Rainbow Wahine's season likely over
By Stacy Kaneshiro
Advertiser Staff Writer
It drizzled on Senior Day at Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium. But it was Tulsa that put a damper on what was likely Hawai'i's season finale.
Danielle Olsen's two-out, two-run double in the top of the seventh lifted the Golden Hurricane over the Rainbow Wahine, 4-2, in the opener of a Western Athletic Conference doubleheader yesterday. It sort of made Sheri Oronoz's one-hitter in UH's 3-0 win in the second game seem anticlimatic.
"I swear, we're done," UH coach Bob Coolen said. "We had to outright get second place."
The Golden Hurricane (48-16 overall) and Rainbows (35-25) share second place in the WAC with 15-9 records behind conference champion Fresno State. Hawai'i needed to finish as the undisputed runner-up for a regional berth, Coolen said. The NCAA selections will be made this afternoon.
Tulsa, which was 13-42 a year ago, is hopeful that it might get the call.
"Hawai'i and our ball club have played well enough," Tulsa coach James Pinkerton said. "When you look at both teams and how they played throughout the year, I'd like to think that we still have a shot a postseason."
In yesterday's opener, UH starter Melissa Coogan (12-8) allowed two first-inning runs, but two errors helped the Rainbows score unearned runs in the third and fifth innings to tie the score at 2.
But in the top of the seventh, Brandi McGuire grounded a single to center and was lifted for pinch-runner Holly Reynolds, who took second on pinch-hitter Kyla Malone's sacrifice. After Heather Hiar flied to center, Stacey Walkingstick advanced Reynolds to third with an infield single. Olsen then doubled to make it 2-0.
Ami Day (20-7) allowed two unearned runs on four hits and a walk with three strikeouts in her complete game effort.
In the second game, the Rainbows sent eight batters to the plate in a three-run second inning against Tulsa starter Jenny Magill (20-7), who allowed six hits and two walks.
Stacey Porter opened the second with a double and took third on April Crowell's single to center. After pinch-runner Marie Jackson stole second, Stacey Ritter walked to load the bases. Porter then scored on Tracie Uchima's sacrifice fly to left. On the play, Jackson was caught between second and third. But Denise Dahlberg lined a double to left to score Ritter, and an errant relay throw by third baseman Crissy Strimple allowed Dahlberg to take third, from where she scored on Jennifer Tandarich's line single to left.
Oronoz pitched her second one-hitter of the season and faced the minimum number of batters. Stephanie Sliepen reached safely in the first on second baseman Natalie Gonzales' fielding error but was erased on a double play. Strimple led off the second with a single but was also erased on a double play. After Strimple's single, Oronoz retired the final 17 batters of the game.
"I just wanted to do something special for the seniors," said Oronoz, who had one strikeout.
NOTES: It was the final home games for second baseman Natalie Gonzales, catcher Jennifer Tandarich and left fielder Stacie Hirano. After the game, each player "played" her position with their respective coaches. Tandarich caught a pitch and fired a throw to Gonzales; Gonzales fielded a grounder and threw home to Tandarich; and Hirano shagged a fly ball. Then all three ran the bases. ... The Rainbows displayed aloha to the visiting team's seniors by give them lei. ... Tandarich held out for hope, if not for this year, then the future. "We're always hoping there's a chance," she said. "If we don't make it, we ended on a good note. This is a great group. If we don't do it this year, they'll definitely do it next year."
