Honolulu- Head Coach Bob Coolen picked up his 500th win as the skipper of the Rainbow Wahine softball program. UH (16-13) shut down the Panthers (3-9) from Eastern Illinois, 6-0. Shannon Tabion threw her eighth complete game and second shut-out of the season, raising Hawai'i's record to 16-13.
Ashley Ruff led the second inning off with a single up the middle; was pushed to second on a sacrifice bunt by Valana Manuma; Ruff then stole third base standing up; and scored off a ground-ball to the right-side hit by Jennifer Hackett.
UH extended their lead in the fourth inning to 3-0 when Denise Dahlberg led the inning off with a single to right. Tausaga followed with another single. With Ruff up to bat, the Panther pitcher was called on an illegal pitch, which scored Denise Dahlberg. Ruff then drove UH's third run in with a sacrifice fly to right field that pinch runner Dena DePompa scored on.
In the sixth, Hawai'i added three more runs to their total. Dahlberg again led the inning off with a single, which was followed by a Tausaga walk. Both were moved over by a second sacrifice bunt executed by Manuma. A single by Hackett to leftfield drove in Dahlberg. With a first-and-third situation, Hackett got in a run-down which allowed Tausaga to score from third. Hackett was safe at second. Alana Power then ripped a double down the leftfield line that scored Hackett.
On the night, Dahlberg went 3-4 with a triple and two runs scored. Eight out of nine batters had at least one hit in the Hawaii line-up.
Hawaii will now play a doubleheader in the third day of the Bank of Hawaii Invitational. At 3 pm, UH will play the Miami RedHawks and at 5 pm they will take on the Loyola Marymount Lions.