ISLE FILE
Lightning stops UH-Nevada softball

Advertiser Staff

Hawai'i's Melissa Coogan pitched just three innings against Nevada when lightening forced last night's doubleheader to be postponed. Eugene Tanner • The Honolulu Advertiser

The teams will pick up where they left off today at 5 p.m. at Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium. Denise Dahlberg will be batting for UH with two outs in the third inning. Runners will be on first and second in the scoreless first game.

It was the first time lightening had stopped a softball game in Manoa. The program is in its 19th season. Nevada is in its first season back after a 13-year absence.

Rain started three minutes into the first game last night. The players were taken off the field seven minutes later when thunder rolled through and umpires saw lightning. NCAA Softball Guidelines require a 30-minute delay when there is lightening.

The game began again 10 minutes later because the crew was not clear on the rule. The teams made it to the bottom of the third when lightning flashed again. After the 30-minute break, Nevada starter Candice Rainwater retired her eighth consecutive Rainbow Wahine, then gave up singles to Justina Kahaku and leadoff batter Tracie Uchima.

The teams play another doubleheader tomorrow at 1 p.m.

SHORT HOPS: The NCAA Softball Championship has expanded to 64 teams this year. The champion of the six-team WAC gets an automatic berth this season, but not next. ...Hawai'i closes its home season with WAC series against Tulsa next Thursday and Saturday and San Jose State April 24 and 26. ... The Rainbow Wahine will be on TV (KFVE) the next two Thursdays.

MORE SOFTBALL

HPU sweeps BYUH: The Hawai'i Pacific women's softball team swept a non-conference doubleheader from Brigham Young-Hawai'i, 3-1 and 4-2, yesterday at HPU Windward Field.

In the first game, Tascha Berinobis and Jamie Reyes each drove in a run in support of winning pitcher Malia Sullivan. Sullivan allowed one unearned run in her complete-game, three-hitter.

In the second game, Holly Garcia batted 3-for-3 and drove in two runs, and Berinobis added two hits for the Sea Warriors. Mallory Anderson pitched a complete game and allowed one earned run on six hits and one walk.

The Sea Warriors improved to 23-19. The Seasiders dropped to 20-24.

COLLEGE TENNIS

BYUH men, women sweep: The top-seeded Brigham Young-Hawai'i men's and women's tennis teams each swept first-round matches in the Pacific West Conference Championships yesterday in Billings, Mont.

The Seasider men and women posted 5-0 and 6-0 victories, respectively, over sixth-seeded Western New Mexico. The Lady Seasiders are the defending PacWest champions.

In other men's matches, second-seed and defending conference champion Hawai'i Pacific defeated fifth-seed Chaminade, 6-0, while third-seed Hawai'i-Hilo defeated fourth-seed Montana State-Billings, 5-0.

For the women, second-seed Hawai'i Pacific defeated fifth-seed Chaminade, 5-0, while third-seed Hawai'i-Hilo defeated fourth-seed Montana State-Billings, 5-0.

The winners of the PacWest tournament earn automatic berths to the NCAA II Regional Championships next month.

The men's tournament continues today at Rose Park with the following schedule: Hawai'i Pacific vs. Hawai'i-Hilo, 5 a.m. (HST); Brigham Young-Hawai'i vs. Montana State-Billings, 8 a.m.; Chaminade vs. Western New Mexico, 11:30 a.m.

The women's tournament continues today on the Montana State-Billings campus with the following schedule: Chaminade vs. Western New Mexico, 5 a.m.; Hawai'i Pacific vs. Hawai'i-Hilo, 8 a.m.; Brigham Young-Hawai'i vs. Montana State-Billings, 11:30 a.m.

WATER POLO

UH moves up: The University of Hawai'i rose to No. 7 in the national rankings this week after upsetting San Diego State. The Aztecs, No. 6 last week, are now No. 8 in the Collegiate Coaches' Top 20.

The Rainbow Wahine play their final regular-season matches on the road, at Santa Clara today, ninth-ranked San Jose State tomorrow and third-ranked Stanford Sunday. The Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Championships are April 25-27.

The first match on this trip is non-conference. UH (8-11) and SJSU (13-10) are tied for seventh in the MPSF at 3-5. Stanford (14-2) is second at 6-1, behind second-ranked Southern California at 8-1.