Box Score

HONOLULU – The University of Hawai'i softball team (14-18, 2-2 WAC) lost its WAC home opener to Nevada (23-9, 3-0 WAC), 6-5 in eight innings. UH's Amanda Tauali'i went 4-for-4 with a school single-game record three home runs and an RBI single, but it wasn't enough as the Wolf Pack scored four runs in the top of the seventh to erase UH's three run lead. A solo home run by Nevada's Sam Bias in the eighth proved to be the game winner tonight at the Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium.

 

Hawai`i's Stephanie Ricketts (9-6, 2-1 WAC) took the loss in a complete game effort. She gave up six runs on seven hits with three walks and eight strike outs.

 

Nevada's starter Katie Holverson threw the first 6.1 innings but did not figure in the decision. She gave up five runs on eight hits with a walk and nine strike outs. Reliever Mallory Darby (10-3, 1-0 WAC) earned the victory in relief, as she shut down the 'Bows for the final 1.2 innings. She gave up just one hit with four strike outs.

 

Things looked good for UH early. Tauali`i drove the first pitch of the second inning over the left-centerfield fence for her first home run of the game. In the third, Tanisha Milca copied Tauali`i, taking the first pitch of the inning over the fence for a solo shot to left. Two outs later, Tauali`i struck again, this time she took a 3-1 pitch over the left-centerfield fence for her second home run of the game, and the second one of the inning that gave Hawai`i a 3-0 lead.

 

Nevada got one run back in the top of the sixth. Brittany Puzey started things by drawing a one-out walk. Britton Murdock followed with a double to the right-centerfield gap that allowed Puzey to race around the bases to score, cutting UH's lead to 3-1.

 

In the bottom of the inning, Tauali`i launched her third home run of the game to centerfield. She now has a team-high 10 home runs. It is the first time a UH softball player hit three homers in one game. The home run extended UH's lead to 4-1.

 

But that lead quickly evaporated in the top of the seventh, as the Wolf Pack erased their three run deficit, scoring four to take the lead, 5-4. With one out, designated player Amanda Nims drew a walk. Danielle Patrick followed with a single to rightfield, and then the Noelle Micka drew the second walk of the inning to load the bases. Nevada got one run on a ground out to third. Then, with two outs and runners at second and third, Brittany Puzey drilled a three-run home run over the leftfield fence. Ricketts then got the final out on a swinging strike out.

 

Hawai`i rallied in the bottom of the seventh, knotting the game at 5-5 to take the game into extra innings. Dara Pagaduan led the inning off with a single deep to second. Milca then hit a ground ball to short and Nevada forced the lead runner, Pagaduan, out at second. Clare Warwick then got a single to center, putting runners at first and second. Makani Duhaylonsod-Kaleimamahu then hit a grounder to second. The second baseman threw to second to force out Warwick, but the throw was dropped, leaving the bases loaded for Tauali`i. Nevada then inserted Darby to relieve Holverson on the mound. Tauali`i then battled at the plate, with a full count, she drove a single through the rightside of the infield to score Milca. The bases were still loaded with 'Bows, but Darby settled down to strike out the last two batters of the inning.

 

In the top of the eighth inning, Nevada's Bias hit a solo home run over the leftfield fence for what proved to be the winning run. Ricketts then struck out the next two batters to end the inning.

 

Hawai`i is now 0-3 in extra inning games. On Feb. 21, the 'Bows fell to No. 1 Alabama in eight innings in the Cathedral City Classic tournament in California, and on Feb. 7 UH fell to No. 17 LSU in nine innings.

 

The game which was slated to start at 6:00 pm was delayed 21 minutes due to a power outage at the Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium. The game also endured a 16 minute delay later in the top of the third when the lights went out for the second time.

The 'Bows and Wolf Pack conclude the three-game conference series tomorrow with a doubleheader starting at 2:00 pm.


                                                                                                                                       -UH-