Wahine pack punch in 2 wins

A "monster" day at the plate supported two complete-game pitching performances and the Hawaii softball team opened its stay in Southern California with a doubleheader sweep.

The Rainbow Wahine pounded out 21 hits, including four home runs, in comeback wins over Missouri-Kansas City and host Loyola Marymount on Wednesday in Los Angeles.

Kayla Wartner began the barrage with a home run in the opener against UMKC, and Sharla Kliebenstein’s go-ahead two-run shot — the senior’s first long ball of the season — highlighted a five-run rally in the sixth inning and UH pulled out a 7-4 win at LMU’s Smith Field.

Keiki Carlos and Lindsey Willmon then went deep against LMU to erase an early deficit and freshman pitcher Heather Morales finished off a 4-3 win. 

"When we come to the mainland, we hit the ball," UH coach Bob Coolen said. "The home runs they hit were monsters."

The wins pushed UH back over .500 and the Rainbow Wahine will enter Big West play at 15-14. They open the conference schedule with a three-game series at UC Riverside starting Friday.

The Wahine trailed UMKC 4-2 going into the fifth and closed to within a run when Leisha Li’ili’i doubled and came around on two passed balls. After Wartner drew a walk, Kliebenstein ended her home run drought to give UH a 5-4 lead.

The Wahine added two more runs on a UMKC error, and Loie Kesterson closed out her 10th complete game of the season to improve to 8-5. Kesterson gave up 11 hits, struck out two, walked one and left 11 UMKC runners on base. UMKC brought the tying run to the plate in both the sixth and seventh innings, but Kesterson managed to escape both times.

Morales’ performance against LMU may have been the most encouraging aspect of the day. After three shutouts to open the season, Morales had struggled with her command as her ERA rose to 5.66 entering Wednesday’s start.

Morales walked four batters in the first three innings and LMU scratched out a 2-0 lead in the second. Morales held the Lions to two hits while walking none over the final five innings and finished with four strikeouts.

"Heather pitched well. She was in command," Coolen said.

"I think there was still some doubt in Heather’s mind whether or not she was going to be able to recapture her beginning-of-the-season form, and today she did against a real aggressive Loyola Marymount team that was going after its 20th win."

After Willmon’s homer tied the game in the fifth, Li’ili’i drove in Jazmine Zamora with the go-ahead run and Wartner followed with a sacrifice fly.

Loie Kesterson and Sharla Kliebenstein. Katie Kelley, Cinda Ramos (6) and Alexandra Friloux. 

W–Kesterson. L–Ramos.

Leading hitters–Hawaii: Lindsey Willmon, 2B; Jazmine Zamora, 2-4, 2B; Leisha Li’ili’i, 3-4, 2B; Kayla Wartner, HR, 2 RBIs; Kliebenstein, HR, 2 RBIs; Sarina Jaramillo, 2-4. UMKC: Bri Wyatt 2-4; Marlee Maples, 2-4, 2B, RBI; Kelley, 2-3, 2 2B, 2 RBIs; Friloux, 2-4; Aly Zembruski, RBI.

Heather Morales and Sharla Kliebenstein. Rachael Farrington, Stephanie Crist (6) and Courtney Moore.

W–Morales. L–Farrington.

Leading hitters–Hawaii: Lindsey Willmon, 2-5, HR; Jazmine Zamora, 2-4; Leisha Li’ili’i, RBI; Kayla Wartner, 2-3, RBI; Keiki Carlos, HR; Kliebenstein, 2B. LMU: Breeanna Sandoval, RBI; Meghan Harman, HR; Nicole Kaiser, RBI.