Box Score

HONOLULU - In Hawai`i's opening game of the Hawaiian Airlines Spring Fling Tournament, junior outfielder Brandi Peiler hit a grand slam and a solo home run to help UH (18-5) defeat a scrappy UOP squad, 8-6. Tanisha Milca also hit a homer in the game. Pitcher Kate Robinson got the win with a complete game, giving up six runs on nine hits with a walk and six strike outs.

For the second game in a row, the Rainbow Wahine started the game with a bang. Both Tanisha Milca and Clare Warwick walked to start the first. Kaulana Gould then drilled a line shot right to the rightfielder, but it went in and out of her glove for an error to load the bases. Tyleen Tausaga then hit a sacrifice fly to left to score Milca from third. Next, Kate Robinson hit a single to left to load the bases again. Then Brandi Peiler stepped to the plate and hit a high fly ball over the right centerfield fence for her second grand slam of the season. That put UH up 5-0 after one complete inning.

The Rainbow Wahine loaded the bases again the the bottom of the second with one out, but were unable to capitalize.

Then UOP mounted a rally of their own in the top of the third. After a strike out, Kellee Wilson hit a double over UH leftfielder, Peiler. Robinson then got her second K of the inning. Then walked Gina Carbonatto and then gave up an infield single that was stopped by a diving Alana Power to load the bases. Jen Curtier then ripped a bases clearing double to the left-centerfield gap to cut UH's lead to 5-3.

Hawai`i got two runs back in the bottom half of the inning when Milca hit a two-run home run which drove in Audrey Andrade who reached after she got beaned by a pitch. For Milca, it was her fifth homer of the season. UH then loaded the bases for the third time, but left them stranded after Pacific pitcher Alyce Jorgensen got the final two outs of the inning.

The Rainbow Wahine threatened again in the bottom of the fourth. They loaded the bases with less than two outs, but once again, Jorgensen escaped unscathed with no damage done.

The Tigers (11-5) then answered in the top of the fifth. They led the inning off with a pair of singles. Both scored later in the inning on an RBI single by Curtier and a ground out to short.

In the bottom of the fifth, Hawai`i got a run back when Peiler hit her second home run of the game to give the home team a three run lead going into the sixth, 8-5

Pacific added another run in the top of the seventh to make the final score 8-6 in favor of the Rainbow Wahine.

For Hawai`i, Peiler finished the game going 2-for-4 with two home runs and five RBI. Milca went 2-for-4 with a home run, two runs, and two RBI. Warwick went 4-for-4 with a walk and a run scored, and Valana Manuma went 2-3.

UOP's Briana Santos got the start on the mound, but she lasted only 0.1 innings, giving up five runs on three hits with two walks. Alyce Jorgensen came in relief and threw the final 5.2 innings, giving up three runs on 12 hits with three walks and two strike outs.

Hawai`i will now play Liberty for the final game of the night.

-UH-