Box Score

LAS VEGAS, Nev. - The University of Hawai'i softball team (2-8) dropped its final game of the 2009 Louisville Slugger Desert Classic to UC Davis, 8-1, at Eller Media Stadium Sunday morning.

The Aggies' Jessica Hancock struck out 18 batters in a complete game effort, giving up just one run while spacing three hits and three walks. Hancock only faced 27 batters and struck out the side in 5-of-7 innings.

Hawai'i's Courtney Baughman (2-4) took the loss, giving up three runs on three hits with three strike outs in three innings. Stephanie Ricketts threw the final four innings, yielding five runs on three hits with a pair of walks and a strike out.

After giving up a leadoff single in the first, Baughman had settled down to retire the next eight batters in a row. But the Aggies struck quickly on a third inning, two-out rally. Julie Stauder started things off with a single up the middle. A fielder's choice put Belinda Peine on first. But the big blow was a three run home run to center by Sarah Axelson, putting UC Davis ahead 3-0.

In the next inning, Ricketts entered the game in relief of Baughman. She walked the first batter, Erin Emde, who then moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. Kelly Harmon then increased UC Davis' lead to 5-0 on a two run homer to left.

Hawai'i got one run back in the bottom half of the inning off an Amanda Tauali'i home run to centerfield, which cut the lead to 5-1.

But the Aggies added two runs in the fifth and then got one more in the sixth of the team's third home run of the game, and second by Harman. 

Hawai'i finished the LS Desert Classic with a 1-4 record and will now head to Los Angeles, Calif. to face the Loyola Marymount Lions on Wednesday, Feb. 18 at 12:00 pm.

 
                                                                                                                                                          -UH-