Box Score

SAN JOSE, Calif.—The University of Hawai`i softball team (34-16, 12-7 WAC) overpowered San Jose State, 8-0 in five innings on Friday at the SJSU Softball Complex. Junior pitcher Stephanie Ricketts fired a two-hit, complete game shut out while Jasey Jensen ripped a three-run triple and Jessica Iwata drilled a three-run home run to lift UH to the win.

 

Ricketts fired her 28th complete game and ninth shut-out of the season in her homecoming to San Jose. She gave up one walk with five strike outs and faced just 19 batters. Ricketts has now thrown 83 career complete games with 23 career shut outs.

 

The 'Bows got on the board early on a two-out rally in the first inning. Iwata drew a walk to get things going and Jenna Rodriguez followed with a single through the leftside of the infield that moved Iwata into scoring position. Melissa Gonzalez then got a single to center to score Iwata from second. A walk issued to Sharla Kliebenstein loaded the bases and another walk to Alex Aguirre forced Rodriguez home to give UH an early 2-0 lead.

 

In the second inning UH pushed its lead to 5-0. Kelly Majam started things with a single up the middle and moved to second when Jensen was hit-by-a-pitch. Iwata then launched her 13th home run of the season over the leftfield fence. It marked the sophomore's 31st career home run that moved her past teammate Melissa Gonzalez for seventh all-time in the UH career home run record book.

 

Hawai`i kept the pedal to the metal in the third inning, posting three more runs to give them an 8-0 advantage. Aguirre started the rally with an infield single to third base. Makani Duhaylonsod-Kaleimamahu was then hit by a pitch to put runners at first and second. Dara Pagaduan then executed a sacrifice bunt to push both runners into scoring position with the top of the order coming up. Majam was walked to load the bases and then Jensen laced an opposite-field triple to rightfield to clear the bases and give UH a 8-0 lead.

 

San Jose's Elyssa Fox (5-14) suffered the loss, throwing the first 1.1 innings. She gave up five runs on four hits with three walks and a strike out. Alex Molina then came in to throw 1.0 innings in relief. She gave up three runs on one hit with two walks. Janessa Guterrez fired the final 2.2 innings, giving up three hits with a strike out.

 

Hawai`i concludes its regular season with a Saturday doubleheader at the SJSU Softball Complex starting at 12:00 p.m.

                                                                                                         -UH-