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LAS CRUCES, N.M.—The No. 11/13 University of Hawai`i softball team (44-7, 17-3 WAC) was knocked out of the Western Athletic Tournament with a 9-7 loss to Fresno State (36-33). Hawai`i went up 6-0 in the top of the third inning on a pair of two out, three-run home runs by Sharla Kliebenstein and Kelly Majam. But the Bulldogs battled back to take the lead in the fifth and never looked back.
 
UH starter Kaia Parnaby threw the first two-plus innings and returned to toss the final inning as well. Parnaby's final line was 3.0 innings pitched with three runs on two hits with two walks and four strike outs. Stephanie Ricketts suffered the loss, dropping her record to 28-4 on the season. She threw 3.0 innings, but gave up six runs on eight hits with two walks and two strike outs.
 
Things were looking good for the Rainbow Wahine in the top of the third inning as the 'Bows batted around the order to post six runs. After a fly out to start the inning, Jessica Iwata walked and Alexandra Aguire followed with a single through the leftside of the infield. Then, after a pop-out to short, Kliebenstein cleared the bases with a two-out, three-run home run to left field. It was Kliebenstein's eighth home run of the season and 21st of her career. It also marked her second home run since returning to the starting line-up after missing five weeks with an injured hand. Makani Duhaylonsod-Kaleimamahu and Dara Pagaduan both kept the rally going with a walk apiece and Majam followed by drilling a line-shot home run that sailed over the rightfield fence on a rope. It was Majam's 13th home run of the season and 52nd of her career. Fresno State then lifted starter Michelle Moses for Mackenzie Oakes who, after a walk, got a line out to second to end the rally.
 
Fresno State would respond immediately posting four runs in the bottom of the frame. After a leadoff walk, Brooke Ortiz put runners at first and second with a single to left that just popped out of the glove of a diving Aguirre in left. Another walk to Brenna Moss loaded the bases full of Bulldogs. Parnaby was then relieved by Ricketts who was unable to stop the surge. Stacia Brazil hit a sacrifice fly to right to score pinch runner Rebecca Hall from third. Moses then got another run back with an RBI single to centerfield to score Ortiz and Courtney Moore cleared the bases with a double to the right-centerfield alley to cut UH's lead to 6-4.
 
The score remained 6-4 until the bottom of the fifth, when Fresno State batted around the order tallying five runs to overtake the lead, 9-6. Moss led off with a high-chopping single to third. After a foul-pop-up to first, Moses struck again with a two-run, opposite-field homer to right. Moore kept things going with a walk and Vonnie Martin got a single through the rightside of the infield. Andrea Ortega laced a single back up the middle to score pinch-runner Diane Runge from second­. Another walk to Maria Sio loaded the bases for Fresno State and Kaitlin Griffin got another hit up the middle to score Martin. Sio later came around to score the fifth run of the inning on a wild pitch.
 
The Rainbow Wahine were able to get one run back in the top of the sixth on an RBI double by Kliebenstein that scored pinch runner Tara Anguiano from second that cut Fresno State's lead to 9-7. But that was as close as the 'Bows could get.
 
Kliebenstein led UH at the plate, going 2-for-4 with a double, a home run and four RBI and Majam was also 2-for-4 with a home run and three RBI.
 
Fresno State's Moses lasted the first 2.2 innings, giving up six runs on five hits with five walks and a strike out. Oakes earned the win and threw the final 4.1 innings, giving up a run on two hits with four walks and a strike out.
 
It was the first time this season that Hawai`i lost back-to-back games this season and the first time that UH lost to Fresno State this season.
 
Hawai`i will now await Sunday's NCAA Softball Championship Selection Show, which airs at 10 p.m. (ET) on ESPNU.