Li‘ili‘i’s late homer snaps UH’s skid

A double dose of late-inning drama left the University of Hawaii softball team with a split of Saturday’s wild Big West doubleheader at UC Santa Barbara.

UCSB’s MeShalon Moore hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the eighth inning to give the Gauchos a 9-8 win in the first game at UCSB.

The Rainbow Wahine (20-23, 5-9 BWC) gave up a six-run lead in the bottom of the seventh inning in the second game, but Leisha Li’ili’i’s home run in the top of the ninth — her second homer of the game — sent UH to a 9-8 win and snapped an eight-game losing streak.

"Leisha’s feeling good at the plate," UH coach Bob Coolen said. "She’s taking some incredible hacks. She swings for the fences, which is great."

UH and UCSB meet in the series finale on Sunday at 9 a.m. Hawaii time.

In Saturday’s first game, the Wahine took leads into the bottom of the seventh and eighth innings, but UCSB (29-18, 9-5) came up with tying and game-winning two-run homers both times to extend UH’s losing streak to eight, the program’s longest skid since 1993.

The Wahine took a 7-5 lead in the sixth on Kayla Wartner’s two-run double, and UH pitcher Loie Kesterson got two quick outs in the bottom of the seventh and twice had the Gauchos down to their final strike. But Lauren Boser drew a walk and Emily Brucelas homered to send the game into extra innings.

UH reclaimed the lead when Lindsey Willmon led off the top of the eighth with the 10th home run of her freshman season, but Moore answered with a two-run shot to left to give the Gauchos the win.

Hawaii bounced back in the second game, with Li’ili’i’s two-run homer in the seventh putting UH up 8-2. UCSB strung together five singles, a bases-loaded walk and a sacrifice fly to close to 8-6 with two out in the bottom of the seventh. Brucelas then delivered a two-run single to force extra innings.

Li’ili’i broke the tie with her second homer of the game, and Heather Morales stranded the tying run on base in the bottom of the ninth to close out the complete-game win.

"All I told (Li’ili’i) to do was make an adjustment in the box because they’re not going to throw you inside because she had just hit a line-drive home run to right field," Coolen said. "Sure enough they pitched her outside and all she did was flick the bat and the ball goes 220 feet against a strong wind."

Loie Kesterson and Kayla Wartner. Shelby Wisdom and MeShalon Moore. W–Wisdom. L–Kesterson.

Leading hitters–Hawaii: Jazmine Zamora, 3-5, 2B, 3 runs; Wartner, 2-4, 2B, 2 RBIs; Keiki Carlos, HR, 3 RBIs; Leisha Li’ili’i, 2-4, RBI; Lindsey Willmon, HR. UCSB: Kristen Clark, 3-5, RBI; Arianna Palomares, RBI; Wisdom, 3-5, RBI; M. Moore, HR, 2 RBIs; Kathryn Pilpil, 2-4; DeJanee Moore, 2B, 2-4; Lauren Boser, 2B; Emily Brucelas, 2-4, HR, 3 RBIs.

Heather Morales and Sharla Kliebenstein. Shelby Wisdom, Adriana Collins (5), Wisdom (8) and MeShalon Moore. W–Morales. L–Wisdom.

Leading hitters–Hawaii: Jazmine Zamora, 2-6; Leisha Li’ili’i, 3-6, 2 HR, 3 RBIs; Sarina Jaramillo, 3-5, 2B, 2 RBIs; Lindsey Willmon, 2-5, 2B, RBI; Kristina Akiona, RBI; Morales, 3-3, 2B, RBI. UCSB: Arianna Palomares, 2-5, RBI; Stacy Cavazos, 2-4, RBI; M. Moore, 2-5, 3B; Kathryn Pilpil, 2 RBIs; DeJanee Moore, RBI; Lauren Boser, 2-4, 2B, RBI; Emily Brucelas, 3-5, 2B, 2 RBIs.

Saturday (all doubleheaders)
UC Santa Barbara 9, Hawaii 8, 8 inn.
Hawaii 9, UC Santa Barbara 8
UC Davis 3, UC Riverside 0
UC Davis 4, UC Riverside 1
Long Beach State 8, CS Northridge, 3
Long Beach State 8, CS Northridge, 0, 6 inn.
CS Fullerton 6, Cal Poly 0
CS Fullerton 2, Cal Poly 1

Sunday
Hawaii at UC Santa Barbara, 9 a.m. HT
UC Riverside at UC Davis
Long Beach State at CS Northridge
CS Fullerton at Cal Poly