After yesterday's 9-0 and 7-2 sweep of Louisiana Tech, the University of Hawai'i softball team staged an autograph session near the entrance to Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium.

It was a fitting way to sign off on a 21-5 homestand in March. The Rainbow Wahine won 18 of their last 19, including all six of their Western Athletic Conference games. They swept three-game WAC series against Nevada and Louisiana Tech.

"It's been a long March for us," UH coach Bob Coolen said. "But we did a lot of good things."

The Rainbows (33-7) found two different ways to succeed yesterday.

In an opening game that was abbreviated because of the eight-run mercy rule, Kate Robinson hit a three-run homer and allowed five hits in pitching her third shutout. She is 10-0.

In the second game, Jessica Morton pitched out of a bases-loaded jam with minimal damage in the fifth, and shortstop Valana Manuma hit a home run and made three acrobatic defensive plays.

"A lot of people are feeling comfortable," Coolen said. "We have different people stepping it up. That's what it's all about."

Robinson has been in a groove this season. She credits a relaxing offseason that helped rejuvenate enthusiasm for the sport, as well as a new batting stance. Her left heel is near the far left of the batter's box while the tips of her right shoe is near the plate.

"The open stance helps me see the ball better," Robinson said. "It definitely helps me get my hands out when I swing."

Robinson's three-run drive in the fifth was her 12th home run of the season.

"I kind of wanted to hit a home run in that situation," said Robinson, who had a combined four home runs in her first two UH seasons. "I told myself: 'If she throws me something good, I'm going to hit it hard.' "

Robinson also added an RBI single in UH's four-run first.

In the first inning of the second game, Robinson lined a two-run double off the face of the fence in left-center field.

In the Rainbows' three-run second, Manuma powered a towering homer to left.

Manuma has battled out of an early-season slump in which she descended from leadoff hitter to No. 7 batter.

"I wasn't picking my pitches," Manuma said of her hitting woes. "I was swinging at anything. Now I feel comfortable at the plate."

She never lost her steadiness on the field. She made two off-balance grabs of line drives. In the fourth, staring at a cloudless sky, Manuma made an over-the-shoulder catch, pirouetted, and threw to first to double off Rochelle Sandberg.

"I didn't think I was going to catch it," Manuma said, noting that after the catch, "I just threw it. I was hoping it would get there."

It appeared the Rainbows would cruise to another merciful ending when the Lady Techsters filled the bases and then scored two runs on consecutive bloop singles to left off Justine Smethurst.

Coolen then summoned Morton, his lone reliever.

"When you go into the ball game — full bases, no outs — you don't have many choices," Morton said. "With a flyball, they can tag up and score. You don't want them to hit a real hard grounder, either."

Morton induced a flyout, allowed an RBI bloop single, then struck out Sandberg and Regan Clark to end the inning.

Morton struck out six of the 12 batters she faced.

The Rainbows moved out of reach in the sixth when freshman Amanda Tauali'i hit a pinch-hit, two-run homer.

"We got the hunch with Tauali'i," Coolen said. "It was the proverbial chess game. You go with (Vitaly) Tseshkovsky or Bobby Fischer. She was swinging well in batting practice. I had a hunch it was time to put someone in that slot to hopefully spark us."

Tauali'i said: "I've been trying to calm myself down a little bit. I've been really working on getting my breathing down. I made a decision to get up there and be aggressive."

Reach Stephen Tsai at stsai@honoluluadvertiser.com.