Box Score

HONOLULU - In Hawai`i's opening game of the Bank of Hawaii Invitational, Liberty stunned the host team with a 4-3 come-from-behind victory. In the loss, sophomore right fielder Tanisha Milca led the game off with a home run which tied the school's record for most home runs in a season at 42. Justine Smethurst (9-4) took the loss, giving up four runs on five hits in 5.1 innings pitched.

The No.23 Rainbow Wahine (23-6) jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead in the top of the first. Milca's home run was the third lead-off homer of the year for her. It was a line drive that barely cleared the left-centerfield fence. Sophomore third baseman Clare Warwick then hit a double to the right-centerfield gap. Next, junior centerfielder Kaulana Gould hit a single up the middle to score Warwick, who hustled home from second and dove head first for UH's second run. Gould moved to second on the throw home and advanced to third on a ground ball to the right side of the infield. Kate Robinson then smacked another single up the middle to score Gould from third to put UH up 3-0.

Liberty chipped away at the Hawai`i lead, scoring one run in the fourth. Jessica Moore led the inning off with a single down the rightfield line. After a fly out and a strike out, the Lady Flames kept the rally going with two outs. A fielding error by the second baseman put runners at the corners for Shannon McKain who got a hit to left, driving in Moore from third, cutting the UH lead to 3-1 after four complete innings.

The Lady Flames mounted furious rally in the bottom of the sixth. Jessica battled for a lead off walk. Ashley Williams hit into a fielder's choice to get the lead runner. . Beth Bennet then hit a single to left to put two runners on. Next, Sarah Swor walked to load the bases. McKain then came though in the clutch again, with a bloop single to right to score Williams. Then Smethurst walked in a run to tie the score. Jessica Morton then entered the game and gave up a sacrifice fly to left off the bat of Beth Hensley for the what proved to be the winning run.

Liberty's Terra Lowe picked up the win in relief, throwing the final 2.0 innings. She gave up one hit, walked one, and struck out two. Sarah Ellis started the game for the Lady Flames, throwing through the first 5.0 innings, giving up three runs on nine hits with three walks and no strike outs.

Hawai`i will now take on No.25 California in the final game of Day 1 of the Bank of Hawaii Invitational.

-UH-