LAS CRUCES, N.M.—The University of Hawai'i softball team (27-11, 5-0 WAC) launched a total of eight home runs in tonight's two Western Athletic Conference games and held off hard-hitting New Mexico State (17-15, WAC 0-5) to sweep the series' opening doubleheader, 9-8 and 14-3. UH's Stephanie Ricketts and Kaia Parnaby both earned complete game wins, while Katie Grimes led the home run barrage with three homers tonight at the NMSU Softball Complex.

Hawai'i 9, New Mexico State 8
Box Score
The Rainbow Wahine hit four home runs and held off the high-octane, opportunistic New Mexico State team to capture the series' opener, 9-8. Grimes, Jessica Iwata#, #Jenna Rodriguez#, and #Kelly Majam all hit homers, while Ricketts (12-6, WAC 3-0) earned a complete game win. Ricketts gave up eight runs—five earned—on nine hits with six walks and two strike outs in seven innings of work.

The 'Bows jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the top of the third. Two of the runs came off of a home run to centerfield by Grimes. The homer drove in Traci Yoshikawa, who started the inning by getting hit by a pitch. Later with two outs, Iwata drilled a double down the leftfield line and eventually scored on an RBI single to center by Melissa Gonzalez. Grimes came up clutch again in the fourth when she knocked in UH's fourth run of the game on an RBI single to center that scored Alex Aguirre, who had walked earlier in the inning.

The Aggies cut UH's lead to 4-2 in the bottom of the frame. NMSU's Hoku Nohara and Tiare Jennings both drew walks and Brittany Clifton cleared the bases with a double.

Hawai'i responded in the top of the fifth by scoring three runs. Iwata led the inning with a drive that sailed over the left-centerfield fence. It was her sixth home run of the season. Gonzalez kept things going with a single to center, and after an infield pop-up, UH's Rodriguez drove in pinch-runner, Brynne Buchanan, with her fifth homer of the season, extending their lead to 7-2.

NMSU battled back in the bottom of the fifth, cutting into the 'Bows lead again. Kylie Randall and Kandis Jones started the inning with back-to-back singles. Both came home on Nohara's three-run home run that decreased the Aggies' deficit to 7-5.

The 'Bows' got two of the runs back in the top of the sixth on Majam's 19th home run of the season. Majam's opposite-field drive, scored Kanani Pu'u-Warren, who was hit by a pitch earlier in the inning, giving UH a 9-5 lead. The home run tied Majam with former UH All-American, Kate Robinson, for second all-time in the UH single-season record book. It also extended her current hitting streak to 12 games.

The Aggies' didn't back down, instead they erupted for three unearned runs in the bottom of the sixth. Lauren Morizi led off with a single through the right-side of the infield and moved to second on a walk to Teresa Conrad. After a strike out, Jones hit a grounder to first, but a fielding error allowed both Morizi and Conrad to score. Ashley Maroda then came through with a single to centerfield to drive in Jones. Ricketts then got a pair of fly outs to right to end the inning, clinging to a 9-8 lead.

But in the seventh, both teams were held off the scoreboard in quick innings, preserving Hawai`i's 9-8 win.

It marked the sixth time this season that the 'Bows have hit at least four home runs in a game. The season record is five at UNLV on Feb. 19. Hawai`i has now hit 71 home runs as a team through the first 37 games. The school's record of 84 was set in 2007.

The Aggies' Carissa Theis (5-5) suffered the loss, giving up nine runs on eight hits through 5.1 innings. She had three walks and three strike outs. Alex Newman and Torrey Schroeder combined to throw the final 1.2 innings of the game, without allowing a runner to reach first, with Schroeder string out two batters in the seventh.

 

Box Score

The Rainbow Wahine captured the second half of tonight's doubleheader with a 14-3 win over the Aggies. The 'Bows hit four home runs for the second straight game and for the seventh time this season. Amanda Tauali'i and Yoshikawa both hit one a piece, while Grimes hit a career-high, two in the game. UH also tallied a team season-high 19 hits in the game.

Hawai'i's starter, Parnaby (14-5, WAC 2-0) tossed a complete game, scattering eight hits and giving up three runs. It was her 14th complete game of the season. Parnaby walked one and fanned 11 Aggies—one short of her career-high.

The 'Bows got off to a fast start, posting four runs in the top of the second. Aguirre led the inning off with a single to right-centerfield. Yoshikawa then executed a sacrifice bunt to push Aguirre to second base. Pu'u-Warren was then hit by a pitch and Amanda Tauali'i followed with a three-run blast over the centerfield fence. Grimes then hit her second home run of the day to push UH's lead to 4-0.

Hawa'i added a run in the top of the third on Tauali'i's fourth RBI of the game with single to short that allowed Aguirre to score from third. UH led 5-0 going into the bottom of the third inning.

NMSU answered right back, scoring a run on an RBI single by K Jones that drove in Teresa Conrad, cutting UH's lead to 5-1.

The 'Bows got the run back in the top of the fourth, to go up, 6-1. Jessica Iwata started the inning and the rally with a single to left. After a pop-up to short, Jenna Rodriguez got a single through the leftside of the infield to put runners at first and second. Another pop up to short gave UH two outs, but Traci Yoshikawa came through with a single to left to score Iwata from second.

The Aggies' responded by scoring two runs of their own on a pair of solo home runs by Nohara and Conrad in the bottom of the fourth.

Hawai'i countered by bringing nine batters to the plate and scoring two runs in the fifth. Majam crossed the plate on an RBI single by Rodriguez and later, Iwata scored on a wild pitch to push UH's lead to 8-3.

Tauali'i started another UH rally in the top of the sixth with an opposite-field double to left. After an NMSU pitching change, Grimes reached first on an error on the second baseman that allowed Tauali'i to advance to third. A pop-up to short gave the 'Bows two outs, but the inning continued on another error on a ground ball to the third baseman that scored Tauali'i. Later, with the bases loaded, Rodriguez drew a walk that forced Majam home, increasing UH's lead to 10-3.

The 'Bows then blasted two more home runs in the top of the seventh. Yoshikawa led the inning off with a homer over the left-centerfield fence. Two batters later, Tauali'i laced a double to the right-centerfield gap and then Grimes hit her second home run of the game and third of the day to centerfield. It was Grimes' seventh round-tripper of the season. After a ground out to short, the 'Bows continued their scoring with a two out rally. Iwata doubled to left-center and advanced to third on a Gonzalez single. With runners at the corners, Rodriguez ripped a double down the leftfield line to score Iwata and push UH's lead to 14-3.

New Mexico State went through five pitchers in the game. Torrey Schroeder (6-5) took the loss, giving up five runs on five hits with two walks and a strike out. A. Newman also threw two innings, giving up one run on five hits with a strike out. S. Byrne got an out for the Aggies, giving up two runs on one hit with a walk. Williard gave up two runs on two hits in 1.1 innings, and Schueler closed the game, giving up four runs on six hits.

Tauali'i, who dropped in the line-up in today's second game, led the 'Bows at the plate, going 5-for-5 with a home run, two doubles, four RBI, and three runs scored. The five hits was a career high for Tauali'i. Yoshikawa was 3-for-4 with a home run and two RBI, Rodriguez was 3-for-5 with a double and tied a career-high with three RBI, and Iwata went 3-for-6 with a double and three runs scored.

Hawai'i and New Mexico State conclude their three-game series tomorrow with a single game starting at 2:00 p.m. (MST).