LAS VEGAS, Nev.—Freshman pitcher Key-Annah fired a no-hitter while facing the minimum 21 batters as the University of Hawai'i softball team (7-4) shutout Montana, 7-0. The Rainbow Wahine ended the UNLV Desert Classic on Sunday morning with a 4-1 record. Six of Hawai'i's seven runs were powered by three home runs—one each by
Maya Nakamura,
Mya'Liah Bethea and Rachel Sabourin as the Rainbow Wahine concluded the tourney with a 4-1 record at Eller Media Stadium.
For Campbell-Pua, it marked her first shut out of her career as well. She recorded a career-high six strikeouts and did not issue a walk as she improved to 3-1 overall. Campbell-Pua faced the minimum 21 batters as the UH defense turned two double plays (one runner reached on an error in the 4th; the other runner reached on a swinging strikeout passed ball in the sixth). Hawai'i did not allow a Grizzlies runner past second base as the defense was solid behind Campbell-Pua's efforts. Today's no-hitter was the first since Izzy Dino, who was also a freshman at the time, threw a six inning no-hitter against Marist on 3/14/19 in Honolulu. It was the first seven inning no-hitter since Stephanie Ricketts fired a no-no on her Senior Night against arch-rival Fresno State in 2012.
Nakamura's first homer of the season was a solo-shot to center in the first inning. It was the junior's 11
th home run of her career.
In the second, Xiao Gin added another run when she hit an opposite-field single to left to score Sabourin from third to give UH a 2-0 lead.
With two runners on in the third, Bethea blasted her sixth home run of the season and third of her hometown tournament in Las Vegas. Her eighth career homer extended UH's lead to 5-0.
The Grizzlies got their first baserunner in the fourth on an error in left. But the runner was erased at second on a sweet snare off a line drive to Nakamura at second who glove-flipped it to Gin at short to double up the runner at second.
Sabourin then lifted her second home run in as many days. The two-run bomb lengthened UH's lead to 7-0 with a half inning to go. It marked Sabourin's fourth home run of the season and career.
Campbell-Pua fanned the first two batters she faced in the seventh and then Sabourin made a diving stop towards the line at third and from her knees, gunned down the batter at first to end the game and preserve the no-hitter.
Montana starter Grace Haegele threw the first 2-1/3 innnigs. She allowed five runs on five hits with two walks and a strikeout. Reliever Evelyn O'Brien tossed the final 4-2/3 innings giving up two runs on four hits with four walks and a strikeout.
Hawai'i returns home on Monday and will begin a month-long homestand starting with three-consecutive tournaments. The Rainbow Wahine will host the Bank of Hawai'i Invitational from Feb. 24-26, 2023. Marist, Seattle U, and St. Bonaventure will all be competing in the four-team tourney.
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