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Sarina Jaramillo went to the plate ready to unleash some frustration.
"I had some anger in me," the Hawaii shortstop said of her at-bat in the bottom of the fourth inning of Sunday’s game against San Jose State.
A half-inning prior, Jaramillo was called for obstruction after a collision with a San Jose State baserunner while going after a ground ball. Her displeasure with the call was amplified when UH coach Bob Coolen was ejected in the ensuing argument.
After Rachel Lack walked to lead off the inning, Jaramillo drilled the first pitch she saw down the left-field line to score Lack with the tie-breaking run and the Rainbow Wahine went on to hold off the Spartans 6-3 in the final game of the Pepsi Malihini Kipa Aloha Tournament.
"I was just looking for the first pitch," Jaramillo said. "The first pitch, (SJSU’s Allison Lang) was throwing strikes to every batter basically and inside almost every time. So I was looking for that inside pitch and I got it."
Hawaii’s second meeting with San Jose State (14-6) was far tighter than the first, a 14-1 five-inning UH rout on Friday. But the Rainbow Wahine hung on to finish 3-1 in the tournament while improving to 12-8 overall.
Leisha Li’ili’i hit a two-run home run in the third inning and Kanani Aina Cabrales gave up two unearned runs on four hits, struck out three and walked three in 42/3 innings of relief to earn her third win in as many days. She factored into all four decisions in the tournament with two starts and two relief appearances.
Aina Cabrales faced three bases-loaded jams, including the top of the seventh before getting two pop-ups to the infield to end the game.
"Nani’s just doing what she’s being asked to do and that’s fortunate for us," said Coolen, who watched the final three innings from the batting cage beyond right field.
Aina Cabrales entered in relief of starter Heather Morales with the bases loaded in the third inning and preserved a 1-1 tie when right fielder Keiki Carlos threw out a runner attempting to tag from third on a fly out.
UH took a 3-1 lead on Li’ili’i’s second home run of the tournament, a line-drive down the right-field line.
SJSU answered in the fourth, scoring on an Emma Entzminger’s sacrifice fly and a Michelle Cox RBI single. Jessica Madrid’s grounder then scooted through the infield as SJSU’s Anessa Kaylor collided with Jaramillo while running toward third.
"I was playing deep because there wasn’t anything to play up for and that’s how I usually play," Jaramillo said. "I took my angle to get that ball, but we collided."
After Coolen’s ejection Aina Cabrales struck out Jessie Hufstetler to leave the bases loaded and the Wahine responded with three runs in the bottom of the inning.
"We were all pumped," Jaramillo said of the atmosphere in the dugout. "Every player was saying something."
After Jaramillo drove in Lack, she advanced to third on Tayana Mata’s bunt and scored when the throw to first was wild. With runners on first and third with two out, Carlos broke for second to draw a throw and Mata scored on a steal of home while Carlos scrambled back to first.
The Wahine have two days off before opening the Outrigger Resorts Spring Fling on Wednesday against Oregon State.
HAWAII 6, SAN JOSE STATE 3
At Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium
SJ State (14-6) |
001 |
200 |
0 |
— |
3 |
6 |
1 |
Hawaii (12-8) |
102 |
300 |
x |
— |
6 |
7 |
2 |
Allison Lang and Emma Entzminger. Heather Morales, Kanani Aina Cabrales (3) and Kayla Wartner. W– Aina Cabrales L–Lang.
Leading hitters–SJSU: Michelle Cox, 2-4, RBI; Jessica Madrid, 3-4, 2B; Jessie Hufstetler, RBI; Entzminger, RBI. Hawaii: Lindsey Willmon, 2-4; Wartner, 2-3; Leisha Li’ili’i, HR, 2 RBIs; Morales, RBI; Sarina Jaramillo, 2B, RBI, Tayana Mata, RBI.
Sunday
California 4, Longwood 3, 8 innings
San Jose State 6, Longwood 2