UH represented at softball world championship

The Rainbow Wahine softball program will be prominently represented in the World Baseball Softball Confederation 15th Women’s World Softball Championship in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada.

UH junior Brittany Hitchcock is pitching for Puerto Rico again this summer and Australia’s roster includes five former Rainbow Wahine standouts.

Australia is ranked third in the 31-nation field and is in Pool C with Mexico, Serbia and Switzerland. No. 11 Puerto Rico is in Pool E with India, Chinese Taipei and Ecuador. The tournament opens Friday and runs through July 24.

Hitchcock is in her second summer with Puerto Rico’s national team and pitched in six games in the World Cup of Softball in Oklahoma City., Okla. She struck out eight and walked three while posting a 5.27 ERA in 14 2/3 innings in the tournament, which ended Sunday. Earlier this summer, she helped Puerto Rico win the 4 Torneo Della Repubblica in Italy and was named the tournament’s top pitcher.

Australia is led by captain Stacey Porter (2001-03) and vice captain Clare Warwick (2006-09). Also on the roster are Rachel Lack (2015-16), Kaia Parnaby (2010-13) and Justine Smethurst (2006-07).

Australia went 7-1 in the World Cup, closing the tournament with a win over the USA Elite team in the bronze medal game on Sunday. Australia’s lone loss of the tournament was a 7-0 defeat to Team USA.

Porter hit .440 with three home runs and six RBIs in the tournament. Warwick tied Porter for the team’s RBI lead and Lack homered while hitting .250.

Parnaby led the pitching staff with 17 2/3 innings while Smethurst threw 13 1/3. Parnaby struck out 24 and walked three while posting a 3.17 ERA. Smethurst had 25 strikeouts against four walks and finished with a 2.65 ERA.

Punahou graduate Mysha Sataraka, who completed her UCLA career in the Women’s College World Series in May, played for the USA Elite team and hit .333 (3-for-9) and drove in three runs in six World Cup games.

Japan, the two-time defending world champion, edged the U.S. 2-1 in the World Cup’s gold medal game on Sunday.