Boxscore

HONOLULU ? Louisiana Tech lost 5-1 late Friday night to 21st ranked Hawaii in the Western Athletic Conference opener for the Lady Techsters at Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium.

Tech (16-15, 0-1 WAC) mustered only two hits off Hawaii starter Justine Smethurst (12-5), who faced only 22 batters in the seven-inning complete game victory. Smethurts retired the first 13 batters she faced before giving up an infield single to Tech freshman shortstop Amberly Waits in the top of the fifth inning.

With the two teams scoreless through three innings, Hawaii jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth on a three-run home run by Brandi Peiler.

The Rainbow Wahine added two more runs in the sixth on RBI singles by Richie-Ann Titcomb and Kaulana Gould.

Smethurst was one out away from the complete game shutout before Tech?s Rochelle Sandberg launched a two-out solo home run in the top of the seventh to make the final score 5-1.

Krissi Oliver (11-11) picked up the loss for Tech, allowing five earned runs on 11 hits in 6.0 innings of work.

The two teams will play a doubleheader Saturday starting at 2 p.m. HST.