Wahine Softball Post-Season Blog Archive
- Alabama Super Regional
- Stanford Regional
- WAC Tournament
Sunday, May 30, 2010 - Tuscaloosa, Ala.
CheeeeHooooo!!!!!
What a glorious day for Hawai`i fans!
First, the Rainbow Wahine win their first ever NCAA Super Regional, and then the baseball team wins the 2010 WAC Baseball Tournament to get the conference's automatic bid for the NCAA tournament!!! Awesome!!!
This morning, we woke up to sounds of thunder and then later rain hitting our hotel windows. When you looked outside, all you could see were grey skies and rain. But we got word by mid-morning, that the game was still on, so after breakfast the team suited up and headed to the field.
The team hit in Alabama's indoor batting facility which is located in the middle of their tennis courts. It had two nets and was set up with some screens and UH was able to set up stations for hitting.
After their hitting, the team drove back down to the softball stadium where they began warming up. Soon, the skies started to clear, and although the outfield was soggy, the infield (which was covered after yesterday's games) was fine.
Then the game started, and UH jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead on Jenna Rodriguez's three-run home run in the bottom of the first inning. Kaia Parnaby started the game in the circle and threw five strong innings, before being relieved by Stephanie Ricketts who came in and shut down the Crimson Tide for the last inning and a third.
But in the bottom of the seventh, with a runner on first, with two outs and UH down, 3-4, Rodriguez launched her second home run of the game to propel the 'Bows into their first Women's College World Series ever. The shot over the leftfield fence silenced the stunned crowd of over 3,000 that came to watch the game. Celebration ensued for the 'Bows as they knocked of the No. 1 seed of the tournament twice in three games.
UH has an EARLY flight tomorrow morning from Birmingham to Oklahoma City, so we'll write to you next from OKC!
Saturday, May 29, 2010
The wait was finally over...after last night's game was rained (and lightning-ed) out, the Tuscaloosa Super Regional was finally underway at 11:05 a.m. this morning. Unfortunately, things didn't go so well for the 'Bows in the first game, losing 8-0 in five innings.
But in the second game, the 'Bows shook off the loss and came out firing. Kelly Majam hit her NCAA-leading, 30th home run of the season to start the home-half of the first inning. Later, after Alabama chose to intentionally walk Majam to load the bases, Jessica Iwata came through with a powerful shot high over the left-centerfield fence for her third grand slam of the season. Hawai`i also got an RBI single from Katie Grimes; another solo home run by Traci Yoshikawa; and in the bottom of the sixth, Iwata drove in what proved to be the winning run with a sacrifice fly to centerfield that scored Yoshikawa from third.
With the win, UH forces a third and final game of the three-game Super Regional. The two teams square off for a ticket to the 2010 College World Series tomorrow at 12:00 p.m. The game will be broadcast on ESPN and ESPN 1420 AM.
Photos courtesy of Dale Titcomb and Nanci Coolen
Friday, May 28, 2010
The day started out pretty nice...the team went on a little sightseeing tour to the University of Alabama campus under sunny skies, ate lunch and returned to the hotel to rest for a little while before heading to the park 3:15 p.m.
The team went through most of their warm-ups, but then about half-an-hour before gametime, there started to be flashes of lighting. Because there was lightning in a certain mile radius of the field, the teams could not practice on the field and the fans in the stands were advised to take cover. What was first a 20 minute delay, turned into a four hour delay after rain started to fall and the lightning continued. Alabama stayed in their clubhouse off the third base line, while Hawai`i left after a little while to go back to our hotel which is less than five minutes away.
At the hotel, the squad hung out in the lobby and watched the other Super Regional games on the large flat screen tv. They got some sandwiches to eat as they waited...and waited...and waited. The players even signed some autographs for some Alabama fans who are staying in the same hotel.
The game could've been started as late as 11:59 p.m., but at 9:20 p.m. the game was finally postponed until tomorrow. We will play a doubleheader starting at 11:00 a.m. with the second game starting at 1:30 p.m. Game three, if necessary, will be played on Sunday with a time yet to be determined.
