HONOLULU – The University of Hawai'i softball team (15-19, 3-3 WAC) split its doubleheader today against Nevada this afternoon at the Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium. The 'Bows dropped their first game 3-1 but bounced back to take the second game 3-2. The Wolf Pack (24-10, 4-1 WAC) however, captured the conference series winning two-of-three.

 

The Wolf Pack posted two runs in the top of the first and never looked back. Noelle Micka led the game off with a walk. She advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt to third by Kim Silagyi. Brittany Puzey then hit a little looping single into right-centerfield to put runners at the corners. Micka then scored on a sacrifice fly to leftfield and then Kelsey Starr drove in Puzey from second with a soft single over the shortstop.

 

Hawai`i cut the lead in half in the bottom of the second. The 'Bows got two hits to start the inning. First, #Kanani Pu`u-Warren led the inning off with a double to leftfield. Then Malamaisaua Manuma# followed with a single up the middle. On the play, Pu`u-Warren hustled to third, leaving UH runners on first and third. After a strike out, Katie Grimes hit a ground ball to second that allowed Pu`u-Warren to score from third. After two complete innings, the score was 2-1 in favor of Nevada.

 

The Wolf Pack's Puzey then increased their lead to 3-1 on a solo home run to centerfield.

 

Hawai`i's Courtney Baughman (5-8, 0-2 WAC) suffered the loss in a complete game effort. She gave up three runs on six hits with a walk and a strike out.

 

Katie Holverson (14-6, 3-0 WAC) earned the win also throwing a complete game. She gave up one run on seven hits with five strike outs.

 

 

 

The Rainbow Wahine took the second game of the doubleheader by a 3-2 margin with Stephanie Ricketts (10-6, 2-1 WAC) earning the win. Ricketts held off Nevada for her 15^th complete game of the season . She gave up two unearned runs on four hits with six strike outs and no walks. On offense, Melissa Gonzalez made her way back to start at shortstop for the first time since the Feb. 19 game against Maryland. Gonzalez went 3-for-4 to pace the 'Bows in her return from injury.

 

The 'Bows scored two runs in the second to take an early lead. Pu`u-Warren led the inning off by getting hit by the pitch. Clare Warwick then drilled a double down the leftfield line, putting both runners in scoring position. After a strike out, Nevada starter Mallory Darby threw a wild pitch that bounced off the backstop allowing Pu`u-Warren to score. But on the throw back to the plate, the ball ricocheted off Pu`u-Warren's back and squirted away, allowing Warwick to score the second run on a head's up play.

 

In the third, Tanisha Milca led the inning off with a sharp hit that glanced off the pitcher's glove and went into centerfield on a line. Gonzalez followed with a single to right. Later with one out, Amanda Tauali'i drew a walk to load the bases. After a strike out, Warwick was issued the innings second walk that scored Milca from third.

 

In the fifth, the Wolf Pack battled back, scoring two runs to cut their deficit to 3-2. After a ground out to short, Danielle Patrick hit a fly ball to left, but it was misjudged and it fell in for a double. Micka then hit a grounder to short, but the throw to first was wild, allowing Patrick to score easily from second. A pop-out to short gave the 'Bows their second out of the inning, but Puzey followed with a single to left that drove in Micka.

 

Wolf Pack's starter, Darby took the loss. In six complete innings, she gave up three runs on seven hits with two walks and five strike outs.

 

The win snapped a seven-game losing streak to Nevada dating back to the 2007 WAC tournament.

 

Hawai`i now travels to Fresno State to battle the Bulldogs, April 3 and 4 in another three-game conference series.