Rainbow Wahine move up in softball polls

A weekend sweep gave the University of Hawaii softball team a boost in both national polls.

The Rainbow Wahine moved up two places to No. 16 in the USA Today/NFCA Top 25 and one place to No. 21 in the ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Top 25 released on Tuesday. UH is also 17th in the NCAA’s RPI rankings.

The Wahine swept UC Davis last week and enters this week’s series at 28-7 overall and 6-0 in Big West play. They face UC Riverside (15-21, 0-6) in a three-game series starting with a single game Friday at 6 p.m. at Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium. Saturday’s 2 p.m. doubleheader will be military appreciation day. The team will wear fatigue-print jerseys for the games.

» The RSVP and payment deadline for the Rainbow Wahine Softball Fundraiser Banquet is Friday. The banquet is set for May 5 at Treetops Restaurant in Manoa. Registration starts at 4 p.m., with dinner and program to follow at 5. Tickets are $45 per person, with VIP tables available for $500.

For more information, contact Kevin Kacatin at 343-0661 or at kevin@nawahine.com. Reservation information is also available at hawaiiathletics.com.

HPU sweeps Dominican in softball

Chante Tesoro, Alysia Maddison and Sharae Esprecion each had three hits to lead Hawaii Pacific to a 10-3 victory over Dominican to complete a softball doubleheader sweep on Tuesday in San Rafael, Calif.

Maddison also tripled and had three RBIs while pitching six innings of six-hit ball for the Sea Warriors (17-11, 10-8 Pacific West Conference).

In the first game, Keila Elderts went 3-for-4 with an RBI to lead HPU to a 4-2 win.

Kristen Caskey hurled a complete-game six-hitter.

Kayleigh Klingberg homered in the opener for the Penguins (5-31, 0-18).

Chaminade splits with NDNU in softball

Chaminade scored four runs in the top of the fifth inning to go ahead for good in a 7-6 softball victory and a doubleheader split with Notre Dame de Namur on Tuesday in Belmont, Calif.

Aja Keyes had three hits and two RBIs to lead the Silverswords (16-14, 12-8 Pacific West Conference) in the second game.

In the first game, the Argonauts (18-13, 12-8) rode the three-hitter of Sammy McConvey to a 1-0 shutout.

UH’s Alvarez is athlete of the week again

For the second straight week, Hawaii’s Amanda Alvarez is the Big West women’s field athlete of the week.

Alvarez broke her own triple jump school record by leaping 42 feet, 9.5 inches for second place at the Stanford Invitational.

She also finished fifth in the long jump with a personal best 18-9.75.

Miyataki will be interim coach at UHH

Kallen Miyataki will be the interim baseball head coach at Hawaii Hilo, effective April 14.

Miyataki will take the reins from longtime coach Joey Estrella, who will be officially retiring on June 30.

Miyataki served 12 years as a UHH assistant under Estrella, through 2006.

"I am excited that we have a qualified coach on our staff that can step in and run our baseball program," Vulcans athletic director Dexter Irvin said. "Kal has an extensive background, experience and expertise. The timing of this appointment will help us not miss a valuable recruiting season."

Miyataki will retain his title and duties in the athletic department as associate athletic director while the school searches for a full-time head coach.

Salvador ties for fourth place in Arizona

Jade Salvador tied for fourth place in the Grand Canyon Women’s Invitational golf tournament on the Wigwam Golf Course in Litchfield Park, Ariz., on Tuesday.

Salvador, a freshman, turned in rounds of 78 and 76 to finish at 10-over 154.

Grand Canyon’s Eryn Olson was the medalist at 4-over 148, and the Antelopes claimed the team title.