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UH softball team sweeps doubleheader

Four home runs and two complete-game pitching performances sent the Hawaii softball team to a doubleheader sweep against Missouri-Kansas City and Loyola Marymount on Wednesday in Los Angeles.

Sharla Kliebenstein’s two-run homer highlighted UH’s five-run rally in the sixth inning in the first game at LMU’s Smith Field and the Rainbow Wahine pulled out a 7-4 win over UMKC.

UH’s late-game outburst helped Loie Kesterson earn a complete-game victory to improve to 8-5. Kesterson gave up 11 hits, struck out two, walked one and left 11 UMKC runners on base.

In the second game, freshman Heather Morales held Loyola Marymount to four hits in UH’s 4-3 win over the host Lions to close the nonconference schedule. Morales struck out four and walked four.

UH (15-14) begins Big West play on Friday at UC Riverside.

Against UMKC, Kayla Wartner’s home run in the fourth inning, her second of the season, gave UH a 2-1 lead. The Roos tied the game in the bottom of the inning then moved ahead again in the fifth on Katie Kelley’s two-run double.

Leisha Li’ili’i led off the sixth with a double and came around to score on two passed balls. After Wartner walked, Kliebenstein’s first home run of the season gave UH a 5-4 lead.

The Wahine added two more runs with two out on Jazmine Zamora’s swinging strikeout. With runners on second and third, Zamora reached base on an error which allowed Kaile Nakao and Sarina Jaramillo to score.

UMKC brought the tying run to the plate in both the sixth and seventh innings but Kesterson managed to escape both times and closed out her 10th complete game of the season.

UH fell behind again in the second game with Loyola Marymount scoring two runs in the bottom of the second. UH began its comeback with Keiki Carlos’ home run to lead off the fourth inning and Lindsey Willmon tied the game with a homer in the fifth. The Wahine moved ahead later in the inning when Li’ili’i’s single scored Jazmine Zamora and Wartner followed with a sacrifice fly to bring in Carlos.

Morales retired eight consecutive batters until Meghan Harman led off the bottom of the sixth with a home run. After UH left the bases loaded in the top of the seventh, Morales (7-6) set the Lions down in order to end the game.

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