HONOLULU—University of Hawai'i starting pitcher
Macy Brandl fired a two-hit, complete game shut out as the Rainbow Wahine defeated Jackson State, 7-0 on Day Two of the OUTRIGGER Invitational at the Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium.
Jamie McGaughey and
Milan Ah Yat launched back-to-back solo home runs in the third inning to help power the 'Bows past the Tigers as UH improved to 12-6 overall. Hawai'i had timely, clutch hitting scoring all their runs with two outs.
Brandl gave up just two hits—a single in the first and a single in the fifth. She had four walks and five strikeouts in seven innings of work. It marked Brandl's second complete-game shutout of her UH career and improved to 5-2 overall.
Jackson State threatened to score right from the get-go, loading the bases with no outs to start the first inning. But UH was able to get a grounder to third baseman
Liliana Thomas who fired home to
Izabella Martinez to erase the runner trying to score from third for the first out. Brandl got a strike out for the second out and first baseman McGaughey chased down a foul fly out for the third out to extinguish the rally.
Hawai'I responded by loading the bases with one out in the bottom of the first. Martinez drew a walk to lead things off. After a bunt pop out, Thomas was plunked to put runners at first and second. After a flyout to center,
Milan Ah Yat hit a single to load the bases.
Carys Murakami then drove a clutch single up the middle to score both Martinez and Thomas for the 2-0 lead.
The Tigers got two walks to start the second, but the 'Bows were able to get a pop out on a bunt attempt, a foul out to first and a strike out swinging to thwart the rally.
Hawai'i got back-to-back home runs in the bottom of the third. McGaughey blasted a solo shot to straightaway centerfield for her third homer of the season and her career. Ah Yat followed with a bomb hit over the leftfield fence for her third home run of her Rainbow Wahine career and second round-tripper of the tourney.
The Rainbow Wahine loaded the bases again in the sixth, and again McGaughey drilled a bases-clearing double to right field that drove in
Kennedy Thompson,
Larissa Goshi, and Thomas to extend UH's lead to 7-0.
It marked UH's second-straight shutout after
Addison Kostrencich shutout Howard on Wednesday night.
Jackson State starter Jorgina Gant took the loss, throwing the first 5-2/3 innings. She allowed seven runs on seven hits with five walks and a striketout. Brooklyn Morris gave up one hit and got the final out.
The OUTRIGGER Invitational continues on Friday, Feb. 28 at the Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium. Hawai'i will play Jackson State at 4:00 p.m. HT followed by Washington at 6:00 p.m. HT.
Hawai'i Athletics In partnership with the State of Hawai'i, City and County of Honolulu and the Hawai'i Foodbank, is kicking off a food drive and fans a encouraged to bring non-perishable food to UH's first game vs. Jackson State at 4:00 p.m. HT.
