Ricketts throws no-hitter as UH softball sweeps Fresno State

University of Hawaii senior Stephanie Ricketts threw a no-hitter in her final home appearance as the Rainbow Wahine softball team completed a series sweep of rival Fresno State today.

Ricketts struck out seven and walked two and the No. 14/17 Rainbow Wahine (40-5, 14-3) widened their lead atop the Western Athletic Conference standings with a 2-0 victory over the Bulldogs in the second game of UH's senior day doubleheader.

UH freshman catcher Kayla Wartner homered in both games. She hit a leadoff home run in the bottom of the 11th inning to give the Rainbow Wahine softball team a 1-0 win in the first game of the afternoon.

Wartner's blast to right field in the third inning of the second game gave the Wahine the lead and senior Alex Aguirre added a solo shot in the sixth in her final at-bat at Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium.

In today's first game, UH pitcher Kaia Parnaby struck out 10 and earned a compete-game victory in UH's longest game of the season.

The deciding home run was Wartner's third of the season after Fresno State ace Michelle Moses held UH without a hit through 7 2/3 innings.

Parnaby, who held Fresno State to three hits, stranded a Fresno State runner at second in the top of the 11th and Wartner ended the game by hammering a 2-1 pitch — Moses' 140th of the game — out to left field.

Wartner struck again in the third inning of the second game, launching a home run to right field to give the Wahine a 1-0 lead.

Aguirre, who made a diving catch to end the sixth inning, hit a solo homer to center in the bottom of the inning to give UH a 2-0 lead.

Ricketts then struck out Moses to open the top of the seventh, got Courtney Moore to fly out to center and struck out Stesha Brazil looking to complete her second no-hitter of the season and the sixth of her career.