UH outlasts Northwestern
By Tom Buckley
Special to The Advertiser
AUSTIN, Texas — Maybe it had something to do with the Texas heat — which paid a memorable visit to today's NCAA Softball Regional — but pitchers Melissa Coogan of Hawai'i and Lauren Schwendimann of Northwestern were on fire.
It took a cool senior to end the pitchers' duel.
With two outs in the bottom of the 11th inning, third-baseman
Trisha Ramos banged a single up the middle, scoring Stacey Porter with the game's only run and sending the Rainbow Wahine (39-19) past the second-seeded Wildcats, 1-0. Hawai'i plays Arizona State at 8 a.m. Hawai'i time in an another elimination game today.
Coach Bob Coolen wasn't surprised his team rebounded after a tough opening loss Thursday to LSU, which was eliminated yesterday after losing to Texas and Arizona State.
"That's been our M.O. all year when we travel a long distance," Coolen said. "We have difficulty at first, but once we get settled in, we know we can play well."
With a game-time temperature of 96 degrees, Coogan and Schwendimann hooked up in a scoreless duel for the first 10 innings, each able to repel offensive rallies, often with the help of some stellar defense.
In the top of the seventh, for example, Northwestern had an opportunity when Sheila McCorkle reached first on shortstop Kate Judd's throwing error. Leadoff hitter Erin Mobley, who collected three hits in the game, then hit a hard single off Judd's glove into center, putting runners at first and second with none out.
But Wildcat left-fielder Brett Nakabayashi, attempting to move the runners along, popped up a bunt attempt that Porter snared off her shoestrings, starting an improbable triple play — the third of the season (and in history) for the 'Bows — as both McCorkle and Mobley, thinking the ball had dropped, were easily caught off base.
"That play really energized us," Coolen said. "I called my seniors together and told them we needed them, and fortunately for us Trisha responded."
For the struggling Ramos, the hit couldn't have come at a better time. Twice in the game she struck out to end an inning — once with runners on base.
"I've felt pretty good at the plate," Ramos said, "but I've been having trouble with some pitches, so I was stoked when I hit the ball up the middle. I'd been waiting for that hit."
Coogan threw her second consecutive complete game shutout, going the full 11 innings, allowing nine hits and three walks while striking out one in another outstanding performance.
"The heat didn't get to me as much as the length of the game," Coogan said. "It started to wear on my arm. My ball was slowing down and not moving as much."
In the top of the 11th, Northwestern loaded the bases on three consecutive two-out singles, but Coogan got J.C. Kira on a groundout to short.
With one out in the bottom of the 11th, Porter doubled to left center, then took third on a wild pitch. After Judd struck out, Ramos jumped on the first pitch, delivering the decisive blow.
The win overshadowed an outstanding pitching performance by Schwendimann. The Northwestern senior pitched back-to-back games for the Wildcats in the stifling heat, hurling five-plus innings of scoreless relief in a loss to Southwest Texas State, then returning an hour later to go the distance in the 11-inning contest against Hawai'i.
"I knew Schwendimann would be difficult," Coolen said. "I've seen her pitch, so I expected this kind of game. I give Coogs a lot of credit for carrying us the way she did."
NOTES: If the Rainbow Wahine win this morning's game they will play the winner of the Texas-Southwest Texas State game at 1 p.m. today. ... Melissa Coogan's 11 innings was her longest appearance of the season; she pitched 10 against Tulsa. ... Estee Okumura (Punahou '99) and Aloha Yamaguchi (University High '99) ended their careers at Pacific in an 11-7 elimination loss to Nebraska in the Lincoln, Neb., regional yesterday. Okumura went 3 for 4, including an RBI and Yamaguchi was 2 for 3 with two RBIs against the Cornhuskers. ... Northwestern's J.C. Kira is a 2000 graduate of Honolulu's Saint Francis School.
Northwestern (36-19) 000 000 000 00—0 9 2
Hawai'i (39-19) 000 000 000 01—1 7 1
Lauren Schwendimann and J.C. Kira. Melissa Coogan and Denise Dahlberg. W—Coogan. L—Schwendimann.
Leading hitters: NW—Erin Mobley 3-5; Kristen Amegin 2-3; Robyn Pettinger 2-4. UH—Justina Kahaku 2-3, double; Stacey Porter double.
