HONOLULU—The Univesity of Hawai`i softball team swept Chaminade in a pair of exhibition games, 11-0 and 16-0 on Saturday night at Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium. Junior pitcher Stephanie Ricketts and sophomore pitcher Kaia Parnaby earned the wins while the UH offense pounded out 29 hits in the two games. 

In the first game, Ricketts combined with senior Jenna Rodriguez blanked the Silverswords with a one-hitter, while in the second game, Parnaby joined forces with Makani Duhaylonsod-Kaleimamahu for a four-hit shut-out.

 
On offense in the two games combined, Sarah Robinson led UH going 5-for-5 with a double, a home run, four runs scored, and three RBI. Duhaylonsod-Kaleimamahu also had a strong day, hitting 5-for-6 with a home run and five RBI. In all, six different Rainbow Wahine launched home runs on the day, including  Sharla Kleibenstein, Kelly Majam, Mikalemi Tagab-Cruz, and Jocelyn Enrique.

 

The Rainbow Wahine scored in every inning but the fifth, defeating Chaminade 11-0 in the first game of today's doubleheader. Junior pitcher Ricketts and senior Rodriguez combined for a one-hit shut out and faced just one batter over the minimum. Ricketts fired 5.1 innings giving up just one hit with no walks and seven strike outs. Rodriguez closed the game, tossing the final 1.2 innings. She did not allow a hit with no walks and a strike out.

 

The 'Bows posted two runs in the bottom of the first inning. Majam led the home-half with a walk and moved to second on a stolen base. After a strike out, Melissa Gonzalez drilled a single up the middle to score Majam from second. On the play, Gonzalez advanced to third on an errant throw home. Rodriguez followed with a sacrifice fly to center to score Gonzalez for an early 2-0 lead.

 

In the second inning, Kliebenstein led off with a solo home run over the centerfield fence. After two outs, Majam drew another walk and Jessica Iwata followed with a single to rightfield. On the play, Majam hustled to third and Iwata advanced to second on the throw to third. Gonzalez then hit a single deep in the hole at short to score Majam from third. UH then executed a double steal with runners at the corners to score Iwata from third.

 

In the third, Jazmine Zamora got a single up the middle with one out. Zamora then stole second and advanced to third on a foul fly to left. Duhaylonsod-Kaleimamahu then hit a single through the left side of infield to score Zamora.

 

Majam tallied her third walk of the game to start the fourth. Rachel Paragas entered as a pinch runner for Majam at first. Iwata singled to center and then pinch-hitter Robinson laced a double off the leftfield fence, scoring Paragas. Later, Alex Aguirre hit a sacrifice fly to rightfield, scoring Iwata. Zamora kept things going, reaching on a fielding error by the second baseman that allowed Robinson to extend UH's lead to 9-0 after four innings.

 

Hawai`i tacked on two more runs in the bottom of the sixth. Robinson started things off with a single through the center of the infield. Next, Rodriguez hit a single through the hole at short. Brynne Buchanan then laid down a bunt single to third that moved both runners up. But on the play, the throw from third to first was wild and bounced into rightfield, allowing Rodriguez to score and leaving runners at the corners. Buchanan scooted to second on a wild pitch. Zamora walked to load the bases, and later Tagab-Cruz walked to force Buchanan across the plate for UH's 11th run.

For Chaminade, Kelly Korras threw five innings, giving up nine runs on 11 hits with three walks and two strike outs. Tanisha Amiya finished the game, throwing one inning, giving up two runs on three hits.

 

 

The Rainbow Wahine offense was bolstered by five home runs, one each by Majam, Duhaylonsod-Kaleimamahu, Robinson, Enrique and Tagab-Cruz. In all UH hit seven extra-base hits with Tara Anguiano hitting a double and Kaile Nakao hustling for a triple.

 

Sophomore pitcher Parnaby and Duhaylonsod-Kaleimamahu combined for a four-hit shut-out over Chaminade. Parnaby tossed the first five innings allowing just two hits with no walks and five strike outs. Duhaylonsod-Kaleimamahu fired the last two innings, giving up just two hits with two strike outs.

 

Majam led the bottom of the first off with a towering home run over the rightfield fence. After a ground out to short, Gonzalez reached first on a fielding error on the shortstop. Rodriguez then grounded into a fielder's choice to second, forcing Gonzalez out at two. Aguirre followed with a single to left, but on the play fielding error on the leftfielder allowed Rodriguez to hustle all the way home and left Aguirre on second. Aguirre moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on a single by Duhaylonsod-Kaleimamahu to give UH a 3-0 lead after one inning.

 

Robinson led the second inning off with a home run over the centerfield fence. Ashley Smith then singled through the leftside of the infield and then promptly stole second. Majam walked on four straight pitches. A pop-out to third and a ground out to first left runners at second and third for Rodriguez who singled to rightfield, allowing both runners to score. Later, pinch runner Buchanan scored on a single down the leftfield line by Duhaylonsod-Kaleimamahu to push Hawai`i's lead to 7-0.

 

The 'Bows posted one run in the third. Nakao led off with a triple past the leftfielder and later scored on an RBI single by Robinson to give UH an 8-0 lead after three innings.

 

In the fifth, Buchanan started a rally with a single up the middle and later came home on a home run by Duhaylonsod-Kaleimamahu.

 

Hawai`i added three more runs in the fifth. Robinson got her third hit of the game to start the inning off. Enrique followed with a single down the leftfield line. Tagab-Cruz reached on a fielder's choice to second to shortstop leaving runners at the corners. Tagab-Cruz then stole second and Tara Anguiano doubled down the leftfield line to score both Robinson and Tagab-Cruz. Later Buchanan drove in Anguiano from third on an RBI opposite-field single to left, giving UH a 13-0 lead.

 

The sixth inning was highlighted by back-to-back home runs by Jocelyn Enrique and Tagab-Cruz. Enrique's was a two-run shot launched high into the netting beyond the leftfield fence that drove in Paragas who had earlier reached on an error. Tagab-Cruz powered her homer over the WAC Champions signs in leftfield.

 

For Chaminade, Chelsi Walls took the loss, throwing four innings. She gave up 10 runs on 12 hits with a walk and a strike out. Tanisha Amiya threw one inning in relief, giving up three runs on four hits, and Kelly Korras tossed the final frame, giving up three runs on two hits.

 

Next up for the Rainbow Wahine is their annual Alumnae Game this coming Friday, Nov. 12, 2010 at 5:00 p.m. After the game, the 2010 Hawai`i softball team will be honored with their WAC Championship bracelets at half-time of the UH men's basketball game. 


                                                                                                                                                             -UH-