WAHINE SOFTBALL
UH softball gets NCAA berth
By Stephen Tsai
HawaiiWarriorBeat.com Editor
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On Mother's Day, the University of Hawai'i softball team pulled off the mother of all upsets, receiving a berth in the 64-team NCAA Regionals yesterday.
"I thought it was a done deal — that we were done," said UH coach Bob Coolen, who was convinced the Rainbow Wahine's season ended with Friday's 2-1 loss to Nevada in the semifinals of the Western Athletic Conference Tournament. "I'm surprised. I thought we were dead."
Instead, the Rainbows are off to the Arizona State-hosted Regional in Tempe. They open against Mississippi State Friday in the double-elimination tournament.
For the Rainbows to earn an improbable bid, four of the seven WAC teams needed to be invited and the NCAA had to reverse a long history of scorning UH women's teams.
"In our house," said Nanci Coolen, the head coach's wife, "NCAA stands for 'Not Chosen As Always.' "
But it was Nanci Coolen who had the deepest faith. A skilled Internet surfer, she knew the Rainbows were ranked No. 39 in a widely used power-ratings index, and that the margin was one run in each of their last six losses.
"Call it mother's intuition," she said, laughing. "I'm the only one in the house who believed. I mean, come on, are you kidding me? They had a great season and played a great WAC tournament."
But Bob Coolen had been conned too often by bait-and-switch hopefulness.
The Rainbows finished third in the WAC's regular season. Louisiana Tech, the No. 4 seed, defeated Nevada to win the WAC tournament and accompanying automatic NCAA Regional berth.
If the NCAA invited three WAC teams — a big if — then surely regular-season champion Nevada and second-place Fresno State would fill the dance card.
What's more, the Rainbows were reduced to a one-starting-pitcher team. With Courtney Baughman out for the rest of the season because of a shoulder injury, Kate Robinson remained as the only true starting pitcher. She started UH's four games in the WAC tournament.
But Nanci noted that many of the nation's top teams had only one reliable starter.
She urged her husband to go to East Side Grill, where the team was to gather to watch the telecast of the NCAA selection show.
Coolen, who had been in a funk since Friday's loss, wanted to stay home. He already was planning the exit interviews for his players.
After Friday's loss, Coolen recalled, "I went home, sat down and commiserated with myself. I left my family at the field. I went home and sat there for an hour by myself, just rehashing the whole season — what could have been, what might have been, what if this happened."
Nanci told her husband: "You're going to go down to East Side Grill and do your job. You're not going to stay home. You're going to go down there and cry with them or go down there and celebrate with them. You'll regret it if you're not there."
Coolen went to the University Avenue restaurant to join his players.
There was an uneasy moment when the Louisiana Tech team entered the restaurant. The Rainbows offered their congratulations.
As the show went on, Coolen's mood turned mournful.
"When they shipped Long Beach State (of the Big West) to somewhere in the Midwest, that right there, I was like, 'I don't know who they're covering on the West Coast,' " Coolen recalled.
Coolen was fixated on an upper bracket on the television screen when a thunderous roar resonated in the restaurant. UH had been invited as the fourth WAC team.
"That's amazing," Coolen said. "Four teams out of the WAC. I had no idea. There are a lot of people to thank. The seniors gained a lot of respect. Kate Robinson's name alone has given us a lot of respect. I think the WAC stepped it up this year. That showed with our No. 8 conference (rating). A lot of teams stepped up. Four teams out of the WAC is unprecedented."
And then Coolen thanked the one who believed the most.
"She knew," Coolen said of his wife. "She was high-fiving and going crazy. This is exciting for her."
Nanci said: "This was a great Mother's Day. It was the icing on the cake for a perfect day. I'm so happy for the players. They worked so hard."
Indeed, the Rainbows had to overcome the loss of two of last year's leaders — Tyleen Tausaga and Alana Power — both of whom completed their eligibility.
Then during a recruiting trip to Australia in January, Coolen visited Justine Smethurst, the Rainbows' ace pitcher in 2006 and 2007. It was then, a month before the start of the season, Smethurst said she would remain in Australia for the semester to play for her country's national team.
"Losing that pitcher to the Australian team, and then losing a second pitcher recently, they never gave up," athletic director Jim Donovan said. "They're fighters. It's great to see their hard work paid off. We're all proud of them."
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| NCAA SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT
All Hawai'i Times
Double Elimination
Gainesville Regional
At The Florida Softball Stadium
Amherst Regional
At UMass Softball Complex
Amherst, Mass.
Friday, May 16
Game 1 — Lehigh (38-15-1) vs. Stanford (46-12), 8:30 a.m.
Game 2 — Princeton (25-22) vs. Massachusetts (36-11), 11 a.m.
