HONOLULU—The University of Hawai'i softball team (20-21, 13-7 Big West) upset league-leader Cal State Fullerton with a 2-1 walk off win in the 10
th inning to open UH's final homestand of the season. With two outs and runners on first and second,
Mya'Liah Bethea stole third, but the catcher's throw ricocheted into leftfield allowing Bethea to score the winning run on Friday night at the Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium.
Hawai'i's
Addison Kostrencich improved to 12-8 overall and 8-3 in The Big West, throwing all 10 innings to earn her 10
th complete game win of the season. She allowed a run in the second inning then held the Titans off the scoreboard the rest of the game. She scattered nine hits with four walks and two strikeouts.
Kostrencich and the UH defense bent but did not break. They were able to get out of some early jams. In the first, CSF loaded the bases with two outs, but UH second baseman
Keely Kai raced towards the first base line to make a shoe string catch to end the inning. Then Kostrencich started the front end of two different double plays off of bunt pop-outs in both the third and fourth innings. In all the Titans stranded 10 runners on base and had at least one runner on base in nine of the 10 innings on Friday night.
The Titans' Colby McClinton hit a line shot, solo home run to center for an early 1-0 lead in the second inning.
In the sixth inning Kai drew a lead-off walk and moved to second on a passed ball.
Izabella Martinez then drove her in with a sharp single up the middle to knot the score at 1-1.
With one out in the 10
th, Bethea and
Ka'ena Keliinoi got back-to-back singles. After a strikeouts, Kai was at bat. She drew a bunt attempt back as Bethea stole third. On the play, the throw from the catch was off the mark and ricocheted into left field allowing Bethea to score the winning run, 2-1.
Although UH was swept in Fullerton last season, the win marked UH's fourth-straight home win over the Titans. In 2022, the 'Bows swept CSF for the first time in program history. It is also the longest game of the season for UH.
Cal State Fullerton starter Haley Rainey gave up one run in five-and-a-third innings of work. She was rolling, retiring 10-straight batters before walking Kai in the sisxth. She allowed four hits with a walk and two strike outs. Reliever Staci Chambers threw the final 4-and-a-third innings and suffered the loss, dropping her record to 15-6 overall. She allowed the one run on two hits with no walks and eight strikeouts.
The win marked UH head coach
Bob Coolen's 1,100
th win at Hawai'i. Coolen now is 1,099-711-1 at UH in 33 seasons. Overall he holds a 1,1772-804-1 record in 38 seasons as a head coach.
Prior to the game, the 2010 Rainbow Wahine softball team which advanced to the NCAA Women's College World Series was honored with starting pitchers Stephanie Ricketts and Kaia Parnaby throwing out the first pitch with their teammates on the field.
