Box Score

HONOLULU - The No. 16 Hawai`i softball team (41-8, 12-1 WAC) cranked six home runs and 17 hits en route to a 18-2 win over No. 25 Fresno State. Senior Tyleen Tausaga went 3-for-3 with two home runs, four runs, and five RBI to lead UH. Her five RBI set a new UH record for career RBI with 151. On the mound, junior Kate Robinson allowed two runs on four hits with a walk and four strike outs in front of the largest crowd of the season, 1,010.

The Rainbow Wahine began the game red-hot, bringing twelve batters to the plate. Fresno State pitcher Robin Mackin struck out the first batter of the game, but then UH went on a roll. Clare Warwick started the rally with a single up the middle. Kaulana Gould followed with a single. Tausaga was then hit by a pitch to load the bases. Robinson then came through with a single that drove in both Warwick and a racing Gould from second. Then Brandi Peiler stepped to the plate and promptly smacked a three-run home run to right-centerfield. Valana Manuma kept the rally going with a single to left which was followed by the inning's second home run. This time it was Alana Power who drove the pitch over the left-centerfield fence. Mackin then got the second out on another strike out, but Warwick then got her second hit of the inning with two outs, and Mackin was lifted for relief-pitcher Merryann Barr who proceeded to get the final out of the inning on a ground-out to short. At the end of one complete inning, the `Bows were up 7-0.

In the second inning, UH erupted for eight more runs. Tausaga started things with a single to rightfield. Robinson then drove a high fly ball over the leftfield fence for a two-run shot. Peiler and Manuma then got back-to-back singles to put runners at first and second. Power hit into a fielder's choice, and Fresno State got the first out by cutting down pinch runner Kanani Warren at third. Next, catcher Katie Grimes got her first home run of the season on a line drive to straight-away center. She drove in three runs. Tanisha Milca reached on an throwing error and then was forced out at second on a fielder's choice hit to short by Warwick. Then Gould hit a looping single to left with two outs that allowed Warwick to hustle to cross the plate. Tausaga then crushed a two-run home run, the third of the inning, to center field to push UH's lead to 15-0.

The Bulldogs got on the scoreboard in the top of the fourth, Barr led the inning off with a walk then Nichole Willis was hit by a pitch to put runners at first and second. UH's Robinson then got two quick outs, but Shannon Garvin then hit a two-out, two-run double to the right-centerfield gap to score both runners from second and third respectively.

UH was retired in order in the third. But in the bottom of the fourth, on a two out rally, UH struck again. Warwick and Gould both reached on opposite field singles. Then Tausaga came to plate and drove a line shot over the rightfield fence for her second home run of the game. It is the second time in Tausaga's career that she has hit two homers in one game. The last time was in 2006 against Mississippi Valley State (3/5/06)

Robinson is now 13-0 on the season and 6-0 in conference play.

Hawai`i and Fresno State will square off again tomorrow in a double header starting at 2:00 p.m. It will be the final home games for two Hawai`i seniors, Alana Power and Tyleen Tausaga.

Leading Hitters
Fresno State
Garvin: 1-for-2, double, two RBI

Hawai`i
Warwick: 3-for-3, three runs scored
Gould: 3-for-4, three runs, one RBI
Tausaga: 3-for-3, two home runs, five RBI, four runs
Robinson: 2-for-4, home run, four RBI, two runs
Peiler: 2-for-3, home run, three RBI
Power: 1-for-3, home run, two runs, two RBI
Grimes: 1-for-3, home run, three RBI

-UH-