HONOLULU—The University of Hawai'i softball team (20-21, 4-8 Big West) fell twice to league-leader Cal State Fullerton on Saturday afternoon at the Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium. Hawai'i dropped the first game 6-2 before losing 11-1 in five innings in the series finale.
Cal State Fullerton 6, Hawai'i 2
Box Score (HTML)
The Titans got the first two runners on base to start the game on a walk and a single. A fielder's choice was hit to
Nicole Lopez at third who flipped to shortstop
Cheeks Ramos who was covering third for the first out. CSF then hit a grounder to short and she tagged the runner from second and threw to first for the inning ending double play.
In the bottom of the first UH got back-to-back singles by Lopez and
Rachael Turner, but CSF starter Trish Parks squelched the rally with two strikeouts to end the inning.
The Titans' Sam Kennedy drove in first run with an RBI single to right-centerfield to score Bryanna Ybarra. Later with runners at second and third, CSF attempted a squeeze play but the runner at third got caught in a rundown and was tagged out by Lopez then the runner at second also got caught in a pickle and was thrown out, 2-5-8-6 to end the inning.
CSF's Sammie Vandiver smacked a single up the middle to drive in Kelsie Whitmore from second for the first run of the fifth inning. Deshea Hill then hit a double down the third base line to drive in both Ariana Williams and Vandiver for the 4-0 lead.
UH cut their deficit in half, posting two runs in the bottom of the fifth.
Cheeks Ramos led off with a walk. After a lineout to third, UH got back-to-back hits by
Danielle Garcielita and Lopez to load the bases.
Rachael Turner then hit up the middle for a fielder's choice to erase the runner going to second, but pinch runner
Katelyn Mahelona scored from third and Garcielita scored from second on a throwing error by the shortstop to close in on CSF, 4-2.
But the Titans posted two more runs in the top of the seventh inning on an RBI-single by Deshea Hill to seal their win.
UH's
Dominique Martinez threw a complete game but took the loss. She gave up six runs on 12 hits with three walks.
CSF's Trish Parks earned the complete game to improve to 6-2. She allowed two runs on eight hits with three walks and four strikeouts.
Cal State Fullerton 11, Hawai'i 1 (5 innings)
Box Score (HTML)
Hawai'i scored first on a two-out, first and third double steal. Heen, the runner at first, got in a run down between first and second, allowing Lopez to score from third for the early 1-0 lead.
Cal State Fullerton loaded the bases with no outs in the top of the third. Hill drove in the first run with an RBI single to center. The second run scored on a wild pitch. The Titans scored two more on two consecutive sacrifice flies for a 4-1 lead.
The Titans then erupted for six runs in the fourth to take a 10-1 lead and added an 11
th run in the top of the fifth.
UH starter
Dana Thomsen took the loss, dropping her record to 12-13 overall. She allowed seven runs on six hits with three walks and a strikeout in three-plus innings of work.
Emily Klee came in relief and threw the next 1.2 innings, allowing four runs on six hits with a walk and a strikeout, while Martinez got the final out of the fifth inning.
CSF's Sophie Frost earned the complete game win to improve to 11-5. She allowed just the one run while scattering three hits with three walks and two strikeouts.
Hawai'i returns to California this coming week to take on UC Riverside in a three-game Big West series. The first game will be on Friday April 27 with a Saturday doubleheader to conclude the series.
