Box Score

HONOLULU - After two days of waiting out heavy rains and soggy field conditions, the Rainbow Wahine (20-13, 4-0 WAC) shut down San Jose State (13-18, 2-2 WAC), 2-0 in the first game of today's WAC home opening doubleheader. Justine Smethurst (10-7, 3-0 WAC) fired a complete game shut out, allowing only two hits with two walks and 11 strike outs. Brandi Peiler hit a clutch two-out, two-run single to break a scoreless game in the bottom of the fifth.

SJSU's Courtney Lewis stymied Hawai`i through the first three innings. In the fourth, UH had their first real scoring opportunity by loading the bases with one out. But Lewis squirmed out of it when Spartan first baseman Carlie Hill snagged a line shot hit wide of first by Kristi Yoshizawa. Hill then hustled back to first to double off the runner for the inning ending, unassisted double play.

In the bottom of the fifth, the Rainbow Wahine broke the scoreless game open with a pair of runs. Designated player Audrey Andrade led the inning off with a line drive double to the left-centerfield gap. Twylla Vennum was inserted as a pinch runner at second. Two batters later, Valana Manuma hit a ground ball to the hole. The Spartan shortstop tried to pick off Vennum who had strayed off the bag at second, but the tag was late, which left runners on first and second. A wild pitch pushed both runners into scoring position. After a pop-up to the pitcher, Peiler stepped up to bat with two outs. She proceeded to hit what proved to be the game-winning single to leftfield, scoring both Vennum and Manuma.

That was all the runs Smethurst needed to pick up her third straight win. In the loss, Lewis also threw a compelte game, giving up the two runs on five hits with four walks and four strike outs.

Leading Hitters
Tanisha Milca: 2-2
Tyleen Tausaga: double
Andrade: double

The same two teams face off for the second game of the double-dip in approximately 20 minutes.

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