Box Score

HONOLULU –The University of Hawai`i softball team (9-0) defeated Santa Clara, 9-0 in five innings on the second day of the Pepsi Malihini Kipa Aloha Tournament. Pitcher Courtney Baughman fired a one-hit shut-out and Amanda Tauali`i went 3-for-3 with a double and three RBI in the win at the Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium tonight.

 

The Rainbow Wahine offense was efficient, scoring nine runs on eight hits with six runners left of base. The 'Bows scored at least one run in every inning except the fifth.

Hawaii posted their first run in the top of the first inning. Dara Pagaduan drew a one out walk and stole second. After a fly out to right, Amanda Tauali`i drove an opposite field double to the left-centerfield gap to drive home Pagaduan for the game's first run.

 

In the second, Hawaii added another run to extend their lead to 2-0. Alex Aguirre led the inning off with a single and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt executed by #Kanani Pu`u-Warren#. Julie Franklin then hit a ground ball to short, but the shortstop tried unsuccessfully to pick-off Aguirre at second to put runners at first and second. Hawaii then loaded the bases on a single to right by Stacey Yamada. Tanisha Milca then came through with a looping single over the third baseman to score Aguirre. But on the next batter, the Broncos turned a nice 1-2-3 ground-out double play to end the inning.

 

In the third, UH tacked on two more runs. Clare Warwick led the inning off with a walk. Tauali`i then stepped to the plate and hit a high fly to the rightfield fence for a single. On the play, Warwick had to wait to see if the ball would be caught, then hustled to third from first. Santa Clara tried to cut Warwick down at third, but the relay was late, and Tauali`i alertly slid into second on the throw to third. Makani Duhaylonsod-Kaleimamahu then hit a sacrifice fly to deep centerfield to score Warwick from third. Later, Tauali`i scored on a passed ball to push UH's lead to 4-0.

 

Hawai`i added five runs in the fourth inning to push the lead to 9-0. Franklin started things by getting beaned. Yamada then laid down a sacrifice bunt to push Franklin to second. The Broncos then walked three straight batters. Two scored on wild pitches, and two more scored on a double to rightfield by Tauali`i. Pinch-runner Mikalemi Tagab-Cruz then scored on a chopper up the middle by Duhaylonsod-Kaleimamahu.

 

Baughman evened her record at 5-5 with the win. It was her  second one-hit shut-out of the year. She took a no-hitter into the middle of the fourth, when Amanda Edmondson drove a two-out double to the leftfield fence. Baughman walked two and struck out four in the mercy-rule shortened game.

Hawai`i now has a pair of tough games tomorrow. First they take on No. 25 Mississippi State at 5:00 pm then Florida Gulf Coast at 7:00 pm. The Mississippi State game is a re-match of last season's NCAA Regionals in Tempe, Ariz., when the 'Bows took two games off the Bulldogs to eliminate them from the tournament.  The Eagles of FGCU are flying high on a 13-game win streak. They swept their double header today with a 2-1 win over Oregon State and an 8-3 win over MSU.

Scores from today...
Mount St. Mary's 1, Oregon State 4 - Box Score
Florida Gulf Coast 2, Oregon State 1 - Box Score
Florida Gulf Coast 8, Mississippi State 3 - Box Score
Mississippi State 11, Santa Clara 3 - Box Score
Hawai`i 9, Santa Clara 0 (5 innings)

Schedule for Friday, March 6, 2009
Pepsi Malihini Kipa Aloha Tournament - Day Three
9:00 am - Radford vs. Mount St. Mary's
11:00 am - Santa Clara vs. Mount St. Mary's
1:00 pm - Santa Clara vs. Radford
3:00 pm - Mississippi State vs. Oregon State
5:00 pm - HAWAI`I VS. MISSISSIPPI STATE
7:00 PM - HAWAI`I VS. FLORIDA GULF COAST

                                                                                                                                                                   -UH-