UH rises and falls in softball polls

The University of Hawaii softball team had an up and down day in the national polls on Tuesday.

The Rainbow Wahine (26-3, 2-1 Western Athletic Conference) moved up a spot to No. 16 in the USA Today/NFCA coaches poll. They also fell one place to No. 18 in the ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Top 25.

UH is also No. 11 in the NCAA RPI rankings released on Monday.

The Wahine left on their second road trip of the season on Tuesday and open a three-game WAC series at New Mexico State on Friday. The opener is set for noon Hawaii time and will be televised on a delayed basis on ESPNU at 4 p.m.

California (29-1), whose only loss is to UH, is No. 1 in both polls this week. Alabama (30-1) tops the RPI rankings.

UH sweeps Jacksonville in sand volleyball

The University of Hawaii women’s sand volleyball team swept Jacksonville 5-0, in its first collegiate dual match on Tuesday at the Dolphin Beach Volleyball Complex in Jacksonville, Florida.  

UH’s Emily Hartong and Elizabeth Stoltzman cruised to a 21-5, 21-15 win over Cari Whitmire and Sammie Strausbaugh, while Ashley Lee and Larissa Nordyke swept flight two with a score of 21-16, 21-10.

Also winning for UH were the teams of Elizabeth Blake and Ginger Long, Alex Griffiths and Monica Stauber and Mita Uiato and Jade Vorster.

UH next faces Florida State on Thursday in Tallahassee.

UH’s Brooklyn WAC tennis player of week

Jonathan Brooklyn of the University of Hawaii has been named the Western Athletic Conference’s men’s tennis athlete of the week for the week ending Sunday.

Brooklyn was undefeated in singles and doubles play, including singles wins over Fresno State’s Remi Boutillier, ranked No. 22 in the nation, and Tulsa’s Japie De Klerk, ranked No. 68.

Hawaii plays UC Davis in its home finale at 11:30 a.m. Friday at the UH Tennis Complex.

HPU splits doubleheader with Dixie State

Wade Tamaru drove in three runs Tuesday as Hawaii Pacific defeated Dixie State, 7-5, in the opener of a Pacific West Conference baseball doubleheader in St. George, Utah.

Dixie State (21-9, 17-7 in the PacWest) won the second game, 6-2. HPU is now 18-8 and 10-6.

Grand Canyon sweeps HPU in softball

The Hawaii Pacific softball team’s road woes continued Tuesday as the Sea Warriors lost a Pacific West Conference doubleheader to Grand Canyon in Phoenix, 1-0 and 9-2.

HPU (18-12, 12-8 in PacWest) has lost seven of eight games on its current road trip. GCU is now 20-10, 11-3.

HPU dominates UH-Hilo in men’s tennis

Hawaii Pacific’s men’s tennis team won every set Tuesday as the No. 21-ranked Sea Warriors routed Hawaii-Hilo, 9-0, at Central Oahu Regional Park.

The two teams meet again at 10 a.m. Thursday at CORP.