Feb. 13, 2006

Box Score

HONOLULU, Hawaii - Laura Jones led UTA to a 6-2 victory over the Hawaii Rainbow Wahine to advance to the finals of the 2006 Oceanic Time Warner Cable Paradise Classic Sunday.

Jones allowed two runs in the bottom of the first, but settled down and tossed shutout softball the rest of the way for the win. UTA will face either Texas State or Loyola Marymount in the championship game.

UTA (3-4) struck quickly in the top of the first. Amanda Swofford lined a double to the centerfield wall to start the game. Two batters later, Dee Jay Nelson ripped a single to left to score Swofford from third. Later, after moving to second on a infield ground out, Nelson scored on an throwing error to first to make the score 2-0.

Hawai`i (4-2) answered immediately, scoring two runs of its own in the bottom of the first frame. Clare Warwick led off the inning by drawing a walk. Valana Manuma executed a sacrifice bunt to move Warwick to second. Kaulana Gould then hit a single to center to score Warwick from second. On the play, Gould went to second on the throw home. That brought Tyleen Tausaga to the plate and promptly hit a double to the gap in right centerfield, driving in Gould from second.

With the score knotted at 2-2, UTA battled back scoring one run in the top of the second to regain the lead and never looked back. Jones shut UH down for the remainder of the game. Hawai`i had its best scoring opportunities in the third and fourth innings with runners on second and third with at least one out, but wasn't able to capitalize.

The Mavericks exploded for three runs at the start of the fifth inning to extend their lead to 6-2. Senior pitcher Paula Blanning came in relief to squelch the rally, retiring seven of the eight batters she faced. On the day, UH used three pitchers. Jessica Morton got her second start of the season, but lasted 1.2 innings, giving up three runs on four hits with no walks or strike outs. Kate Robinson came in relief of Morton in the top fo the second to stem the tide of Maverick runs. For two plus innings, she stymied UTA, striking out four of the eight batters she faced. But, in the fifth, Robinson ran into trouble and could not keep the Mavs off the bases. Her line was 2.2 innings pitched, with three runs scored on four hits with two walks and four K's. Blanning entered and finished the game and also threw 2.2 innings, allowing only one hit while striking out two UTA batters.

Hawai'i was led by Gould who went 2-3 with a run and an RBI; Brandi Peiler went 2-3, and Tausaga was 1-3 with a run-scoring double.

UTA's Swofford was 2-3 with a run, and RBI and a double; DJ Nelson was 2-4 with two runs and an RBI; Autum Petrino had an RBI double