Box Score
HONOLULU - The Nittany Lions' Missy Beseres threw a three-hit complete game shutout over Hawai`i (9-8). She walked four and struck out four en route to earning the victory.
Penn State's (8-3) offense proved to be too much to overcome. For the game, they tallied twelve hits off UH pitching, including a hard line shot that went over the centerfield fence off the bat of Ashley Esparza to lead the second inning off. In the third, Esparza struck again with an RBI single to right centerfield that socred Meghan Wolfer from third. Two errors by UH, added to two consecutive hits to the outfield in the fifth aided the Nittany Lions in scoring two runs, extending their lead to 4-0. In the seventh, PSU finished their scoring with a single run when Jen Acunto crossed the plate off an hit and a fielding error to leftfield by Esparza.
Hawai`i could only muster three hits, but had runners on base in four of the seven innings. Their best scoring opportunities came in the second and third innings. In the second, Tyleen Tausaga led the inning off with a single up the middle. She was pushed to second on a sacrifice bunt executed by Brandi Peiler. Valana Manuma then hit a looping liner to right, which just got under the glove of a sliding PSU rightfielder for a double. Tausaga who had to hold at second in case of the catch could only advance to third. But Beseres was able to enduce the next two UH batters into ground outs to third and short.
In the third, Richie Ann Titcomb led the inning off with a hard hit grounder that went off the glove of the third baseman, Destinie Chavez, for an infield single. Next, Tanisha Milca drew a walk to put runners at first and second with no outs. Beseres struck out the next batter, but Kaulana Gould was able to hit behind the runners for a ground out to second that moved both runners into scoring position. But Beseres dug deep and struck out the next batter to end the inning.
A pair of Hawai`i pitchers threw tonight. Jessica Morton got the start. She threw 5.0 innings giving up four runs on nine hits while walking one and striking out five. Paula Blanning came in relief and threw 2.0 innings yielding one unearned run on three hits with no walks and two strike outs.
-uh-
Next, the Rainbow Wahine enter play in the 2006 Hawaiian Airlines Spring Fling Tournament, featuring Penn State, Detroit-Mercy, Longwood, UC Santa Barbara, and UNLV.
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 8, 2006
10:00 a.m. Detroit-Mercy vs. UC Santa Barbara
12:00 p.m. Penn State vs. UC Santa Barbara
2:00 p.m. Penn State vs. Detroit-Mercy
4:00 p.m. UNLV vs. Longwood
6:00 p.m. Hawai`i vs. Longwood
THURSDAY, MARCH 9, 2006
10:00 a.m. Penn State vs. UNLV
12:00 p.m. Penn State vs. Longwood
2:00 p.m. UNLV vs. UC Santa Barbara
5:00 p.m. Hawai`i vs. UC Santa Barbara
7:00 p.m. Hawai`i vs. Detroit-Mercy
FRIDAY, MARCH 10, 2006
10:00 a.m. UC Santa Barbara vs. Longwood
12:00 p.m. Detroit-Mercy vs. Longwood
2:00 p.m. Detroit-Mercy vs. UNLV
4:00 p.m. Hawai`i vs. UNLV
6:00 p.m. Hawai`i vs. Penn State
SATURDAY, MARCH 5, 2006:
9:00 a.m. Bracket Game #1: Seed #5 vs. Seed #2
11:00 a.m. Bracket Game #2: Seed #3 vs. Seed #4
1:00 p.m. Bracket Game #3: Seed #1 vs. Winner Game #1
3:00 p.m. Bracket Game #4: Seed #2 vs. Winner Game #2
5:00 p.m. CHAMPIONSHIP GAME: Winner Game #3 vs. Winner Game #4
