KANE’OHE – The UH-Hilo softball team split with HPU for a 1-0 win before falling 3-1 on Sunday afternoon in Pacific West Conference action.
The Vulcans scored early in Game 1 and kept the Sharks off the board to secure the victory before HPU flipped the script and plated three early runs to salvage a split on its Senior Day.
With just a few weeks remaining and the top four qualifying spots for the postseason tournament up for grabs, HPU now sits at No. 5 while UH-Hilo is at eighth in the standings.
The Vulcans opened the first game by loading the bases with two outs but couldn’t cash in to remain scoreless.
UH-Hilo loaded the bases once again an inning later and was able to score the lone run of the game with Rayna-Marie White’s bases-loaded fielder’s choice ground ball to second base.
HPU threatened in the final frame with the help of two free passes to batters on a walk and a hit batsman to load the bases with two outs, but Trinity Favela made a leaping snag on a hard line drive to end the game and secure the victory.
Malia Risdall earned her fourth win of the season with her second shutout, going the distance and allowing just three hits while notching two strikeouts.
The Sharks got on the board early in game two, managing to bunch together four base hits plus a sacrifice fly to plate three runs in the first inning.
The Vulcans scored their lone run in the fifth inning on a RBI single through the right side by Trinity Favela.
UH-Hilo had its opportunities but just couldn’t quite cash in as it stranded a total of 13 runners on the bases.
Lauren Avalos pitched 5.2 scoreless innings of relief work, allowing four hits and giving up just one walk.
Entering the weekend, the Vulcans were ranked No. 2 in NCAA Division II for double plays with 21 as they added two more doubles plays (five total over the weekend) to their total. Hawai’i was also ranked No. 1 at double plays per game.
UH-Hilo moved to 8-15 in the PacWest (13-24 overall) while HPU moved to a 15-13 record (20-28 overall).
The Vulcans return home this weekend to conclude their regular season with doubleheaders Saturday and Sunday against Chaminade and HPU, respectively, at the Vulcan Softball Field. The team’s seven seniors will be honored following Sunday’s regular season finale.
The four-team PacWest Championships is set for May 3–5 in La Mirada, California at Biola University.