Box Score

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - The University of Hawai`i softball team's record breaking season came to an end today with a 7-1 loss to No. 1 Tennessee in the Knoxville Super Regional. Hawai`i (50-13, 16-2 WAC) had a 1-0 lead off of Brandi Peiler's home run, but the Lady Vols proved to be too much, scoring three runs in the fourth and four in the fifth to pull away, while UT's ace, Monica Abbott, held UH off the scoreboard for the final five innings.

The No. 12 Rainbow Wahine took the early lead after Peiler crushed a pitch over the centerfield fence to put UH up 1-0.

Hawai`i starter, Courtney Baughman shut down the Lady Vols' offense in the beginning and did not give up a hit through the first three innings, but in the fourth UT erupted for three runs. Lillian Hammond started things off by just beating out a throw off a shallow grounder to short. Tiffany Huff then laid down a sacrifice bunt to push Hammond to second. Tonya Callahan then smacked a base hit up the middle to score a sprinting Hammond from second. A fly ball to left was caught for the second out of the inning, but Alexia Clay followed with a single to left to put runners at first and second. Then, with two outs, Erin Webb hit a double off the leftfield fence, driving in both Callahan and Clay. Kate Robinson then entered as a reliever and got the final out on a strike out looking.

Tennessee then pulled away in the fifth. Robinson got the first out on a batter's interference call when Posey bunted a ball and it hit her out of the box. Lindsay Schutzler then reached on a bunt base hit up the first base line. Nicole Kajitani followed with a bounding ball up the middle. Huff then hit a double to the right-centerfield gap to drive in Schutzler. Callahan then hit another up the middle to score both Kajitani and Huff. Tennessee finished their scoring spree on an RBI single to right off the bat of Clay to score Callahan, pushing UT's lead to 7-1.

The Rainbow Wahine finish their season with their best winning percentage and best conference record in school history. Hawai`i hit the 50-win mark for only the second time in school history. It is the first time in UH's history that a team was able to advance to the Super Regionals. The 'Bows posted school records in home runs (84), RBI (343), and runs scored (375).

The Lady Vols now advance to the Womens College World Series in Oklahoma City, Okla. for the third straight season.

-UH-