By BILL O’REAR
By BILL O’REAR
Tribune-Herald sports editor
Freshman Jeremy Dela Cruz fired a four-hitter in rainy and windy conditions to help lift the University of Hawaii at Hilo to a 4-2 win over Academy of Art University on Saturday in San Francisco.
The Vulcans (7-27, 4-21 Pacific West Conference) broke a five-game losing streak.
“Jeremy did an outstanding job for us today,” UHH coach Joey Estrella said. “It rained in the morning and cleared up before the game, and since it’s a field turf, there was no problem of playing. But as the game wore on, it got colder — in the low 50s — and it started to rain with a strong wind.
“Jeremy showed a lot of composure on the mound to get the job done. He threw first-pitch strikes, kept them off-balance and had pinpoint control despite the weather. He just really did a great job for us to get the win.”
Dela Cruz (3-2), a 5-foot-8, 150-pound right-hander out of Damien Memorial High School on Oahu, scattered six hits and allowed two earned runs while striking out four and walking one.
Nate Gercken (0-7) started for AAU (2-27, 2-19) and hurled eight innings. He allowed four hits and three runs while striking out three and walking six.
The Urban Knights pushed across two runs in the bottom of the third inning. But Dela Cruz refocused and shut out the hosts the rest of the way.
The Vulcans scored two runs in the fifth inning to tie the contest and added two more runs in the ninth.
In the top of the ninth, UHH junior Jonathan James singled and was replaced by pinch runner Travis Stancil. Stancil took advantage of a past ball and a wild pitch to motor around to third base. Then after Greg Cleary walked, freshman Jordan Murai ripped a ball to left field that the outfielder misjudged and it went over his head, scoring both runs.
Then the determined Dela Cruz closed the door in the bottom of the frame.
“It’s nice to get a win,” Estrella said. “Now, we want to come out tomorrow and Monday to finish up the series strong.”
James was the only UHH player to pair hits, going 2 for 4. Teammates Austin Cusack and John Abreu each added a base hit.
Catcher Niko Leite led the hosts with three hits, including a double, and Myles Babitt had two. Babitt, a left fielder, also drove in both AAU runs in the third inning.
The teams play a doubleheader at 1 p.m. today and a single game at 3 p.m. Monday to close out the four-game series.
UHH 000 020 002 — 4 4 1
AAU 002 000 000 — 2 6 1
Lady Vuls
lose a pair
The UHH women’s softball team continued to struggle in the Tournament of Champions on Saturday, finishing Day 2 of pool play with an 0-2 record. The Vulcans are 1-4 in Pool B and finish the tournament today in the consolation bracket.
The 24-team tournament, including many of the top NCAA Division II teams in the West Region, is hosted by Cal State Stanislaus in Turlock, Calif.
On Saturday, Cal State Monterey Bay defeated the Vulcans 6-2 in their opener then Sonoma State topped UHH 4-0 as Seawolves ace Samantha Lipperd threw a no-hitter with 13 strikeouts.
Lipperd, a 5-foot-8 right-hander from Boulder Creek, Calif., struck out two batters in each of the first two innings and then struck out the side in the third and fifth innings of a dominating performance for Sonoma State (23-14). She didn’t walk a Vulcan in earning her 18th win against 7 losses.
Lipperd also didn’t allow a base runner until the seventh inning when senior Nicole Alconcel reached on a fielding error. But Lipperd then got a ground out and a strikeout to seal the victory.
UHH senior Amber Waracka (7-6) started and ran into trouble in the fourth inning when the Seawolves scored all of their runs. Senior Jessica Pepin replaced Waracka in the inning and finished. Waracka took the loss for the Vulcans (15-15).
Second baseman Shannon Kehr had the key hit in the fourth inning for the Seawolves, driving in two runs with a single.
Freshman Ancia Purdy and sophomore Hayley Condon each had two hits to lead Sonoma State’s six-hit attack.
On Friday, Lipperd set a national Division II single-game record by striking out 26 batters in Sonoma State’s 5-2 win in 11 innings over Hawaii Pacific University.
In Game 1 on Saturday, Alyssa Rivera had three hits and Nina Villanueva two to spark the Otters (26-8). Brittany Spencer, Aisha Sueda and Emily Greene each had two hits to lead the Vulcans. Spencer also drove in both UHH runs.
Otter reliever Kylie Linnane (9-2) got the win. Vulcan starter Ashley Nelson (5-3) went the distance and took the loss. Nelson gave up nine hits and four earned run. She struck out two and walked two.
In Game 2, Sonoma State broke open a pitchers’ duel with four runs in the bottom of the fourth inning.
Game 1
UHH 000 200 0 — 2 6 2
CSUMB 000 231 x — 6 9 0
Game 2
UHH 000 000 0 — 0 0 1
SSU 000 400 x — 4 6 1