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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Sunday, April 25, 2010

ISLE FILE
Ricketts' perfect game helps UH sweep


Advertiser Staff

Mercy me.

The 23rd-ranked Hawai'i softball team hit eight home runs, got a perfect game from Stephanie Ricketts and a five-hitter from Kaia Parnaby to sweep host Nevada, 20-0 and 11-2, yesterday in a Western Athletic Conference doubleheader.

Both games ended after five innings due to the mercy rule as the 'Bows improved to 39-11 overall and 17-0 in the WAC, while the Wolf Pack fell to 16-23 and 3-11.

Ricketts (20-6) got six flyouts, seven groundouts and two strikeouts to earn her first perfect game.

"I don't remember ever pitching one before and neither does (catcher) Katie (Grimes)," said Ricketts, a sophomore right-hander who pitched two no-hitters last season. "So it's a first for both of us."

Ricketts said her most effective pitches were a curveball and screwball, and she praised her defense, particularly second baseman Traci Yoshikawa and first baseman Amanda Tauali'i.

"I told Traci you saved that perfect game," Ricketts said. "On a couple grounders up the middle, I don't know how she got to them, but she did and threw it to Amanda who made the splits (stretching to complete the play)."

Ricketts said the team wanted to end the game quickly because she had been sick the day before and didn't want to extend herself. She ended the game by striking out Sam Puzey for the second time.

"I struck her out the time before so I knew I could get her," Ricketts said.

Jenna Rodriguez and Melissa Gonzalez each hit three-run homers, Jessica Iwata and Kanani Pu'u-Warren each hit two-run shots and Tauali'i hit a solo homer. Gonzalez had four of UH's 18 hits.

In the second game, Parnaby (18-5) took a two-hit shutout and 11-0 lead into the bottom of the fifth, when she yielded a two-run homer to Britton Murdock. Parnaby struck out five and walked three.

Yoshikawa hit a three-run homer, and Rodriguez and Kelly Majam each hit solo shots. Majam had three of UH's 12 hits, including two doubles.

MUSQUIZ SETS HPU MARK

Sherise Musquiz pitched a four-hitter and set a school career record for victories as Hawai'i Pacific beat Chaminade, 4-0, yesterday in the first game of a Pacific West Conference softball doubleheader at Howard A. Okita Field.

Musquiz improved to 24-1 this season with her 78th career win.

In the second game, Maile Kim hit a three-run homer and Casey Sugihara had three hits as the Sea Warriors (39-6, 24-4) beat the Silverswords (17-33, 13-17), 6-1.