Box Score

SANTA CLARA, Calif. - The 24th-ranked University of Hawai`i softball team (32-14, 7-4 WAC) defeated Santa Clara at Marsalli Park, 9-3, in the first game of a non-conference doubleheader. Courtney Baughman earned her 14th win of the season with a complete game effort, while the Broncos used three pitchers. SCU starter, Jackie Morales threw 4.0 innings in the loss.

Baughman (14-7, 2-1 WAC) was perfect through the first four innings, retiring the first 12 batters in a row before giving up a hit that started the fifth inning. For Baughman, it was her 14th complete game. She gave up three runs on five scattered hits with no walks and six strike outs.

The Broncos' starter, Morales gave up four runs on six hits with two walks and three strike outs. Kaitlyn Rauschnot then entered to throw one inning in which she gave up five runs on five hits with one walk. Lauren Passafuime then gave up just two hits while throwing two scoreless innings to close the game.

The Rainbow Wahine scored first in the top of the second. Kate Robinson led the inning off with a single down the leftfield line. Then after two outs, Richie-Anne Titcomb got an opposite field single to right. On the play, the Broncos' rightfielder tried to throw Robinson out at third, but the throw was wild and allowed Robinson to score for the game's first run.

In the fourth, Hawai`i added three runs, all with two outs, to push their lead to 4-0. Audrey Andrade reached on a single to second and Katie Grimes followed with a single to third to put runners on first and second. Two pinch runners, Traci Yoshikawa and Allison Der, then entered at second and first respectively. Next, Tanisha Milca hit a ground ball to short, but a fielding error left the bases loaded. Kaulana Gould then came through with a single through the right side of the infield to drive in both Yoshikawa and Der. The 'Bows then scored their third run of the inning on a double-steal off a first-and-third situation with Milca scoring while Gould got caught in a run-down between first and second long enough for the run to score.

In the fifth, Hawai`i added another five runs to their score. Brandi Peiler led things off with a single through the leftside of the infield. Robinson then picked up her third hit fo the game with a single to right. Clare Warwick followed with a grounder to short. On the play the shortstop's first instinct was to get the lead runner at third, but seeing there was no play there, she turned and did not attempt a throw because Warwick was already closing in on the bag. Valana Manuma then drew a walk with the bases loaded for to push pinch runner, Kate Adams across the plate. After a pop-up to second, Yoshikawa laced a single to leftfield to score Robinson. Grimes then came through with a single up the middle, driving in both Warwick and Manuma. Gould later picked up her third RBI of the game with a single to centerfield that drove in Yoshikawa to extend UH's lead to 8-0.

The Broncos' responded with their backs against the wall of the "eight-run rule" looming. Santa Clara clean-up hitter, Amannda Edmondson led the fifth inning off with a single to center. The next batter, Jackie Nicora, then ground into a 6-U-3 double play. But with two outs, Santa Clara rallied, Moralez started things with a single to left and was followed by Breann Netto who hit a double to right to put both runners in scoring position. Ashley Blier then drove a base hit to right to score both Nicora and Moralez. Baughman settled down and got Maggie Godfrey to strike out swinging to end the inning with UH still up 9-2 after five complete innings.

Santa Clara added one more run in the sixth. Jeannine Ruffoni started the inning with a single to rightfield. After a fly out to right, Noelani Ho'opi'i laid down a sacrifice bunt, but the throw to first was offline and it sailed into rightfield, allowing Ruffoni to score to make the score, 9-3.

Baughman then got the final five outs in a row.

Hawai`i was led by Robinson, who went 3-for-4 with two runs scored; Gould was 2-for-5 with three RBI; Grimes went 2-for-3 with two RBI; and Yoshikawa was 2-for-2 and two runs scored.