Box Score

HONOLULU - The University of Hawai`i softball team (35-17, 9-7 WAC) scored three runs early and held off the Utah State offense, 3-0, to take the second game of today's doubleheader at the Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium. Hawai`i's Kate Robinson (15-6, 4-3 WAC) fired her ninth shutout of the season while Stacey Ellingsworth (1-6, 0-4 WAC) took the loss for the Aggies.

Robinson took a no-hitter into the seventh, before giving up two hits in the last inning. She gave up three walks and tied her season-high with 10 strike outs. She has now struck out 10 batters in three games (Southern Illinois, March 6 and Colorado State on March 19).

The 'Bows got two runs to start the game off. Tanisha Milca led the inning off with a single up the middle. Kaulana Gould then laid a sacrifice bunt down. But on the play, the catcher's throw sailed past the second baseman covering first. The ball kept rolling into rightfield and the runners kept going. Both Milca and Gould scored on the play.

In the next inning, Valana Manuma led off by drawing a walk. After two swinging strike outs, Katie Grimes came through with an RBI single through the leftside of the infield to score Manuma from second.

That was all the offense Robinson would need to collect the win. The Aggies, however, broke up Robinson's bid for a no-hitter when Amy Schaible led the seventh off with a single to centerfield. Robinson got the next batter to strike out, but then a walk and another single to leftfield loaded the bases with just one out. She then struck the last two batters of the game out.

Utah State's Ellingsworth threw 6.0 innings, giving up three runs on eight hits with a walk and four strike outs.

The Aggies and Rainbow Wahine will square off in the series and regular season finale tomorrow at 2:00 pm at the RWSS. It will be Senior Day for five stellar Hawai`i players, Kaulana Gould, Valana Manuma, Jessica Morton, Brandi Peiler, and Kate Robinson.