By Stacy Kaneshiro
Advertiser Staff Writer
With hopes of getting to the top, the Hawai‘i Wahine softball team went under. Down Under, that is.
Fueled through its pipeline to Australia, the Wahine are off to a 6-2 start. And the best is yet to come.
That’s because the Wahine’s strong start came on a road trip to Florida. And without one of their Australian imports.
"Now we’re coming home and we’re adding another player who hasn’t had an at-bat yet, Stacey Porter," UH 10th-year coach Bob Coolen said.
The Wahine make their home debut today at the five-team Chevron Paradise Classic at Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium. Joining them are No. 14 Cal State-Fullerton (5-3), Auburn (6-1), Centenary (1-7) and UC-Santa Barbara (0-2).
Porter’s power is becoming legendary. She popped a homer to the tennis courts outside the softball complex in preseason. In her first at bat. The freshman did not make the road trip because she was late enrolling for classes because of her involvement with her country’s national team.
Her fellow countrywoman has already made an impression.
Freshman pitcher Felicity Witt was 4-0 on the road trip and has yet to give up a run, earned or unearned. In 24 innings, she has allowed eight hits, while walking none and striking out 28.
"Flee (Felicity) is doing her job just awesome," senior center fielder Kristin Anderson said. "She’s only a freshman and has good poise."
Witt said she had heard about how the Australians who preceded her had succeeded at UH.
"With Kelly (Gentle) and Brooke (Wilkins) being here, after hearing their reputations playing here, I wanted to join a part of that," Witt said.
Witt and Porter join sophomore shortstop Kate Judd, who set a team record for single-season homers by a freshman (5) last year.
Coolen said when he recruits Australians, he seeks immediate impact players.
"What I don’t want to do is bring over an international student who’s going to sit the bench and learn the system because they’re already good players," Coolen said.
Porter, Witt and Judd were on Australia’s Junior National Teams.
But the Australians are just part of the team’s success. The Wahine have employed a four-pitcher rotation with much success.
Besides Witt, there are returnees Desiree Duran (2-0, 0.91 ERA), Janelle Gonzales (0-1, 0.58) and Sheri Oronoz (0-1, 3.00). They have accounted for all the innings pitched by the Wahine this season. The team ERA is 0.62.
NOTES: California-Santa Barbara might be the dark cloud of the tournament. The Gauchos have played the fewest games because they had their last five games rained out. And it was raining when they got here this week.
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