Box Score

LAS VEGAS—The University of Hawai'i softball team (5-2) drilled five home runs to power past UNLV in five innings, 11-0 in their second game of the Louisville-Slugger Desert Classic at the Rebels' Eller Media Stadium. Melissa Gonzalez and Alex Aguirre hit two homers a piece while freshman pitcher Kaia Parnaby fired her second complete-game shut-out of the season to snap UNLV's six game win streak.

 

Parnaby (3-0) scattered four hits with three walks and seven strike outs in five innings pitched. Although UNLV (6-2) was able to get their lead-off batter on base to start every inning, Parnaby and the UH defense, were able to settle down and hold the Rebels off the scoreboard and stranding all seven runners.

 

The Rainbow Wahine posted at least one run in every inning except the second. Hawaii's home run total tonight was the most since a five home run barrage in 14-2 win at Utah State on Apr. 28, 2007. The single-game team record for home runs is six. The record was set twice in 2007—at Loyola Marymount on Feb. 21 in a 14-1 win and in the series opening win against Fresno State, 18-2, in Honolulu.

 

The 'Bows struck first, posting two quick runs in the top of the first inning. Kelly Majam led the game off with a single to the left-center gap. Then, after a strike out, Gonzalez drilled her first home run of the game over the left-centerfield fence.

 

Hawai'i extended their lead to 5-0 in the top of the third. Gonzalez led the inning off with a second-pitch home run to left. She now has three home runs this season and five in her UH career. After a pair of pop-ups, freshman Jessica Iwata got her first collegiate hit—a double to rightfield. Aguirre then blasted the second home run of the inning, also to leftfield to pad UH's lead.

 

Katie Grimes started the fourth inning with a double to left and Majam follwed by driving home pinch-runner, Rachel Paragas, with a single to right to extend UH's lead to 6-0.

 

But in the fifth, UH put the game away. Aguirre started the rally with her second homer of the game to left. The blast was her third of the season and career. Traci Yoshikawa kept things going with a single to center and Katie Grimes drew a walk to put runners at first and second. Majam, who went 4-for-4 on the day, then got her second RBI of the game on a rightfield single that drove in a sprinting Yoshikawa from second. Jenna Rodriguez followed with a three-run bomb to left for UH's fifth and final home run of the game.

 

UNLV's starter, Stephanie Bregante (1-1), suffered the loss, giving up all 11 runs on 13 hits with four walks and three strike outs. Relief pitcher Traci Odegard got the final two outs in the fifth. She face just two batters and got a ground out and a swinging strike out to end the fifth.

 

The 'Bows play two games tomorrow as they continue the Louisville-Slugger Desert Classic. First, UH will battle No. 10 Georgia Tech at 11:15 a.m. and then at 3:45 p.m., San Diego.


                                                                                                                            -UH-