Box Score

HONOLULU - The Rainbow Wahine softball team (23-5) won the Hawaiian Airlines Spring Fling Tournament by defeating No.14 Oregon State, 4-2. Clare Warwick and Tyleen Tausaga both hit home runs in the top of the fifth to lead UH past the Beavers (15-9) at the Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium.

The Beavers threatened to score early in the game. In the bottom of the first, OSU started a two-out rally to load the bases with three consecutive singles by Cambria Miranda, Brianne McGown, and Sherina Galvan. But UH pitcher Justine Smethurst got the third out on a ground ball, fielder's choice from short to second to end the rally.

The Rainbow Wahine got on the scoreboard first, posting one run in the top of the third. Stacey Yamada led the inning off with a walk. She moved to second on a sacrifice bunt executed by Tanisha Milca. Yamada tagged up and moved to third on a fly ball to center by Warwick. Then Kaulana Gould got a hit up the middle to score Yamada for the game's first run.

In the bottom of the fourth, OSU tied the score 1-1. Alana Ford reached on a walk and stole second. Then with two outs, Paige Lowe hit a looping single that fell in between center and rightfield. Ford, who was running on two outs, sprinted all the way home to knot the game up after four complete innings.

Hawai`i battled back in the top of the fifth, hitting two home runs with two outs. First, Warwick launched a high home run deep to straight-away center. Gould then ripped a single to rightfield. Then tournament co-MVP, Tyleen Tausaga cranked a home run to deep rightfield, catapulting UH back into the lead, 4-1.

The Beavers responded quickly, cutting the lead to 4-2 in the bottom half of the fifth. With one out, Brianne McGowan got her second hit of the game with a single up the middle. Kellie Roberts entered the game to pinch run for McGowan. Sherina Galvan then hit a single up the middle and DeAnn Young was hit-by-the-pitch to load the bases. Ford then hit a ground ball to the right side of the infield to score Roberts from third. The Bows got the out at first on the play to get two outs. Then Smethurst got the final out on a ground out to Manuma at short who finished the play at first.

Smethurst retired the last eight of nine batters she faced for a strong finish. She picked up her third win in the tournament, and fourth win of the week. She improved to 10-3 on the season. Smethurst threw 7.0 innings giving up two runs on nine hits with a walk and a strike out.

Hawai`i will next play in the Bank of Hawaii Invitational which runs from Mar. 14-17 and features No.16 Baylor, No.23 California, Liberty, Nevada, and Arkansas Pine-Bluff.

All Tournament Team

Jennifer Curtier, INF, Pacific
Tarah Black, INF, Oregon State
Dawn Jeffs, INF, Liberty
Clare Warwick, INF, Hawai`i
Page Lowe, INF, Oregon State
Gina Carbonatto, OF, Pacific
Natalie Johnson, OF, Oregon State
Britney Thompson, OF/P, Boston College
Kate Robinson, UTL, Hawai`i

Co-Most Valuable Players:
Justine Smethurst, P, Hawai`i
Tyleen Tausaga, DP, Hawai`i

-UH-