Box Score

FRESNO, Calif. - No. 23 Fresno State (31-13, 9-1 WAC) came back from a 0-2 deficit to defeat the Rainbow Wahine, 5-2 at Bulldog Diamond in front of a crowd of 1,747. The Bulldogs scored four runs in the bottom of the fifth to forge a three run lead with only two innings to play. With the series sweep, FSU solidified first place in the WAC, with UH (23-17, 7-4 WAC) falling to second.

The Rainbow Wahine started the game by notching a run in the top of the first inning. Valana Manuma led the game off with a single up the middle. She moved into scoring position on a passed ball. After a pop-out to the second baseman, Brandi Peiler hit a grounder to the pitcher that moved Manuma to third. With two outs, Tanisha Milca then stepped to the plate and hit a chopper that went over the third baseman into leftfield, scoring Manuma easily from third. With that run, the Rainbow Wahine had their first lead in the series, 1-0.

In the top of the fourth, with two outs, UH pitcher Robinson helped herself out by crushing high fly that landed in the fourth row of the right-centerfield bleachers for Hawai`i's second run of the game.

Fresno State came right back in the bottom of the fourth to cut the lead in half. Clean-up hitter Kristin Sylvester hit a triple over the rightfielder to lead the inning off. Two batters later, Sylvester scored on a single past a diving Alana Power by Ashley White. But Robinson got out of the inning with a fly out to center and a strike out swinging to end the inning, with Hawai`i still clinging to a 2-1 lead.

In the bottom of the fifth though, Fresno State exploded, posting four runs. Shannon Garvin led the inning of with a sharp single to left. Then Christina Clark smashed a line-shot over the centerfield fence for a two-run home run. The homer was the 60th of Clark's career. The next batter, Haley Perkins hit a triple to the fence down the rightfield line. Paula Blanning then entered the game for Robinson. Blanning got the first batter to ground out to Tausaga at first, holding the runner at third. But the next batter, Sylvester hit a grounder to Manuma at short. Manuma's throw to the plate was wide, and Perkins scored from third. Nichole Willis then hit a single to third, and the following batter hit the third infield hit off Blanning to second. With the bases loaded and one out, Amanda Nesbitt hit a single to right. On the play, the run scored, but Milca, Hawai`i's rightfielder was able to get Nesbitt out at first for the second out of the inning. Blanning then got the last batter to ground out to third for the last out. But the damage had been done, and FSU's rally catpulted them from being down 1-2, to being up 5-2.

Hawai`i tried to mount rallies in the sixth and seventh innings, but came up short.

For Hawai`i, Robinson took the loss. She threw 4.0 innings and gave up four runs on seven hits with a walk and four strike outs. Blanning then came in relief and threw 1.0 innings, giving up one run on two hits, and Jessica Morton closed the game, pitching the final inning. She did not allow a run or a hit, but walked one.

The Bulldogs' Nessbit got the win, throwing 5.0 innings. She gave up two runs on seven hits with three walks and three strike outs. Barr got the save, throwing 2.0 innings, giving up only one hit with a walk and two strike outs.

The game was a milestone for Fresno State's Margie Wright, who got her 1,200th career win with the Bulldog victory.

Leading Hitters
Hawai`i
Tausaga: 2-3
Robinson: 1-2, home run

Fresno State
Clark: 2-3, one run, two RBI, home run
Perkins: 1-3, one run, triple
Sylvester: 1-4, one run, triple
Willis: 2-3, double
White: 2-3, two RBI

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