Three Hawai'i hitters went deep and pitcher Stephanie Ricketts went the distance in a 3-1 softball victory over New Mexico State last night at Rainbow Wahine Stadium.

The Rainbow Wahine are 25-21 and 11-5 in the Western Athletic Conference, remaining in a tie for second.

Tanisha Milca and Makani Duhaylonsod-Kaleimamahu each hit bases-empty homers in the third inning, and Kanani Pu'u-Warren added a solo blast in the fourth.

That was more than enough for Ricketts, who allowed four hits and struck out six to improve to 18-8.

Ricketts worked out of a jam in the third when the Aggies placed runners at first and third with no outs. In the fifth, the Aggies' scored on Hoku Nohara's bad-hop single, which ricocheted off shortstop Traci Yoshikawa's shoulder.

Umpire Steve Arnold reduced the strike zone from a rectangle to a square below the waist. But Ricketts induced the Aggies to chase outside pitches, then jammed them with screwballs. She also relied on a change-up.

"She was coming inside at the right time," UH coach Bob Coolen said. "When they were thinking outside, that's when she was handcuffing them with inside pitches."

Of the narrow strike zone, Coolen said, "you had to get it into the chute. I thought she did a nice job of doing that."

The Rainbows had prepared all week for Kim Watson, the Aggies' ace. She averages a strikeout an inning.

In Wednesday's practice, Coolen moved 8 feet in front of the pitching rubber, and threw risers. Twelve were belted into the UH tennis courts behind the outfield fences. Thursday, Coolen worked on mixing pitches. The tutorial was helpful.

Milca hit a towering drive to left-center.

"I love the salmon bat," she said, referring to the two-piece club. "This whole week we knew we were going to face their No. 1, Kim Watson. I've seen her for four years. The pitch was high and outside. I took my best swing, and it went."

Duhaylonsod-Kaleimama- hu has worked on extending her arms while swinging at outside pitches. "I went with it," she said of her drive to right-center.

Pu'u-Warren took the advice from first base coach Dee Wisneski: "quick hands and just see the ball."

"I tried to do both, and I was successful," Pu'u-Warren said of her homer to right-center.

Coolen said: "Nani likes to be challenged more than anybody in practice. She wants to see the full array of pitches."

Pu'u-Warren has become more confident since moving from catcher to center field. She also has become more stylish, sporting eight ear studs and a nose stud.

"I never wore the jewelry because I was catching, and it would mess up with the helmet," she said. "Now that I play outfield, I can rock the accessories."