season. The high fly ball was hit over the rightfield fence just inside the foul pole for the first run of the game. The next batter, catcher Kristi Yoshizawa, hit her first career home run. The solo shot was hit to the opposite field, over the left-center fence.

UH added a run in the third when Tanisha Milca started a two-out rally with a single to left. Gould followed with a line-drive double that went of the glove of a diving centerfielder to score Milca all the way from first to make the score 3-0.

Hawai`i tacked on another run in the fourth. Designated player Audrey Andrade hit a line-drive single right up the middle. Second baseman Richie-Anne Titcomb laid down a bunt that the Lady Techster third baseman fielded cleanly, but misfired on the throw, thus putting runners on first and second with no outs. Manuma then hit a sharp single to score pinch runner Twylla Vennum from second. The Rainbow Wahine proceeded to load the bases, but Louisiana Tech got a double play when Tyleen Tausaga hit a fly ball to left. Manuma tagged on the play to come home, but was cut down at the plate by a good throw from the Louisiana Tech leftfielder. At the end of four-and-a-half innings, UH was up 5-0.

Louisiana Tech answered in the bottom of the inning, posting their first run of the game, cutting the Hawai`i lead to 5-1. Christine Echols got a one out single to left She moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Sandy Carroll. On the play though, Tausaga threw the ball wide to covering second baseman, Titcomb. That put runners on first and second with one out. The next batter, Jessica Elson hit a single to center, to score Echols from second.

Manuma hit her home run in the top of the sixth, extending the Hawai`i lead to 7-1.

In the win, Smethurst threw 6.0 innings, giving up one un-earned run on five hits with two walks and seven strike outs.

A trio of pitchers threw for Louisiana Tech. Kristin Rupp (0-2) got the start and the loss, throwing 3.0 innings, giving up four runs on eight hits, with no walks and one strike out. Avery came in relief in the fourth. She threw 1.1 innings while giving up two runs on three hits with a walk and a strike out, and Aycock closed the game, throwing 2.2 innings with one run on three hits with a strike out.

For Hawai`i, the team ammassed 14 hits, including two doubles and three home runs. Manuma led all hitters, going 4-4 with a home run and two RBI. Milca was 2-4 with two runs scored, and a double. Gould went 2-4 with a double and a home run with two RBI. Yoshizawa was 3-4 with two runs scored, two RBI, and a home run.

Louisiana Tech was led by Regan Clark who was 2-3 with two doubles. Echols was 2-2 with a double. Elson was 2-3 with a double.

Hawai`i faces the Lady Techsters in game two of today's double header in approximately 20 minutes at the Lady Techster Softball Complex.

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