Saturday, May 17
Game 3 — Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, TBA
Game 4 — Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, TBA
Game 5 — Game 3 loser vs. Game 4 winner, TBA
Sunday, May 18
Game 6 — Game 3 winner vs. Game 5 winner, TBA
Game 7 — Game 3 winner vs. Game 5 winner, TBA, if necessary
Hempstead Regional
At Hofstra Softball Stadium
Hempstead, N.Y.
Friday, May 16
Game 1 — Arizona (36-16) vs. Canisius (38-12), 6 a.m.
Game 2 — Long Island U. (34-15) vs. Hofstra (43-11), 8:30 a.m.
Saturday, May 17
Game 3 — Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, TBA
Game 4 — Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, TBA
Game 5 — Game 3 loser vs. Game 4 winner, TBA
Sunday, May 18
Game 6 — Game 3 winner vs. Game 5 winner, TBA
Game 7 — Game 3 winner vs. Game 5 winner, TBA, if necessary
Chapel Hill Regional
At Anderson Stadium
Chapel Hill, N.C.
Thursday, May 15
Game 1 — Georgia (43-22) vs. Campbell (41-23), TBA
Game 2 — Brigham Young (42-18) vs. North Carolina (50-10-1), TBA
Friday, May 16
Game 3 — Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, TBA
Game 4 — Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, TBA
Game 5 — Game 3 loser vs. Game 4 winner, TBA
Saturday, May 17
Game 6 — Game 3 winner vs. Game 5 winner, TBA
Game 7 — Game 3 winner vs. Game 5 winner, TBA, if necessary
Knoxville Regional
At Tyson Park
Knoxville, Tenn.
Friday, May 16
Game 1 — Louisville (30-21) vs. Virginia Tech (44-15), TBA
Game 2 — Winthrop (36-17) vs. Tennessee (47-14), TBA
Saturday, May 17
Game 3 — Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, TBA
Game 4 — Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, TBA
Game 5 — Game 3 loser vs. Game 4 winner, TBA
Sunday, May 18
Game 6 — Game 3 winner vs. Game 5 winner, TBA
Game 7 — Game 3 winner vs. Game 5 winner, TBA, if necessary
Gainesville, Fla.
Friday, May 16
Game 1 — Central Florida (46-18) vs. South Florida (44-18), 11a.m.
Game 2 — Georgia Tech (31-29) vs. Florida (62-2), 1:30 p.m.
Saturday, May 17
Game 3 — Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, TBA
Game 4 — Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, TBA
Game 5 — Game 3 loser vs. Game 4 winner, TBA
Sunday, May 18
Game 6 — Game 3 winner vs. Game 5 winner, TBA
Game 7 — Game 3 winner vs. Game 5 winner, TBA, if necessary
Tuscaloosa Regional
At Alabama Softball Complex
Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Thursday, May 15
Game 1 — Jacksonville State (38-14) vs. Florida State (37-26), 11 a.m.
Game 2 — Chattanooga (41-20) vs. Alabama (51-6), 1:30 p.m.
Friday, May 16
Game 3 — Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, 9:30 a.m.
Game 4 — Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, noon
Game 5 — Game 3 loser vs. Game 4 winner, 2:30 p.m.
Saturday, May 17
Game 6 — Game 3 winner vs. Game 5 winner, 2:30 p.m.
Game 7 — Game 3 winner vs. Game 5 winner, if necessary, 4:30 p.m.
Ann Arbor Regional
At Alumni Field
Ann Arbor, Mich.
Friday, May 16
Game 1 — Notre Dame (37-20-1) vs. Kent State (44-10), 10:30 a.m.
Game 2 — Wright State (33-24) vs. Michigan (48-6), 1 p.m.
Saturday, May 17
Game 3 — Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, 6 a.m.
Game 4 — Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, 8:30 a.m.
Game 5 — Game 3 loser vs. Game 4 winner, 11 a.m.
Sunday, May 18
Game 6 — Game 3 winner vs. Game 5 winner, 7 a.m.
Game 7 — Game 3 winner vs. Game 5 winner, if necessary, 9:30 a.m.
Evanston Regional
At Sharon J. Drysdale Field
Evanston, Ill.
Friday, May 16
Game 1 — Drake (29-24) vs. DePaul (48-16), 7 a.m.
Game 2 — Western Illinois (14-31) vs. Northwestern (37-13), 9:30 a.m.
Saturday, May 17
Game 3 — Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, TBA
Game 4 — Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, TBA
Game 5 — Game 3 loser vs. Game 4 winner, TBA
Sunday, May 18
Game 6 — Game 3 winner vs. Game 5 winner, TBA
Game 7 — Game 3 winner vs. Game 5 winner, TBA, if necessary
Iowa City Regional
At Pearl Field
Iowa City, Iowa
Friday, May 16
Game 1 — Creighton (43-15) vs. Long Beach State (39-15), noon
Game 2 — Missouri (44-15) vs. Iowa (40-18), 2:30 p.m.
Saturday, May 17
Game 3 — Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, 7 a.m.
