Box Score
HONOLULU - The ­­University of Hawaii softball team (2-11) defeated Tokyo Women's College of Physical Education in an exhibition game tonight, 9-5, at the Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium. The 'Bows were propelled by three, three-run home runs by Audrey Andrade, Kanani Puu-Warren, and Tanisha Milca.

 

UH's trio of freshman pitchers combined for the victory, with Stephanie Ricketts earning the win. Ricketts threw the final three innings in relief, giving up two runs on three hits with two walks and two strike outs. Sarah Robinson started the game and threw the first three-plus innings, giving up three runs on six hits and Makani Duhaylonsod-Kaleimamahu gave up just one hit in her one inning appearance.

 

For Tokyo, Sayaka Mori took the loss, throwing 3.2 innings. She gave up six runs on six hits with a walk. Ryo Nishina fired the final 2.1 innings, giving up three runs on two hits with three walks and a strike out.

 

Tokyo jumped out to a quick 1-0 lead in the top of the first. Manami Harano led the game off with a double to the right-centerfield gap. Two ground-outs to short later, Kaoru Oyanagi laced a single to right, driving in Harano from third.

 

Hawaii responded immediately in the bottom half of the inning. Mikalemi Tagab-Cruz led off by drawing a walk. A sacrifice bunt executed by Dara Pagaduan moved Tagab-Cruz to second. Traci Yoshikawa was then hit by a pitch putting runners at first and second for Ricketts, who hit into a fielder's choice to short. The shortstop flipped to second for the out, leaving runners at the corners. Audrey Andrade then stepped to the plate and hit a home run over the leftfield fence to leapfrog UH into a 3-1 lead.

 

In the top of the third, Misa Ishigami led off with a double to left and later was driven in on an RBI single to leftfield by Sayaka Mori, cutting UH's lead to 3-2.

 

In the fourth, Tokyo tied the game at 3-3 on a leadoff home run by Mao Tsurusawa.

 

The 'Bows then answered back in the bottom half of the inning. After a double play, UH got a two-out rally going. Julie Franklin got things started with a single to left. Alex Aguirre followed with a single up the middle, then Kanani Puu-Warren stepped up and drilled a high-fly over the leftfield fence. That gave the lead back to Hawaii, 6-3.

 

Tokyo got one run back in the sixth, Rei Ito drew a two-out walk and scored on a single to right, cutting into UH's lead, 6-4.

 

But in the bottom of the inning, the 'Bows pulled away from Tokyo. Andrade led off with a walk and Franklin followed with a single to left. Tanisha Milca then entered as a pinch hitter and launched a high fly ball that just cleared the leftfield fence right inside the foul pole, giving Hawaii a 9-4 lead after six complete innings.

 

In the top of the seventh, Tokyo loaded the bases on a two singles and an error. With two outs, Ricketts struck out what would've been the third out, but on the swing, the ball squirted to the backstop. The batter hustled to first, and the runner at third slid home just in front of the tag at the plate.

 

Hawaii now hosts the Bank of Hawaii Invitational beginning tomorrow. Western Carolina takes on Tokyo at 4:00 pm and Hawaii will face Mount St. Mary's at 6:00 pm at the Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium. The tourney runs from Feb. 27- Mar. 1.

 

                                                                                                                                          -UH-