Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

HONOLULU—The University of Hawai'i softball team (13-14, 0-0 Big West) split their doubleheader in dramatic fashion as they defeated North Dakota State, 7-6 in nine innings in the final game of the Outrigger Spring Fling Tournament. Hawai'i fell in their opening game, 3-0 to No. 21 Baylor on Saturday afternoon at the Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium.
 
 
No. 21 Baylor 3, Hawai'i 0
Box Score (html)
 
The Bears took an early 1-0 lead in the top of the second as Shelby Friudenberg scored on a passed ball.
 
In the sixth inning, Baylor loaded the bases and extended their lead to 3-0 on a two-run double by Caitlin Charlton to leftfield to drive in pinch runner Riley Browder and Jessie Scroggins.
 
Keiki Carlos had UH's lone hit of the game, which was a double down the leftfield line in the first inning.
 
UH's Brittany Hitchcock (4-7) kept the Bears in check for much of the game. She allowed three runs on nine hits in 5-2/3 innings of work. She did not walk anyone and struck out four. Kanani Aina Cabrales threw the final 1-1/3 innings and did not allow a run or a hit in her appearance.
 
Baylor's Heather Stearns—who was named the tournament's Most Valuable Pitcher—earned the win, firing a one-hit shutout. She gave up one walk with six strike outs as she improved to 9-2 overall.



Hawai'i 7, North Dakota State 6 (9 innings)
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Hawai'i fought their way back to overcome a 5-0 deficit against North Dakota State in UH's second game of the day.
 
The Bison loaded the bases in the top of the first with two outs, but UH starter Jennifer Iseri got a swinging strike out to thwart the NDSU rally.
 
In the third inning however, North Dakota State racked up four hits in the inning to take a 5-0 lead on an RBI-single by Zoe Stavrou and a grand slam by Martiza Lopez Portillo.
 
Hawai'i broke onto the scoreboard, scratching out three runs in the fifth inning. Rachael Turner led off with a single to short. Rachel Lack followed with a walk and Aina Cabrales then hit a grounder to third, but on the play, the third baseman tried to get the lead runner (pinch runner Sarah McAndrew) at third but was unsuccessful, thus UH loaded the bases. Sarah Muzik and Nicole Lopez both walked to score two runs and Ulu Matagiese hit an RBI-groundout to short to drive in Aina Cabrales to cut their deficit to 5-3 after five innings.
 
UH inched closer in the sixth as Alia Monges led the frame off with an opposite-field single through the leftside of the infield. NDSU got a ground out to second and a swinging strike out but Aina Cabrales then came through with a double to the left-centerfield gap to drive in Monges from second.
 
Then in the seventh inning, Lopez, who went 3-for-4 in the game, started things by legging out an infield single to second base. Matagiese then executed a perfect sacrifice bunt to move Lopez to second. Keiki Carlos grounded out to short pushing Lopez to third. Breanna Ojala hit a clutch 2-out double to the right-centerfield gap to drive in Lopez to tie the game at 5-5.
 
With the International Tie-breaker in place, neither team scored in the eighth. In the ninth, Jackie Stifter was the runner who started the inning at second base. Aina Cabrales got a strike out for the first out, but Stifter moved to second on a wild pitch. Pinch hitter Bre Beatty followed with a grounder to second. On the play UH second baseman Muzik fielded it cleanly and fired to third to pick off Stifter who had strayed off the bag. Katie Shoultz kept things going with a single to left to put runners at first and second. Logan Moreland then hit a ground ball to short, but it went right through the shortstop allowing the go-ahead run to score as the Bison took a 6-5 lead.
 
Hawai'i would respond immediately. In the bottom of the ninth, Muzik was the runner starting at second base. Lopez executed a sacrifice bunt to push Muzik to third and Matagiese followed with an RBI-single hit on a line to the left-centerfield gap. Carlos then drilled a double off the leftfield fence to put both runners into scoring position. NDSU then chose to intentionally walk Ojala to load the bases. After a strike out, Turner came through with the game-winning, base-hit up the middle to score Matagiese from third.
 
The win snapped a five game losing streak for UH.
 
Aina Cabrales earned the win to improve to 7-6 overall. She threw 6.0 innings allowing one run while spacing three hits with a walk and two strike outs. Jennifer Iseri threw the first three innings, allowing five runs on four hits with four walks and a strike out.
 
NDSU's Jacquelyn Sertic took the loss, throwing 4-2/3 innings allowing four runs on seven hits with four walks and five strike outs in relief. Kaitlyn Leddy started the game for the Bison and threw the first four innings, allowing three runs on four hits with a walk and a strike out.
 
Hawai'i concludes their non-conference schedule next week as they host their fifth and final home tournament--the Hawaii Pacific Health Rainbow Wahine Classic, March 16-19 with Texas and Iowa coming to town.

Outrigger Spring Fling All-Tournament Team
Jessie Scroggins, Baylor
Shelby Friudenberg, Baylor
Sarah Smith, Baylor
Lindsay Rood, California
Annie Aldrete, California
Ulu Matagiese, Hawai'i
Sarah Muzik, Hawai'i
Jacquelyn Sertic, North Dakota State
Katie Shoultz, North Dakota State
Bre Beatty, North Dakota State

Most Valuable Player: Linsey Hays, Baylor
Most Valuable Pitcher: Heather Stearns, Baylor