The University of Hawai'i softball team swept host Utah State, 11-0 and 14-2, to win the Western Athletic Conference's regular-season title.

By winning their first WAC championship since 2003, the Rainbow Wahine earn the No. 1 seed in the WAC tournament in two weeks.

Justine Smethurst (16-7) pitched her fourth career no-hitter in the first game.

In the second game, the Rainbows hit five home runs, including two by Kate Robinson. Robinson has a team-leading 18 home runs, which broke the UH season record of 17 by Stacey Porter. UH has a WAC-record 79 home runs this year.

Courtney Baughman (5-1) allowed six hits, striking out four and walking one. Jessica Morton got the final two outs.

"We wanted this (title) so bad," said Smethurst, noting the Rainbows lost the final two games of the 2006 WAC tournament in failing to qualify for the NCAA Regionals. "Everybody was disappointed by what happened last year. This year we made it one of our goals (to win the regular-season title)."

Smethurst struck out 10, and retired the final 16 batters in a game abbreviated to six innings because of the WAC's eight-run mercy rule.

"I hadn't pitched since last week, and I was fresh and my (pitches) were moving nicely," Smethurst said. "I like the thin air. I had more pop on my ball."

UH coach Bob Coolen was concerned that after winning the first game, which clinched at least a tie for the title, the Rainbows might not be as prepared. But an eight-run first quelled those doubts.

"Everybody knew what was at stake," Coolen said.

And what was at stake was, well, steak.

"Everybody in the dugout was trying to figure out a way to tell our coach we wanted steak dinners," Robinson said. "We wanted a good meal."

Coolen obliged. "Dead meat," he said, laughing. "You've got it."