Rainbow Wahine's NCAA run ends
By Tom Buckley
Special to The Advertiser
AUSTIN, Texas — They may be one of the the best unranked teams in the country, but the Rainbow Wahine's magical run through the NCAA Regional came to an end last night, 2-1, at the hands of another unranked team, Southwest Texas State.
In the end, mistakes cost Hawai'i a chance to play in the championship game today against Texas.
Uncharacteristically, the 'Bows committed three errors, were called for defensive interference on one of the game's key plays, and committed a baserunning misstep that cost them a shot at a tie.
"We gave it a good effort," coach Bob Coolen said, "but we made more mistakes than they did, and that's why they were on top."
Hawai'i again rode the arm of Melissa Coogan, who pitched a splendid ballgame despite logging 11 innings Friday night in the victory over Northwestern, and another seven innings earlier yesterday in a 4-2 win over Arizona State.
Coogan, who admitted pitching with a sore arm, allowed just three hits in the game while walking one and striking out five. Both runs charged to her were unearned.
In the first inning, the Bobcats scored with the help of two Rainbow errors. Asheley Koop reached on a bunt single to third with one out, then was safe at second on a botched fielder's choice when Noelle Izumi muffed the flip from Kate Judd on a routine grounder to shortstop.
A fly to deep right advanced the runners to second and third, but an attempted pickoff at third by Denise Dahlberg hit Koop and bounded away from Rainbow third baseman Trisha Ramos, allowing Koop to score.
The 'Bows came out swinging in the bottom half of the first, sporting a new lineup that was tweaked by Coolen for the first time since Western Athletic Conference play began.
"I wanted to give some of our hitters who were struggling a chance to see some different pitches today," Coolen said, "and to get a different feel."
Tracie Uchima led off by lining a single down the first-base line that struck the umpire and may have prevented her from extra bases. After a successful sacrifice by Izumi, April Crowell hit a drive to right that advanced Uchima to third. Stacey Porter then smacked the first pitch off the right-field wall for a double, scoring Uchima.
The game remained tied until the third, when Southwest Texas' Kris Zaleski drove a fly ball over the head of leftfielder Justina Kahaku. As Zaleski rounded second, heading for third, she collided with Izumi and was granted third for defensive interference. She then scored on Koop's single.
Hawai'i seemed poised to come back in the bottom of the third, when Kahaku slapped a single to right, and Uchima reached first when her bunt was fumbled by pitcher Nicole Neuerburg.
Izumi's sacrifice moved the runners up, then Crowell lifted a fly ball to center that might have been long enough to score Kahaku. But Kahaku positioned herself curiously as she prepared to tag, placing her foot in back of the bag rather than in front of it, so Coolen elected not to send her. It proved costly, as Zaleski's throw from center was high and off-line.
"I'm not sure what happened with her footing," Coolen said. "Normally in that situation, I send the runner, but given the way she'd set, I couldn't put her in that position, especially with Porter coming up." The Bobcats elected to intentionally walk Porter, then Neuerburg struck out Ramos for the third out.
"We consistently had the right runners on base with the right batters coming up," Coolen said. "But we just couldn't get the timely hits."
At the post-game press conference, Coolen brought with him the three players he's losing: shortstop Judd and third baseman Ramos — both seniors — and first baseman Porter, who will be joining the Australian Olympic team.
"I guess I need a new infield," Coolen joked, adding, "This was the end of a good season."
• Hawai'i 4, Arizona State 2: Coogan pitched her third consecutive complete game victory, and the Rainbow Wahine scored three first-inning runs to eliminate the Sun Devils.
After being held scoreless until the eleventh inning against Northwestern on Friday, the 'Bows came out swinging against Wildcat pitcher Ashley Werschky.
In the top of the first, ASU went on top, 1-0, when shortstop Kara Brun singled home Jennifer Forner, who had doubled.
"I told my teammates after that inning," Coogan said, "that I didn't have my best game, and that they needed to get me some runs."
It didn't take long. Uchima singled up the middle, and, with one out, Crowell singled through the left side, putting runners at first and second for Porter. On a 2-2 pitch, Porter sent a drive to deep right that hit the upper part of the foul pole and caromed back into play for a double, scoring Uchima.
Then, with two outs, Marie Jackson delivered a clutch, two-run single through the right side, putting Hawai'i up 3-1 — a lead it would never relinquish.
Arizona State (32-25) 100 100 0—2 7 3
Hawai'i (40-19) 300 100 X—4 9 0
Ashley Werschky, Desiree Serrano (4) and Adriana Garcia. Melissa Coogan and Denise Dahlberg. W—Coogan. L—Werschky.
Leading hitters: ASU—Phelan Wright 2-3; Garcia double; Jennifer Forner double. UH—Stacey Porter 2-3, double; Kate Judd 2-3, double; Dahlberg triple; Marie Jackson 2 RBIs.
Southwest Texas (46-17-1) 101 000 0—2 3 2
Hawai'i (40-20) 100 000 0—1 4 3
Nicole Neuerburg and Ryan Stukel. Melissa Coogan and Denise Dahlberg. W—Neuerburg. L—Coogan.
Leading hitters: SWT—Ashley Koop 2-3; Kristen Zaleski double. UH—Stacey Porter double.
