HONOLULU—The University of Hawai'i softball team (9-10, 0-0 Big West) split its double header on Friday. The Rainbow Wahine defeated Nevada in six innings, 11-3 propelled by two home runs by
Callee Heen—including the walkoff for the mercy rule win. In the final game of the night, Hawai'i fell, 5-1 to Oregon State to finish Day 2 of the Outrigger Hotels & Resorts Malihini Kipa Aloha Tournament at the Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium.
Callee Heen led UH going 3-for-6 in the two games with a pair of home runs and a total of six RBI on the night. Heen's two homers moved into fourth place alone on UH's career record list in home runs past Kate Robinson with her 45th overall roundtripper.
Hawai'i 11, Nevada 3 (6)
Isabella "Izzy" Dino earned the complete game win to even her record at 1-1. She allowing three runs on eight hits with a walk and a strikeout in six innings of work.
In the top of the first, the Wolf Pack loaded the bases with two outs and got an RBI-single by Lauren Gutierrez to drive in one run, but the runner at second was gunned down at the plate trying to score on a throw from
Brittnee Rossi to
Ka'ena Keliinoi behind the dish for the last out.
Hawai'i started off the bottom of the first with an infield hit off the glove of the first baseman by Rossi. A walk to Keliinoi put runners at first and second.
Nawai Kaupe then beat out an infield hit to short to load the bases.
Callee Heen reached first on a fielder's choice with the throw going home to erase Rossi at the plate. But Ramos followed by drilling an RBI single up the middle to score Keliinoi from third.
Maya Nakamura then lifted a flyball to right that went down as an error as it was dropped, allowing Kaupe to score.
Mikaela Gandia-Mak followed with a double to the left-centerfield gap to drive in both Heen and Ramos. Lepapaina "Princes" Matavao then drew a walk to load the bases again for Soma who worked the pitcher for a full count before driving in two runs on a sharp single up the middle for a 6-1 lead.
In the bottom of the fourth, UH started with Rossi getting plunked and Keliinoi walking to put runners at first and second an no outs. Kaupe then hit a comebacker to push both runners into scoring position for
Callee Heen who launched a three-run home run over the centerfield fence. It marked Heen's sixth home run of the season to tie Kaupe for the team lead. It also tied former UH great Kate Robinson for No. 4 in UH history with 44 career home runs.
The Wolf Pack posted a pair of runs in the top of the fifth on an RBI double by Charli Mcalister and a groundout RBI by Sierra Mello to cut their deficit to six, 9-3.
In the bottom of the sixth, Heen came up with Kaupe at first and blasted a walkoff, two run home run to end the game via mercy rule with UH winning, 11-3. She moved into No. 4 by herself in career home runs with 45 and it marked the fourth time in her career that she has hit two homers in one game.
Nevada's starter Blake Craft lasted only a third of an inning. She allowed six runs on five hits with two walks before getting relieved by Julia Jensen who gave up five runs four hits with three walks and two strikeouts.
Oregon State 4, Hawai'i 0
In the rematch against the Beavers it was another pitcher's duel between UH's
Jetta Nannen (in her first career start) and OSU's Trystan Melancon for the first four innings. Nannen threw a career-highi 4.2 innings in her first ever start . She allowed four runs on five hits with a walk.
Nannen retired the first 11 Beavers in a row before giving up a pair of singles in the fourth. But a flyout ended the frame. In the fifth, after getting a groundout to third, a walk followed by two singles loaded the bases. UH got the second out when a grounder was hit to Kaupe and she fired home to force out the lead runner at home. But Nunes then broke the scoreless game with the grand slam.
In the sixth, the Beavers added another run on an RBI single by Phillips which drove in Owen from third.
The Rainbow Wahine broke Melancon's bid for a no-hitter, with
Bree Soma getting a basehit to left followed by Rossi beating out a bunt base hit to put two runners on. Keliinoi then hit a fielder's choice to third that deleted pinch runner
Cira Bartolotti at third. Kaupe hit a flyout to right which allowed Rossi to hustle into third after tagging at second. Heen then picked up her sixth RBI of the night with a shallow fly to center that fell in the middle of four Beavers which allowed Rossi to score. Keliinoi, who was running on two outs, was thrown out at the plate trying to score from third.
For Hawai'i,
Amanda Ajari finished the game, throwing the final 2.1 innings. She gave up a run on a hit with a walk.
OSU's Melancon finished with 11 strikeouts. Ten of the first 11 outs against UH were strikeouts. But the 'Bows did not strike out again until the last out of the game. Melancon allowed a run on three hits with two walks.
The Outrigger Hotels & Resorts Malihini Kipa Aloha Tournament continues on Saturday with four more games. UH plays the last two games of the day. At 3:00 p.m. the Rainbow Wahine will take on Nevada and at 5:00 p.m. Seattle.