Tribune-Herald
Tribune-Herald
By the time Emily Greene finally woke up the University of Hawaii at Hilo’s bats in St. George, Utah, it was far too late to revitalize the slumping Vulcans.
Lauren Folta threw her second shutout in as many days and Nicole Chavez homered twice as Dixie State swept UHH again on Wednesday, winning 5-0 and 8-5 to drop the Vuls below .500 in the Pacific West Conference.
The Vulcans had managed only one run in the four-game series until Greene hit a fifth-inning grand slam in the second game. It wasn’t enough, as Amber Waracka was touched up for 11 hits and eight runs — seven earned — in taking the loss.
The teams are going in opposite directions heading toward the Tournament of Champions.
Shortstop Johnna Brown hit a three-run homer off Waracka as the Red Storm (18-7, 11-5) scored six times in the second inning en route to winning their 11th straight game. The Vulcans (14-11, 9-10) have lost five in a row and 10 of 12.
Folta (9-2) struck out four and allowed only two singles to Bryanna Hardy along with three walks.
Chavez, a freshman second baseman, led off the bottom of the first with a solo home run and followed with a three-run blast an inning later as Dixie State scored all of its runs in the first two innings against Ashley Nelson (4-2). The freshman left-hander lasted just 1 1/3 innings, yielding five hits and four earned runs. Jessica Pepin was solid in relief, scattering three hits and four walks the rest of the way.
Mattie Snow (7-4) went the distance to get the win in the second game, striking out eight.
Two errors helped UHH’s Erin Oshiro plate a run in the third. In the fifth, the Vuls loaded the bases on a walk, error and hit batter to set the stage for Greene’s second homer of the season.
In seven innings, Waracka (7-4) struck out three and walked five.
Snow yielded six hits, five runs —three earned — and two walks, inducing Greene to hit into a double play to end the game.
UHH will try to stop the bleeding with three games on tap Friday at the Tournament of Champions.
Game 1
UHH 000 000 0 — 0 2 2
Dixie State 230 000 x — 5 8 0
Game 2
Dixie State 060 011 0 — 8 11 3
UHH 001 040 0 — 5 6 1
Lancers sweep
Vulcans again
Pinch hitter Matt Johnson singled in the winning run in extra innings for a 3-2 victory as Cal Baptist went on to sweep UHH in a baseball doubleheader in Riverside, Calif.
The Pacific West Conference-leading Lancers (28-6, 23-4) won the nightcap 6-4.
In the first game, the Vulcans (6-26, 3-20) got a two-run homer from Steven Riddle and a solid effort out of pitcher Bryan Raines, but coach Joey Estella lamented double plays in the fourth and seventh innings that snuffed out UHH rallies.
“When you have men on base against a good team like Cal Baptist, you have to take advantage or they’ll make you pay,” Estrella said.
Coming off a 15-3 loss in Tuesday’s series opener, the Vuls lost for the 21st time in 23 games.
“We played much better today, but this is a very good team we’re going up against,” Estrella said.
Jordan Murai, Austin Cusack and Brad Fairweather each collected two hits and Greg Cleary drove in two runs in the second game for UHH, which committed two errors leading to five unearned runs.
Gaven Kinoshita (1-2) took the loss, allowing eight hits, six runs — one earned — with three strikouts.
Cole Bullard went 3 for 3 with three RBIs and Jon Bengard worked six innings and improved to 8-0.
Raines (0-4) allowed only three hits and an earned run with six walks and four strikeouts in 7 1/3 innings before Casey Bolhmann allowed Johnson’s single.
Patrick Smith (7-1) threw a five-hitter for the Lancers.
Game 1
UHH 000 101 00 — 2 5 2
Cal Baptist 001 001 01 — 3 4 0
Game 2
UHH 100 201 0 — 4 8 2
Cal Baptist 220 020 x — 6 8 2