Box Score

FRESNO, Calif. - The No. 24 University of Hawai`i softball team (33-15, 7-5 WAC) fell short in their comeback bid to upset No. 10 Fresno State, 4-3. Kate Robinson (14-5, 4-2 WAC) took the loss in a complete game effort in the series opener at Bulldog Diamond. Fresno State's freshman phenom, Morgan Melloh (32-5), earned the win also throwing a complete game.

Haley Perkins led the game off with a single to right and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Haley Gilleland. Then, Aja Scheuber came through with a looping single to left that scored a sprinting Perkins, who was running on contact with two outs.

The Rainbow Wahine responded immediately to tie the score at 1-1. With one out, Clare Warwick started the rally by beating out the throw from short for an infield single. Valana Manuma pushed Warwick into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. Richie-Anne Titcomb followed with an RBI double to the right-centerfield gap to drive in Warwick from second.

Fresno State then regained the lead in the bottom of the third when, with two outs, Jenna Cervantez ripped a solo home run over the leftfield fence, to go in front, 2-1.

The score remained at 2-1 until the bottom of the sixth when Andrea Ortega hit a two out, two-run home run to left that drove in Mallory Perkins, who was pinch running for Scheuber. The homer extended FSU's lead to 4-1 going into the seventh inning.

But in the top of the seventh, Manuma starting things going with an opposite-field single to right. Allison Der then entered as a pinch runner and scored on Audrey Andrade's home run over the leftfield fence that cut the Bulldogs' lead to 4-3. But Melloh would settle down and eventually get the last out to end the game. For Andrade, it was her first home run of the year, and third of her career.

Robinson gave up four runs on eight hits while striking out two and walking none. Fresno State's Melloh threw 7.0 innings, giving up three runs on six hits with a walk and four strikeouts.

The two teams will square off again tomorrow in the series ending doubleheader starting at 1:00 pm at Bulldog Diamond on the campus of Fresno State.