Box Score
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – The University of Hawai'i softball team (2-7) overpowered Saint Louis, 8-3, in the Louisville Slugger Desert Classic at Eller Media Stadium late on Saturday night. Hawai'i racked up 10 hits, including two triples and two doubles.
Courtney Baughman (2-3) earned her second win of the season with her third complete game of the season. Baughman gave up three runs on five hits with a pair of walks and six strike outs.
Saint Louis' Matesa threw a complete game, giving up eight runs on 10 hits with eight walks and six strike outs.
Hawai'i jumped out to a quick 1-0 lead in the top of the first.
Tanisha Milca reached safely after a throwing error from third. On the play, she scooted to second and then was pushed to third on a ground out to second. Warwick then hit a sacrifice fly to center to score a tagged-up Milca.
The Billikens responded in the bottom of the inning. Nicoletti led off with a single to center and moved into scoring position with a stolen base. Jones then executed a sacrifice bunt to push Nicoletti to third. Heet then drove a shot through the rightside of the infield, but Milca gunner her out at first. On the play however, Nicoletti scored from third to knot the game at 1-1.
Saint Louis threatened to score again in the bottom of the second, bringing seven batters to the plate. The rally started when Cejka reached on a fielding error and then took advantage of an errant throw from third to move to second. She then advanced to third on a passed ball. Flanagan then walked to put runners at the corners. Baughman then got a swinging strike out for the first out of the inning, but then hit the next batter to load the bases. Saint Louis couldn't capitalize as Baughman settled down, inducing a pop-up to short and a line out to third to end the inning.
The 'Bows erupted for three runs in the top of the third, with a huge two-out rally. Warwick started things with a single through the leftside of the infield. Gonzalez followed by drawing a walk. Tauali'i then came through with a triple to right-centerfield, driving in both Warwick and Gonzalez. Franklin followed with a double to right that scored Tauali'i from third to push UH's lead to 4-1.
The Billikens got one run back in the bottom of the inning. After two straight singles, Baughman got a strike out and then a fielder's choice from shortstop to second left Billikens at the corners. Saint Louis then executed a double steal to cut Hawai'i's lead to 4-2.
In the sixth, UH scored three runs to extend their lead to 7-2. Pinch hitter, Duhaylonsod-Kaleimamahu, started the one-out rally with her first collegiate hit of her career, which was a double to right. She moved to third on a single to center by Milca, then scored on a fielder's choice hit by
Richie-Anne Titcomb. Later with two outs in the inning, Warwick drilled a triple to right-centerfield to score Titcomb from second. Gonzalez drew a walk and Tauali'i kept things going with a single to center that scored Warwick from third.
Hawai'i loaded the bases in the top of the seventh, and tacked on one more run when, with two outs, Warwick drew a walk to push Alex Aguirre across the plate, increasing UH's lead to 8-2.
The Billikens got one run back on an RBI ground-out to second to score pinch hitter, Johns from third.
The win snapped a seven-game losing streak for the 'Bows who will complete the LS Desert Classic with a single game against UC Davis tomorrow morning at 9:00 am at Eller Media Stadium.
-UH-
