Box Score

FRESNO, Calif.—The No. 20/25 University of Hawai`i softball team (25-10, 3-1 WAC) fell to Fresno State, 5-0 in the Western Athletic Conference series opener at Bulldog Diamond. Starting pitcher Stephanie Ricketts suffered the loss and Jenna Rodriguez closed the game in relief on Friday night.

 

Ricketts gave up five runs on nine hits in 4.1 innings pitched with a walk and five strike outs. Rodriguez closed the game, throwing the final 1.2 innings with a walk and a strike out.

 

Fresno State's starting pitcher Michelle Moses blanked the 'Bows, tossing her first career no-hitter. She threw 7.0 innings with two walks and 11 strike outs.

 

The Bulldogs jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Ricketts struck out the lead off hitter, but Fresno State then reeled off four straight hits to plate three runs. Brooke Ortiz started things off with a single that ricocheted off Ricketts' glove and bounced past a diving Jessica Iwata at shortstop. Michelle Moses followed with a single through the leftside of the infield. Courtney Moore then hit a grounder to third, but the flip to short to try to get the runner at third was off-line and bounced to the leftfield fence allowing Ortiz to cross the plate. Caitlin Stiglich then drilled a single down the first baseline to drive in Moses from third. Andrea Ortega then drove in Moore with a single to right to give Fresno State a 3-0 lead after one complete inning.

 

In the bottom of the fourth, the Bulldogs tacked on another run to go up, 4-0. Nicole Angene led the inning off with a single through the leftside of the infield. Pinch runner Diane Runge then entered the game for Angene at first and moved to second on a hard hit up the middle. After a strike out, Haley Gilleland singled to drive in Runge from second.

 

Fresno State then added another run in the bottom of the fifth, when Moses reached on a single and eventually scored on an illegal pitch on relief pitcher, Jenna Rodriguez, from third to increase their lead to 5-0.

 

It was the first time UH has been no-hit since May 25, 2007 when No. 1 Tennessee shut-out the 'Bows, 9-0 in the Super Regionals opening game.

 

It marked Hawai`i's first regular season game to be televised on ESPNU. The Rainbow Wahine are now 7-6 in nationally televised games.

 

The 'Bows and Bulldogs square off in a doubleheader tomorrow with the first pitch slated for 1:00 pm.

                                                                                                              -UH-