Ricketts wins twice in UH softball marathon sweep over Fresno State
Advertiser Staff
| |||
| |||
Hawai'i freshman Stephanie Ricketts pitched 19 2/3 innings today — including 12 1/3 in a 16-inning first game — to lift Hawai'i to a Western Athletic Conference softball doubleheader sweep over No. 22 Fresno State today at Fresno, Calif.
In the first game, Kanani Pu'u-Warren hit a three-run home run in the top of the 16th inning to lead Hawai'i to a 7-4 victory in the longest softball game in UH history. UH won the second game, 2-1, to take the series 2 games to 1.
The Rainbow Wahine improved to 17-20 overall and 5-4 in the Western Athletic Conference. Fresno State is 23-15 and 6-3. UH's longest game previously was a 2-1 loss to Cal State Fullerton in 14 innings in 1992.
Ricketts, who replaced starter Courtney Baughman in the fourth inning, struck out three and walked two in 12 1/3 innings in the first game.
In the top of the 16th and the game tied at 4 with one out, UH's Makani Duhaylonsod-Kaleimamahu singled to right-center field and Amanda Tauali'i singled to right. After Traci Yoshikawa popped up to second for the second out, Pu'u-Warren hit her home run over centerfield fence to lift UH to a 7-4 lead.
In the bottom of the 16th, Fresno State had runners on first and third before Ricketts got Haley Perkins to ground out to end the game.
Tauali'i went 3 for 7 for the Rainbow Wahine, while Duhaylonsod-Kaleimamahu and Pu'u-Warren had two hits.
In the second game, Ricketts struck out four and walked none for a complete-game victory.
The Rainbows took a 2-0 lead with runs in the first two innings. Pu'u-Warren drove in Tanisha Milca with a single in the first inning and Stacey Yamada drove in Dara Pagaduan with a single in the second inning.
Alexis Lujan homered to left field in the sixth inning for Fresno State.