Box Score

LAS VEGAS - The Rainbow Wahine softball team stunned Mississippi State today in a 3-2 win at the Louisville-Slugger Desert Classic in Las Vegas. Hawaii had a runner on first with two outs in the bottom of the seventh when junior shortstop Valana Manuma stepped to the plate and crushed a 2-1 pitch over the leftfield fence to win the game in dramatic fashion.

It was Manuma's second game winning hit of the season. Against then No.15 Nebraska, she cranked a two-run triple in the bottom of the sixth inning to lift UH over the Huskers, 4-3. It was UH's fourth late inning comeback victory so far this year.

The Rainbow Wahine scored first, posting a single run in the bottom of the second. Tyleen Tausaga led the inning off by getting hit by a pitch on a 3-0 count. Brandi Peiler then hit a chopper to second to move pinch runner Traci Yoshikawa into scoring position. Two batters later, Kate Robinson hit a double down the leftfield line to score Yoshikawa. At the end of two, UH was up 1-0.

Mississippi State came back to take the lead in the top of the fifth. Blair Hewett led off with a double to the right-centerfield gap. She moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Hayle Guess. Then Michelle Kinney hit a double to left center to score Hewett from third. Hawai`i's Jessica Morton then entered the game for Robinson on the mound. Chelsea Bramlet then hit a single to put runners at the corners. Nakita Boyce then followed with another single to score Kinney from third for the go ahead run.

Hawai`i had multiple opportunities to score. In the third and fifth innings, UH had bases loaded with one out, but were unable to capatalize. Overall, Hawai`i left 10 runners on base.

But in the bottom of the seventh, MSU pitcher Hickerson got the first batter to strike out, then Tausaga reached on a throwing error by the second baseman off a ground ball. Hickerson then got another strike out. Manuma then hit her walk off home run.

Robinson got the start on the mound for Hawai`i. She kept the Bulldogs off-balance through the first four innings, but got into trouble in the top of the fifth. Robinson threw 4.1 innings, giving up two runs on six hits with four strike outs and no walks. Morton picked up her third win of the season, all in relief. She threw the final 2.2 innings, giving no runs on two hits with two strike outs.

For Mississippi State, Kelli Miller threw 5.0 innings, giving up one run on six hits with a walk and a strike out. Sara Hickerson took the loss in relief, throwing the final 1.2 innings. She gave up two runs on two hits with a walk and two strike outs.

It was the first time Hawai`i has played the Bulldogs in the program history.

Hawai`i will take on Cal State Northridge and Utah tomorrow at 11:30 and 3:30 pm.

Leading Hitters:
Mississippi State
Bramlett: 2-3
Hewett: 2-3, double, run scored
Kinney: double, RBI

Hawai`i
Warwick: 2-4
Manuma: 2-4, home run, 2 RBI Robinson: 2-3, double, RBI

-UH-