Rainbows, Coogan sweep past San Jose
By Stacy Kaneshiro
Advertiser Staff Writer
Well, the Western Athletic Conference softball coaches visiting here got what they wanted and now they're paying for it.
Melissa Coogan (25-9) pitched her fourth doubleheader sweep of the season — three in WAC play — to lead the University of Hawai'i over San Jose State, 4-0 and 6-1, last night before 155 at Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium.
The Rainbows (31-16 overall, 12-2 WAC) stretched their win streak to 10 and reduced their magic number to four for clinching their first league championship. In the process, they eliminated the Spartans (21-32, 3-9) from the WAC race. San Jose State has dropped 11 in a row.
"It feels great," said UH designated player April Crowell, who had two RBIs in the doubleheader. "It's about time (that we got hot). We were a little big sluggish at the beginning of the season, but I guess we picked up now. We just really, really want to win a lot."
Hawai'i coach Bob Coolen said WAC coaches whose teams visit here wanted to play doubleheaders with a day's rest in between. But that just played into UH's hand because it will allow Coogan a day to recuperate to return for tomorrow's home season finale doubleheader at 1 p.m.
"That helped us because Coogs (Coogan) has been on a roll," Coolen said. "So she can do that."
Coogan, who had started and won doubleheaders against Tulsa last weekend and Nevada the previous week, fired a two-hitter in the opener. She allowed two walks and had four strikeouts for her 11th shutout of the season.
"I can do it, if I need to," Coogan said of her double duty. "If Coach needs me to pitch the rest of the games, I can do it."
In the nightcap, an unearned run in the fourth inning denied her a shutout. A single and a sacrifice that included an obstruction call against UH put pinch runner Marissa Sandez on third. It appeared Coogan would strand the runner after ground out to third baseman Trisha Ramos froze the runner. But Ramos' fielding error on the next play allowed the run to score.
Coogan scattered five hits and a walk with six strikeouts.
In the opener, the Rainbows did all of their damage against SJSU starter Carol Forbes (15-14) in the fourth inning. Tracie Uchima led off with a double to right-center and one out later, scored when Crowell, the team leader with 31 RBIs entering the night, grounded a single up the middle to drive in the first run of the inning. Stacey Porter followed with a single and after a double steal, led by pinch runner Hannah Butler on the front side, Kate Judd struck out. Ramos drew a walk to load the bases to set up Marie Jackson's chopper over third baseman Veronica Ramos for a two-run single to make it 3-0.
The Rainbows executed another double steal and scored again when catcher Megan Delgado's throw to third was wild, allowing Ramos to score.
In the nightcap, the Rainbows did all of their scoring with three-run outbursts in the second and sixth inning. Porter's 11th home run of the season landed in the tennis courts over center field started the second inning.
The Rainbows added three in the sixth on an RBI double by Crowell and two-run single by Trisha Ramos.
