For the University of Hawai'i softball team, heavy rain provided relief in what is expected to be ruled a 5-3 victory over Memphis last night.

Memphis, which was designated as the "home" team, had runners at second and third with two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning when it began to pour at Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium.

The grounds crew covered the infield, and after a nearly 30-minute delay, the umpires called off the game — the last of five games of the third round of the Chevron Spring Fling Tournament.

The Rainbow Wahine fell to Radford, 6-1, in an earlier game yesterday.

Five completed innings are needed for a game to be ruled "regulation."

In that interpretation, the Rainbows would be 5-3 winners. But Memphis coach Windy Thees requested that the game be resumed following today's scheduled final game of the tournament. UH is scheduled to play Saint John's at 1 p.m., and Memphis and Wisconsin meet at 3 p.m. in the final game.

But UH coach Bob Coolen said enough is enough. This tournament is a round robin, Coolen argued, and "we don't need a champion."

Coolen also said it would be unfair for the Rainbows to have to stick around and wait at least two hours.

"You usually don't do that," Coolen said. "If we were at another tournament, we wouldn't stay around. It's a regulation game.

"I really don't want to go into a halted after sitting a game and watching them play," Coolen added. "I really don't want to do that. That's not something we planned for. It's great to be an accommodating host, but there's a certain limit. Usually when you get rained out, and it's a regulation game, what do you do? You walk away and say, 'it's a regulation game.' We should walk away. We'll see what happens."

A ruling is expected this morning.

The game was stopped at an opportune time for the Rainbows.

They had taken a 5-0 lead in the top of the fourth, due in large part to first baseman Amanda Tauali'i towering grand slam to right field.

"It looked like a dropball," said Tauali'i, who is left-handed. "I was kind of relaxed and waiting for it, I guess. I've been struggling at the plate a little bit. I tried to see the ball, and hit it. Take it back to basics."

That jump-start was not nearly enough. Centerfielder Karmri Chester singled in a run in the bottom of the first, and first baseman Jessica Phillips rocketed a two-run homer to left in the fourth.

Freshman Stephanie Ricketts, who has emerged as the Rainbows' ace, relinquished a one-out single to Chester in the sixth inning. One out later, Ricketts threw wildly on a 3-0 pitch to Phillips. Chester advanced to third and Phillips raced to second.

Then came the rain.

"Good timing," Coolen said.

The Rainbows believed it would enter the season with seven starting pitchers. That number dwindled to three — and all are freshmen.

Against Radford, Makani Duhaylonsod-Kaleimamahu lasted 3 2/3 innings, relinquishing three runs on five hits. Radford third baseman Nichole Beall hit two homers and drove in four runs.

Coolen did not fault Duhaylonsod-Kaleimamahu, who was making her first career start.

"We don't have anybody right now but Steph (Ricketts) on the mound," Coolen said. "With Makani, there's promise there. ... It's tough. We started with seven pitchers, and we're down to three freshmen. It's a matter of putting in a pitcher who doesn't have that much experience, and hoping that it all clicks."

Courtney Baughman, who was the No. 1 starter at the beginning of the season, is suffering from discomfort in her right (pitching) arm. She is scheduled to meet with a doctor Monday afternoon.

Melissa Gonzalez, who was No, 2, is still out with a foot injury.

Visit Tsai's blog at www.warriorbeat.honadvblogs.com.