College softball: UH-Hilo loses first game, finishes 4-1 at tournament

UH-Hilo’s softball team had to settle for a four of a kind Sunday at the Desert Stinger in Las Vegas.

Bailey Gaspar hit a solo home run in the bottom of the sixth inning to break a scoreless tie, but Saint Marten’s responded with two runs in the top of the seventh for a 2-1 victory, dropping the Vulcans to 4-1 at the season-opening tournament.

Billi Derleth took the tough-luck loss in going the distance. The junior gave up 10 hits, the two runs, struck out two and did not walk a batter. Kim Nelson went the distance for the Saints, allowing just four hits, two of them by Gaspar. It was the first win of the year for Saint Martin’s (1-4).

Gaspar was named to the Desert Stinger all-Tournament team, hitting .471 with three home runs and seven RBIs.

Earlier on Sunday, Gaspar went deep twice and Isabelle Mejia and Kacie Freudenberge also launched home runs in a 12-2 victory against Sonoma State.

Senior Cyanne Fernandez (3-0) allowed six hits, two walks and striking out three.

UH-Hilo posted 10 hits, three each by Kamehameha graduate Kiarra Lincoln (double, triple) and Gaspar. Gaspar drove in four runs. Mejia had two hits and three RBIs.

Sonoma (3-2) has made nine consecutive NCAA tournament appearances.

UHH finished with the best run differential (plus 29) in the tournament of 28 teams, though it didn’t play stellar clubs such as Chico State, Cal State San Bernardino and UC San Diego.

The Vuls will remain in Las Vegas to play Montana State Billings in a doubleheader on Tuesday.