Thursday, May 27, 2010
The Rainbow Wahine woke up this moring, had a little breakfast and headed to the field for a 1:00 p.m. practice at the University of Alabama Softball Complex. The 'Bows hit live and in the cages first and then did some defensive drills to end the NCAA timed practice.
After practice, head coach Bob Coolen and players Melissa Gonzalez, Kelly Majam, and Stephanie Ricketts first talked with ESPN commentators, Michele Smith and Cara Capuano informally, and then headed into the press box for the formal, NCAA Super Regional press conference.
Back at the hotel, some of the players opted to cool off after practice in the hotel's pool, while others relaxed before the team had dinner together at a popular chain Italian restaurant for some salad, breadsticks and pasta!
Hawai`i's game tomorrow night will be at 5:35 p.m. (CT) on ESPNU and on ESPN 1420 AM with Blaine Kauwe and Lori Santi calling the action.
Go 'Bows!
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
After a long day of travel, the team could sleep in a little, wake up, have breakfast, and then head to a 12:00 p.m. practice at the University of Alabama Softball Complex. It was kind of hot and humid today...much like the weather at home actually.
The home of the Crimson Tide softball team is a very nice facility with over 2,000 seats and an brick bleacher like seating area built into the burm of rightfield. There's a big, air conditioned press box with separate booths for radio and television behind stands in back of the plate on the concourse level and a special separate box for viewing the game. Plus there's a clubhouse for the team and training area.
The team went through their normal warm-ups, then did some defensive drills before taking some cuts offensively in the cages and off of head coach Bob Coolen. The team finished up the practice by running along the warning track of the outfield a few times.
Tomorrow, the team has their regulated NCAA practice at 1:00 p.m., followed by a press conference and some time with the ESPN commentators.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Today was travel to Tuscaloosa day for the softball team. Since we stayed the night at the Oakland Hilton right by the Airport, we didn't have far to go, so we loaded all the vans at 11:00 am and left soon after for Oakland Airport. After some confusion at the check-in since there was no group check-in available, we all had to line up in the queue and go one by one.
After we made it through the line, we made it to the gate, grabbed some lunch and then boarded the plane for our long trek across the country. We had a short layover in Phoenix, Ariz., (we stayed on the same plane) where we picked up more passengers for the next, longer leg of the trip to Birmingham, Ala.
We arrived in Alabama after 9:00 p.m., got our rental vans and our baggage and headed off towards Tuscaloosa. It's a pretty straight shot from the Birmingham Airport on the I-20 West/I-59 S to the University of Alabama. Our vans finally rolled into the Hampton Inn (our home for the next few days) at 11:30 p.m. We had a brief team meeting in the lobby before breaking up. Some of the vans went back out to forage for food since the flights we were on only offered peanuts and drinks.
The team will get a good night's sleep and have a late wake-up/breakfast before we head to practice at 12:00 p.m. The University of Alabama has been very welcoming, allowing us to use their softball complex for practice tomorrow for two hours.
Monday, May 24, 2010
The team could sleep in a little today before waking up for an 11:00 a.m. lift/run session, courtesy of Stanford Athletics. The 'Bows got to lift at the Arrillaga Gymnasium & Weight Room, which was just completed in 2009. It's right behind the Maples Pavillion and it houses volleyball and basketball practice courts as well as a varsity weight room. After a short tutorial on some of their equipment, the team loosened up with some ladders, the team lifted and did their normal exercises for about an hour before heading out to one of the turf practice fields to run.
After the lift/run, we returned to our home for the past few days (the Palo Alto Sheraton) for one last time. Unfortunately, they did not have enough rooms for us tonight, so we had to pack up and move hotels. Our flight to Birmingham leaves out of Oakland, so with the help of Panda Travel's Lori Figueroa, we were able to reserve rooms at a hotel near the Oakland Airport to stay tonight. The Sheraton staff was also extremely helpful, trying to find us rooms as well.
Tomorrow will be a loooonng travel day. We will leave the hotel at about 11:00 a.m. and then hop on a flight that will make a brief stop in Phoenix before taking us all the way to Birmingham. We will arrive in Alabama at about 9:15 p.m. and then need to drive the hour or so into Tuscaloosa.
