COSTA MESA, Calif. -- While the stands were packed for the Saturday half of the Vanguard softball series against the University of Hawaii at Hilo, the Vulcans spoiled the pro-VU party. UHH took the Pacific West conference series by sweeping both contests on the day, winning 6-4 and 1-0 (nine innings), improving to 19-15 overall and 12-8 in league play. The defeats dropped VU to 11-22, 5-11.
What Happened? After each side did little offensively in the first, the Vulcans grabbed a run in the top of the second off a trio of singles, putting
Mari Ipatzi and company behind 1-0. However, the lineup rescued its starter with a run in the bottom of the frame.
Kayla Rodriguez smashed a ball over the head of the UHH center fielder, with Rodriguez legging out a stand-up double. Two batters and outs later,
ChaCha Miranda speared a double down the left-field line to swap places with Rodriguez, which leveled the score at 1-1.
The Vulcans registered a run in the top of the fourth to return to the lead, as three singles again did the damage. However, VU could not offer a rebuttal this time, and unfortunately, the visitors pulled away for good in the top of the fifth. A leadoff double was cashed in by a single, and a pair of errors led to Hilo loading the bases. A double brought everyone home for the Vulcans, who claimed a 6-1 lead entering the bottom of the stanza.
Yet, the Blue and Gold did offer battle, as the squad almost equaled the Hilo output in the fith.
Bella Bastien started the rally with an infield single, and she got to second on a flyout by
Megan Ireland.
Preslee Brower made a pinch-hit appearance and delivered the goods with a rolling single over second base and into the center-field grass, with Bastien scoring to make it 6-2.
Kamryn Walker then thundered a ball over the UHH center fielder and raced around for a triple to make it 6-3, with a bouncing single into left field by
Tiffany Pope getting Walker home. But after that, the offense dried up for both sides, as UHH prevailed 6-4.
Both sides had over 10 hits, with the Vulcans netting a 12-11 edge over Vanguard. The Lions had the only two errors in the game and left seven runners on base, while UHH stranded eight. Walker led the lineup with a 3-for-4 performance, with Pope next at 2-for-4. Four different players registered an RBI for the Blue and Gold. Ipatzi had two strikeouts over seven innings and dropped to 3-4, ending her three-game winning streak.
Game 2
The defenses dueled in the concluding game of the series, and while UHH had the only error of the game, it did not really affect the squad because of Janessa Santos. The Hilo starter was dominant, blanking the Lions in both the run and hit departments, with the error and two walks spoiling her perfect game bid.
On the home side,
Lauren Cantwell might have surrendered 12 hits, but she and the defense frustrated the Vulcans for eight innings and change, as the score remained at 0-0. UHH got a runner to third in the first inning, loaded the bases in the second, and got a runner into scoring position in both the fifth and sixth frames, but Cantwell escaped each jam. Line outs ended the danger in the first two innings, while a double play ended the threat in the fifth.
Cantwell tossed 139 pitches over nine innings and had four strikeouts, but the Vulcans finally put it all together in the top of the ninth, with two singles eventually scoring the only run of the game.
What's Next? Vanguard welcomes the Sharks of Hawaii Pacific for a Monday doubleheader starting at 2:00 p.m.
