Box Score

LAS VEGAS—The University of Hawaii softball team (5-3) fell to No. 10 Georgia Tech, 11-2 in six innings today at the Louisville-Slugger Desert Classic in Las Vegas, Nev. Sophomore pitcher Stephanie Ricketts (2-3) threw just two innings in the loss at the Stephanie Lynn Craig Softball Complex.

 

Hawai`i jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the second inning, on a first-pitch, towering opposite-field home run to left by Amanda Tauali`i. It was her third home run of the season.

 

But in the bottom of the second, the Yellow Jackets erupted for four runs to take the lead. Ricketts was roughed up on back-to-back-to-back home runs. The first, was a two-run shot to rightfield by Kate Kuzma. Kristine Priebe and Caitlin Jordan launched solo shots to right and centerfield respectively.

 

Hawai`i's Jenna Rodriguez then moved from leftfield to pitch in the third, making her first career pitching appearance for the 'Bows. But she was rudely welcomed by the first batter she faced, Kelsi Weseman, who cranked a home run to right-centerfield for GT's fifth run of the game. Rodriguez, however then settled down to get a ground out and a pair of strike outs to end the third inning.

 

The 'Bows cut their deficit to 5-2 in the top of the fourth inning. Rodriguez led off with a double down the leftfield line. Gonzalez followed with a base hit to left, that pushed pinch runner Brynne Buchanan to third. Buchanan then scored on the play on an error on the leftfielder.

 

The Ramblin' Wreck though did not falter, instead they responded by scoring three runs of their own in the bottom of the fourth. Two runs came on a double down the leftfield line by Jordan and later, Jen Yee smacked a single up the middle that drove in pinch-runner Kelly Delashmit from third.

 

Georgia Tech then ended the game in the sixth with the eight-run mercy rule. Jessica Sinclair hit a moon-shot over the left-centerfield fence that drove in three runs and pushed the score to 11-2, thus ending the game. It marked the first time that the 'Bows have been run-ruled this season.

 

Ricketts gave up four runs on three hits with a walk and a strike out in her shortest appearance of the season. Rodriguez in relief threw the final 3.2 innings, giving up seven runs on eight hits with two walks and two strike outs.

 

Georgia Tech's Hope Rush fired a complete game in the win, scattering five hits, yielding two runs with no walks and four strike outs.

 

The loss snapped a four-game win streak for the 'Bows. It also saw their three game streak of scoring 11 runs come to an end. On the brighter side, Hawai`i has now hit at least one home run in each of the past five games.

 

Hawai`i will now have to regroup and come out firing against San Diego at 3:45 p.m. as they continue the Desert Classic tourney.