Box Score

HONOLULU - The No. 15 University of Hawai`i softball team (15-4) defeated the Netherlands National Team, 4-3 in eight innings on the second day of the Pepsi Malihini Kipa Aloha Tournament at the Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium. Jessica Morton earned the win with a complete game effort in the exhibition game against the Dutch team who is preparing for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Morton had a strong performance, firing all eight innings, giving up three runs on 10 hits with no walks and 10 strike outs.

The Dutch team scored first, posting a single run in the top half of the second inning. Designated player Debby Connor led the inning off with a single to leftfield and was replaced by pinch runner Dana Horeman. Noemi Boekel followed with another single to right to put runners at first and second. Morton then caught Sandra Gouverneur looking on a third strike and got Jolanda Kroesen to ground out to second. But the ground ball to the right side moved both runners into scoring position. Chantal Versluis then hit a grounder to deep short. UH's shortstop, Melissa Gonzalez's only play was to get the runner who was on the move from second. But Hawai`i thought it was a force out, not a tag play, because there was no runner at first. Thus, the run scored on the fielder's choice to put the Netherlands up, 1-0.

Hawai`i responded quickly in the bottom half of the inning. Brandi Peiler reached first safely on a fielding error by the shortstop on a ground ball to her left. Allison Der then entered the game for Peiler as a pinch runner at first. Next, Malamaisaua Manuma ripped a double down the leftfield line to put both runners into scoring position. Amanda Tauali`i followed with a double to the gap in left-centerfield, driving in both Der and Manuma to retake the lead, 2-1.

Gonzalez then extended UH's lead to 3-0 when she cranked a solo home run over the leftfield fence in the fifth inning.

But the Dutch team fought back in the top of the sixth with a rally of their own. Connor again led the inning off with a single up the middle and was promptly driven home by Boekel on a triple hit to the rightfield corner. Next Sandra Gouverneur came through with an RBI single to right to drive in Boekel to knot the game at 3-3.

Morton then settled down and proceeded to retire the final eight batters she faced in a row. Four of her 10 strike outs came in the final 2.2 innings.

With the international tie-break rules in effect in extra innings, the Netherlands had the first shot to score in the top of the eighth. With pinch runner Horeman placed at second, Boekel pushed her to third on a sacrifice bunt down the first base line. Morton then got Gouveneur to strike out swinging and Kroesen to ground out to first unassisted.

Hawai`i then started with Tanisha Milca on second base. Clare Warwick then laid down a sacrifice bunt to push Milca to third. A strike out gave UH two outs with clean-up hitter Kate Robinson coming up to bat. But the Netherlands chose to intentionally walk Robinson, which brought Peiler to the plate. She hit a little squib shot back to rightside of the pitcher for a single to score Milca from third to win the game, 4-3.

Hawai`i will continue to play in the Malihini Tournament tomorrow when they face No. 22 Washington and Idaho State at 2:00 and 4:00 pm at the Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium.

Other scores from today...

Washington 4, Eastern Kentucky 0 -

Washington 11, Idaho State 3 -

Idaho State 1, Southern Illinois 14 -

Netherlands 4, Southern Illinois 5 -