Tribune-Herald Emily Greene had three hits and Erin Oshiro scored a clutch run in the ninth inning to lift the University of Hawaii at Hilo women’s softball team to a 4-3 win over Notre Dame de Namur University on Saturday
Tribune-Herald
Emily Greene had three hits and Erin Oshiro scored a clutch run in the ninth inning to lift the University of Hawaii at Hilo women’s softball team to a 4-3 win over Notre Dame de Namur University on Saturday afternoon in Kailua-Kona.
The Pacific West Conference game was played at the Old Kona Airport Field. A conference doubleheader was originally scheduled in Hilo at noon but moved to Kailua-Kona due to rainy weather in East Hawaii. But because of a time limit with NDNU having to catch a flight out of Hilo, the twinbill was reduced to one game, starting at 2 p.m.
NDNU ace Sammy McConvey (6-2) hooked up with UHH’s Jessica Pepin and Amber Waracka in a pitchers’ duel that wasn’t decided until the Vulcans (6-1 overall, 1-0 PacWest) plated an unearned run in the bottom of the ninth inning on a fielding error.
With two outs in the ninth, Oshiro, a sophomore out of Waiakea High School, singled and moved to second when Bryanna Hardy walked. Nicole Alconcel then reached base on a fielding error to load the bases. Asha Prithviraj followed with a grounder to second and was safe at first on another NDNU fielding error that allowed Oshiro to score the game-winner.
McConvey went the distance for the Argonauts (10-6, 0-1) and took the tough loss. She allowed seven hits and four runs — two earned — while striking out seven and walking two.
The Vulcans rallied from a 3-1 deficit with two runs in the bottom of the third inning to tie the game. Then McConvey and Waracka battled each other on the mound until the bottom of the ninth when Oshiro scampered home with the winning run.
Pepin started for the hosts and hurled 2 1/3 innings. She gave up six hits and three earned runs with a walk and a strikeout. Waracka (2-0) took over in the third and finished to pick up the win. The hard-throwing senior from Oahu allowed three hits, didn’t walk a batter and struck out 10 in an impressive performance.
Greene, a freshman from Woodland Hills, Calif., went 3 for 4 to lead the Vulcans’ seven-hit attack. The talented Alconcel, a senior shortstop, and senior second baseman Aisha Sueda each added a hit and a run batted in. Oshiro, a center fielder, had her clutch single and scored twice.
Meggan Craviotto, Kayla Anderson and Hillary Uekawa each had two hits for NDNU. Lead-off batter Janae Reyes added a hit and two RBIs.
But the Argonauts also struggled defensively, committing six errors in the game, including two critical mistakes in the ninth inning. The hosts had one error.
On deck: Penguins
The Vulcans next host Dominican University in noon doubleheaders Friday and Saturday at the UHH Softball Field.
The Penguins are from San Rafael, Calif.
At Old Kona Airport
NDNU 030 000 000 — 3 9 6
UHH 102 000 001 — 4 7 1