Game 4 — Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, 9:30 a.m.
Game 5 — Game 3 loser vs. Game 4 winner, noon
Sunday, May 18
Game 6 — Game 3 winner vs. Game 5 winner, 8 a.m.
Game 7 — Game 3 winner vs. Game 5 winner, if necessary, 10:30 a.m.
Baton Rouge Regional
At Tiger Park
Baton Rouge, La.
Friday, May 16
Game 1 — East Carolina (36-28) vs. Louisiana-Lafayette (46-12), 11 a.m.
Game 2 — Mississippi Valley State (28-26) vs. LSU (42-16), 2 p.m.
Saturday, May 17
Game 3 — Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, 8 a.m.
Game 4 — Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, 11 a.m.
Game 5 — Game 3 loser vs. Game 4 winner, 2 p.m.
Sunday, May 18
Game 6 — Game 3 winner vs. Game 5 winner, 8 a.m.
Game 7 — Game 3 winner vs. Game 5 winner, 11 a.m., if necessary
Norman Regional
At OU Softball Complex
Norman, Okla.
Friday, May 16
Game 1 — Arkansas (36-27) vs. Tulsa (34-23), noon
Game 2 — Oregon (33-27) vs. Oklahoma (43-12), 2:30 p.m.
Saturday, May 17
Game 3 — Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, TBA
Game 4 — Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, TBA
Game 5 — Game 3 loser vs. Game 4 winner, TBA
Sunday, May 18
Game 6 — Game 3 winner vs. Game 5 winner, TBA
Game 7 — Game 3 winner vs. Game 5 winner, TBA, if necessary
Houston Regional
At Cougar Softball Stadium
Houston
Friday, May 16
Game 1 — Washington (28-23-1) vs. Texas (28-21-2), noon
Game 2 — Delaware State (29-23) vs. Houston (50-9), 2:30 p.m.
Saturday, May 17
Game 3 — Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, TBA
Game 4 — Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, TBA
Game 5 — Game 3 loser vs. Game 4 winner, TBA
Sunday, May 18
Game 6 — Game 3 winner vs. Game 5 winner, TBA
Game 7 — Game 3 winner vs. Game 5 winner, TBA, if necessary
College Station Regional
At Aggie Softball Complex
College Station, Texas
Friday, May 16
Game 1 — Louisiana Tech (35-27) vs. Auburn (37-20), 10:30 a.m.
Game 2 — Stephen F. Austin (36-23) vs. Texas A&M (49-7), 1:30 p.m.
Saturday, May 17
Game 3 — Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, 7 a.m.
Game 4 — Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, 9:30 a.m.
Game 5 — Game 3 loser vs. Game 4 winner, noon
Sunday, May 18
Game 6 — Game 3 winner vs. Game 5 winner, 8 a.m.
Game 7 — Game 3 winner vs. Game 5 winner, 30 minutes after first game, if necessary
Tempe Regional
At Farrington Stadium
Tempe, Ariz.
Friday, May 16
Game 1 — Mississippi State (40-20) vs. Hawai'i (38-18), 1:30 p.m.
Game 2 — Stony Brook (33-21-1) vs. Arizona State (56-5), 4 p.m.
Saturday, May 17
Game 3 — Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, TBA
Game 4 — Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, TBA
Game 5 — Game 3 loser vs. Game 4 winner, TBA
Sunday, May 18
Game 6 — Game 3 winner vs. Game 5 winner, TBA
Game 7 — Game 3 winner vs. Game 5 winner, TBA, if necessary
Los Angeles Regional
At Easton Stadium
Los Angeles
Friday, May 16
Game 1 — Nevada (42-16) vs. Purdue (34-21), 11:30 a.m.
Game 2 — Cal. State-Fullerton (27-26-1) vs. UCLA (45-7), 30 minutes after first game
Saturday, May 17
Game 3 — Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, TBA
Game 4 — Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, TBA
Game 5 — Game 3 loser vs. Game 4 winner, TBA
Sunday, May 18
Game 6 — Game 3 winner vs. Game 5 winner, TBA
Game 7 — Game 3 winner vs. Game 5 winner, TBA, if necessary
Fresno Regional
At Bulldog Diamond
Fresno, Calif.
Friday, May 16
Game 1 — San Diego State (43-15) vs. California (40-24), 2 p.m.
Game 2 — Sacramento State (32-19) vs. Fresno State (51-11), 4:30 p.m.
Saturday, May 17
Game 3 — Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, 9 a.m.
Game 4 — Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, 11:30 a.m.
Game 5 — Game 3 loser vs. Game 4 winner, 2 p.m.
Sunday, May 18
Game 6 — Game 3 winner vs. Game 5 winner, 10 a.m.
Game 7 — Game 3 winner vs. Game 5 winner, 12:30 p.m., if necessary
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Reach Stephen Tsai at stsai@honoluluadvertiser.com.
