Box Score

HONOLULU - No. 25 Fresno State bounced back after losing last night's series opener, to defeat the No. 16 University of Hawai`i softball team, 6-2 at the Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium. The Bulldogs' Nichole Willis and Jenna Cervantez both hit home runs and pitcher Robin Mackin got the win in a complete game effort. The 'Bows fall to 41-9 overall and 12-2 in conference.

The Bulldogs scored a pair of runs in the third off a two-run single smacked up the middle by Kristin Sylvester. They added a single run to go up 3-0 in the sixth when Willis hit her fifth home run of the year. Then in the top of the seventh they extended their lead further when Cervantez hit a three-run home run over the leftfield fence to go up 6-0.

But Hawai`i would go down fighting. Freshman Kathryn Grimes started things off with a single to left with one out. Then, with two outs, Clare Warwick hit a ground ball to second, but the second baseman didn't come up with it and that left two runners in scoring position. Next, junior Kaulana Gould stepped to the plate and ripped an opposite field single down the leftfield line to drive in both pinch runner Julie Franklin and Warwick who were running on two outs. But Mackin settled down and got the final out on a foul pop fly to first base.

Mackin stifled the Rainbow Wahine with her mix of pitches. She took a no-hitter into the sixth inning before Tyleen Tausaga broke it up with by legging out a single to short. Mackin (27-9, 7-1 WAC) fired 7.0 innings, giving up two runs on three hits with four walks and nine strikeouts.

The `Bows Justine Smethurst fell to 15-7 on the year. She gave up three runs on four hits with two walks and seven strike outs. Reliever Jessica Morton threw the final 1.1 innings, giving up three runs on three hits with one strike out.

The two teams will face off in the rubber game of the series in the second game of today's double header. It will be the final home game for two UH seniors, Alana Power and Tausaga.

-UH-