Cal strikes quickly in mercy-rule win

An interminable first inning for Hawaii led to an earlier finish than the Rainbow Wahine hoped for Wednesday night.

California pounded out seven hits in a nine-run top of the first that took just over half an hour on its way to a 10-1 five-inning win in the opening game of the Jack in the Box Spring Fling at Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium.

Cal third baseman Danielle Henderson ignited the outburst with a three-run homer, and Kylie Reed added a three-run double in her second at-bat of the inning.

Bears freshman Katie Sutherland-Finch struck out five, walked four and allowed three hits while earning the complete-game win.

UH fell to 9-8 and faces former Big West rival Pacific on Thursday. The game is scheduled for 6 p.m.

"We just have to learn from our mistakes, not dwell on them — that’s the worst thing we can do," UH senior second baseman Jazmine Zamora said. "We know we can do it. We just have to go out there and get it."

Cal (8-7) tagged UH freshman Heather Morales early with a double by leadoff hitter Cheyenne Cordes on an 0-2 pitch and a looping single by Reed. Henderson followed with her sixth home run of the season to give the Bears a 3-0 lead.

After two bases-loaded walks and Reed’s three-run double to center made it 8-0, UH coach Bob Coolen summoned Loie Kesterson to relieve Morales with two outs.

Kesterson, pitching for the first time in nearly two weeks, gave up an RBI single to Breana Kostreba, but was effective over the next 31/3 innings, and Keiki Carlos threw an inning of scoreless relief in the fifth. 

Kesterson, as planned, will start Thursday’s game against Pacific. 

"We’re going to have to rely on her and Keiki until Heather rights her ship," Coolen said.

Although her early appearance on Wednesday wasn’t part of the script, Kesterson’s outing gave her a chance to get back into a game setting for the first time since leaving UH’s contest against San Jose State on Feb. 20 with a sore arm. Her only work since then came in light bullpen sessions Monday and Tuesday.

"I was missing it out there. I think the break helped because I was a little sore, but getting back into it feels good," Kesterson said. "It definitely helped get my confidence back up there."

Rainbow Wahine shortstop Sarina Jaramillo’s two-out double off the center-field fence in the bottom of the second scored Sharla Kliebenstein with UH’s lone run.

Other than that, Sutherland-Finch limited the UH offense to two singles.

"These next two tournaments, we’re going to see a lot of very good pitching and teams that want to beat us and want to beat us like this," Coolen said.

At Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium

Katie Sutherland-Finch and Victoria Jones. Heather Morales, Loie Kesterson (1), Keiki Carlos (5) and Kayla Wartner. 

W–Sutherland-Finch. L–Morales.

Leading hitters–Cal: Cheyenne Cordes, 2B, RBI; Kylie Reed, 2-4, 2B, 3 RBIs; Danielle Henderson, 2-2, HR, 3 RBIs;  Breana Kostreba, RBI; Ashley Decker, 2-2, 2B; Jordan Wallace, RBI; LaRisa Jones, RBI;

Hawaii: Sarina Jaramillo, 2B, RBI.

Thursday

California vs. Pacific, 4 p.m.

Pacific vs. Hawaii, 6 p.m.

Friday

James Madison vs. Pacific, 2 p.m.

James Madison vs. California, 4 p.m.

California vs. Hawaii, 6 p.m.

Saturday

James Madison vs. California, noon

James Madison vs. Pacific, 2 p.m.

Pacific vs. Hawaii, 4 p.m.

Sunday

James Madison vs. Hawaii, 2 p.m.