Posted on: Friday, March 19, 2004

Hawai'i beats Utah in tourney, 9-3

By Stacy Kaneshiro
Advertiser Staff Writer

Freshman Tyleen Tausaga and junior Stacey Ritter combined to drive in seven runs to lead Hawai'i over Utah, 9-3, last night in the Hawai'i Invitational softball tournament.

An estimated crowd of 130 at Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium saw the Rainbows (1-0 in the tournament, 16-14 overall) get 12 hits against the Utes (0-2, 7-17).

Tausaga, who entered the game with a team-leading 20 RBIs, had two RBI singles and a two-run double, while Ritter had a two-run home run and RBI double.

"I love Tyleen," winning pitcher Shannon Tabion said. "She always comes through."

Tausaga, a first baseman, grounded an RBI single in the first for the first run of the game (UH was designated the visitor by coin toss). UH added a run later in the inning on an error. But a solo home run by Glennis Donnelly in the first and another by Devina Quintero in the second tied the game.

Tausaga's RBI single in the third gave UH a lead it would not relinquish. Ritter made sure of it by following with a two-run home run to left-center.

"I'm happy every time I can get a hit," Tausaga said.

Tabion (11-3) allowed three runs on four hits and two walks with eight strikeouts. Except for the home runs, she retired all the other batters through the first six innings.

"The first inning, I was so nervous," Tabion said. "After the third inning, I was more aggressive (with my pitches)."

She struggled in the seventh when she allowed a run on two hits and two walks.

The Rainbows got a break in the bottom of the first against Utah starter Brianna Gourdin. Because of the twilight start, the sun was setting into the first-base area, where first baseman Ivette Hernandez ducked at a perfect throw from third baseman Melissa Stahnkey, allowing Denise Dahlberg to reach second on an error charged to Hernandez. Tausaga singled in Dahlberg and took second on the throw home. She then took third when Ritter reached on an error and scored when catcher Kate Nygaard dropped a throw to home.

But after that, the Rainbows earned their runs with a three-run third and four-run fourth.

Gourdin (0-5) was charged with nine runs — seven earned — in 3á innings.

Donnelly batted 2 for 3 against UH, and was 3 for 3 with a double and home run in an 8-3 loss to California earlier in the day.

Today, Hawai'i will play Tokyo W.C.P.E at 5 p.m. and Northwestern at 7 p.m.

Reach Stacy Kaneshiro at skaneshiro@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8042.