Box Score

The University of Hawai`i softball team (12-8) lost to No. 1 Washington in the Bank of Hawaii Invitational's championship game, 8-4, tonight at the Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium. The 'Bows launched a pair of two-run homers, but it wasn't enough as the Huskies (16-1) capitalized on UH's miscues to score seven runs in the fourth inning en route to the win.

 

The game was a polar opposite of the teams' first match up on Saturday night, which the 'Bows lost in a eight-inning heartbreaker, 1-0. Sunday's championship game saw a combined 12 runs with 15 hits between the two squads after combining for just one run and seven hits last night. 

UH's Stephanie Ricketts (4-5) suffered the loss, throwing three-plus innings, giving up five runs on six hits with a walk and a strike out. Kaia Parnaby came in relief and threw the final three innings, givng up three runs on three hits with three walks and five strike outs.

 

The Huskies got on the board in the bottom of the first, getting three consecutive singles to start the game, with Danielle Lawrie driving in Kimi Pohlman  from second with a base hit up the middle for a quick 1-0 lead.

 

The 'Bows—who were the visiting team because they were the lower tourney seed—came back in the very next frame as Alex Aguirre drove a two-run blast over the right-centerfield fence, giving UH a 2-1 lead. Aguirre's home run drove in Jenna Rodriguez, who earlier in the inning hit a hard line-shot right up the middle. Rodriguez would eventually go 2-for-3 at the plate with a double and a run scored to pace UH's offense.

 

The score remained that way until the bottom of the fourth, when UW erupted for seven runs, highlighted by Danielle Lawrie's second RBI single of the game and a two-run home run from Niki Williams. In the inning, the 'Bows committed three errors and the Huskies pounced on the opportunity, to take a commanding 8-1 lead.

 

Dara Pagaduan drove in pinch-runner Tasha Pagdilao with a two-out, two-run home run in the seventh to cut UW's lead in half, but that would be the closest UH would get as Lawrie bore down and got the final strike out to end the game.

 

Lawrie, voted the Most Outstanding Player and Pitcher of the tourney, improved to 12-0 on the season. She tossed a complete game, scattering six hits, giving up four runs on two walks and nine strike outs.

 

UH will continue its month long homestand with a doubleheader starting at 6:00 pm against Troy on Wed., March 10, before beginning the Pepsi Malihini Kipa Aloha Tournament on Friday March 12, featuring DePaul, Loyola Marymount, and Troy.

 

INF - Shawna Wright (Washington)

INF - Hooch Fagaly (Washington)

INF -Morgan Stuart (Washington)

INF -Kaui Tom (ECU)

OF - Marina Gusman-Brown (ECU) 

OF - Kimi Pohlman (Washington)

At-Large - Jessica Amador (Seattle)

 

Most Valuable Player/Pitcher: Danielle Lawrie (Washington)