Posted on: Friday, February 4, 2005

Rainbows rout IPFW in season opener

By Kyle Sakamoto
Advertiser Staff Writer

University of Hawai'i softball coach Bob Coolen uses the word "aggressive" and the phrase "put pressure on the other team" when describing the style of this year's squad.

Senior pitcher Melissa Coogan and freshman first baseman Kate Robinson put the philosophy to good use in an 8-0 victory over Indiana-Purdue Fort Wayne (0-2) last night in the Hawai'i Paradise Classic at Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium.

Coogan pitched a three-hitter and Robinson batted 2 for 3 with two RBIs in a game shortened to five innings because of the tournament's eight-run mercy rule.

Coogan walked one, struck out five and 40 of her 55 pitches were strikes.

"I was keeping it down, inside and out," she said. "We were staying away from the high pitches."

Coogan allowed only one runner to reach third base and that came after a single and two-base fielding error by the left fielder in the fourth.

"Coogs was really excited about opening up the season after last year's real down year for her — she only had 11 wins," Coolen said.

With one out in the fourth, Hawai'i's Jennifer Hackett and Kristi Yoshizawa hit consecutive singles.

Then came a classic battle between IPFW freshman starter Jenna Connelly and Robinson.

Connelly got ahead 0-2, but Robinson worked the count to 3-2 before lining a two-run double to right center on the 10th pitch of the at-bat. (On the ninth pitch the Rainbows executed a double steal)

"I just kept swinging because I didn't want a pitch to go by and end up being a strike," said Robinson, who fouled off five pitches in the at-bat.

"I'm not going up there to walk; nobody likes to walk. Hitting is fun."

Later in the inning, leadoff hitter Tracie Uchima singled in Robinson and Tara Harbert, who reached on a walk, to put Hawai'i (1-0) up 6-0.

A solo homer to left by Ashley Ruff and RBI single by Noelle Izumi in the fifth ended the game.

Hawai'i went up 1-0 in the first when the Mastodons' left fielder dropped a pair of flyballs to lead off the game.

"I'm happy we're putting the ball in play," said Coolen, whose team stole five bases. "We have to manufacture runs, we're not the type of team that's going to put the ball over the fence a lot."

The same player dropped another flyball in the second, which led to another run, and headed immediately to the bench.

"I'm not making excuses, this is the first time we've been outdoors," said IPFW coach Keith Fisher, who added his team has been practicing indoors while the weather back home improves.

Reach Kyle Sakamoto at ksakamoto@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8041.