Nawai Kaupe and Brittnee Rossi hit two-run home runs and Ashley Murphy fired a one-hitter to power the University of Hawaii softball team to a 9-0 win over Northern Colorado in the third-place game of the Paradise Classic on Saturday at Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium.
UH catcher Callee Heen drove in three runs and second baseman Ka’ena Keliinoi had two RBIs for the Rainbow Wahine (2-3). Murphy (1-1) struck out two and walked none in the five-inning win.
In the first game of the day, Iowa State earned a spot in the tournament’s championship game with a 7-2 win over UH. The Cyclones built a 3-0 lead through three innings and pulled away with Sami Williams’ three-run homer and Mikayla Ramos’ solo shot in the fourth inning. Rossi went 3-for-4 with a double in the loss.
Iowa State freshman and Campbell graduate Alesia Ranches drove in a run against UH and hit a solo home run against Memphis in the final and the Cyclones claimed the title with a 4-2 win. Ranches hit .353 in the tournament.
Chaminade falls short at Azusa Pacific
Kendall Small had a game-high 20 points, but Chaminade came up short against No. 7 Azusa Pacific, falling 75-71 on Saturday in Azusa, Calif.
Tyler Cartaino added 16 for the Silverswords, who fell to 13-8 overall and 11-5 in the conference. Selom Mawugbe had 17 points and 14 rebounds to lead the Cougars (18-3, 13-2 PacWest).
>> An extended scoring drought doomed the UH Hilo men’s basketball team in a 71-55 loss to Dominican in San Rafael, Calif. Elisha Duplechan led UH Hilo (9-11, 7-9 PacWest) with 15 points. Jaelyn Ragsdale led the Penguins (5-18, 5-12) with 16.
>> Destiny Castro had 22 points for the Chaminade women’s basketball team in a 76-53 loss to Azusa Pacific in Azusa, Calif. The Cougars (18-3, 12-3 PacWest) took control of the game with a 26-6 advantage over the Silverswords (4-18, 4-12) in the second quarter.
>> Jerusha Paine, the nation’s leading scorer, had 27 points to lead Dominican (9-14, 6-11 PacWest) past UH Hilo (7-13, 6-10). Kim Schmelz had 21 points to lead the Vulcans.
