Down 7-0, Wahine rally past Longwood

Better late than never.

The University of Hawaii softball team’s offense went silent for the first four innings of Thursday’s game against Longwood while spells of shaky defense contributed to a seven-run deficit going into the bottom of the fifth.

But Heather Morales’ grand slam highlighted UH’s six-run outburst in the fifth inning and her sacrifice fly in the bottom of the seventh tied the game. The Rainbow Wahine ended it in the eighth when Kristina Akiona’s fly ball to right field was dropped and Kiani Wong scored the decisive run in an 8-7 victory in the Outrigger Resorts Spring Fling Tournament.

While Morales provided punch in the cleanup spot, Akiona and Jordan Burton came off the bench to spark the Rainbow Wahine offense and freshman right-hander Brittany Hitchcock kept Longwood within reach in 4 1/3 innings of relief to earn the win.

"We had to use almost everyone on the bench and tonight it paid off," UH coach Bob Coolen said. "Everyone pretty much accepted their role and came through with whatever they need to do. So sometimes it doesn’t happen that way but tonight it did."

Thursday’s win marked the second time this season the Rainbow Wahine (13-8) erased a seven-run deficit and extended their winning streak to four. The previous occasion was an 11-10 win over Utah State on Feb. 13 in Las Vegas.

Longwood endured a 10-1 loss to Utah in six innings in its first game on Thursday, but took a lead eight pitches into the matchup with UH. Lancers leadoff hitter Emily Murphy worked the count full before hitting a home run to left center off of UH starter Kanani Aina Cabrales. 

Four UH errors contributed to three unearned runs, including two in the top of the fifth to stretch Longwood’s lead to 7-0. 

"We were giving them runs," Coolen said. "It was a comedy of errors and unfortunately that put us in a hole. But they never gave up, which is great."

Longwood left-hander Elizabeth McCarthy’s changeup kept the Wahine off balance early and she held UH to one hit in the first four innings. UH managed to load the bases in the bottom of the fifth and Burton, who entered the game on defense in the fourth and had just two at bats this season, reached on an infield single to score Ulu Matagiese with UH’s first run. Kayla Wartner was later hit by a pitch to bring in another run. 

With two out and facing a full count, Morales drilled her grand slam to left center and her third home run of the season chopped the Lancers’ lead to 7-6.

With UH still chasing a run in the seventh, Burton flared a single into left field to lead off the bottom of the inning, advanced when Wartner walked and moved to third on Keiki Carlos’ fielder’s choice grounder. Morales then lined out to left field for her career-high fifth RBI of the night as Burton tagged up and scored.

Elizabeth McCarthy and Megan Baltzell. Kanani Aina Cabrales, Brittany Hitchcock (4) and Kayla Wartner. W– Hitchcock. L–McCarthy.

Leading hitters–Longwood: Emily Murphy, 3-4, HR; Chelsea Sciacca, RBI; Carly Adams, 3B, RBI; Glen Walters, RBI. Hawaii: Wartner, RBI; Keiki Carlos, 2B; Heather Morales, grand slam, 5 RBIs; Jordan Burton, 2-2, RBI; Kristina Akiona, RBI.

Thursday

Oregon State 2, East Carolina 1, 8 innings

Utah 10, Longwood 1

Friday

Utah vs. Longwood, 1 p.m.

Utah vs. East Carolina, 3:30 p.m.

Oregon State vs. Hawaii, 6 p.m.