Wahine complete unbeaten road trip

Two more comebacks capped an undefeated road trip for the Hawaii softball team.

Leaky defense contributed to the Rainbow Wahine falling behind early in both games of Saturday’s Big West doubleheader at UC Riverside. Once they steadied themselves, the Wahine overcame a four-run deficit to rally past the Highlanders 8-7 in the first game. They completed the series sweep with a 4-1 victory in the finale.

UH first baseman Leisha Li’ili’i drove in the tie-breaking runs in both games as UH improved to 18-14 overall and opened the conference schedule with a road sweep.

The Rainbow Wahine hadn’t won more than two games in a row this season prior to the road trip and went 5-0 in their stay in California. They trailed in four before pulling out the wins.

"We gave them all eight runs and said, ‘Let’s play. We can come back,’ " UH coach Bob Coolen said.

"We’re hitting the ball, but we’re not playing real solid defense. … It’s not pretty, but a win is a win at this time of the year."

UH scored three runs in the top of the first in Saturday’s opener but committed five errors in the first two innings as UCR (19-17,

0-3) scored six unearned runs to take a 7-3 lead.

Lindsey Willmon’s RBI single in the fourth inning and Sharla Kliebenstein’s two-run home run in the fifth brought UH to within a run. The Wahine tied the game in the sixth when Keiki Carlos scored from third on an illegal-pitch call.

Li’ili’i gave UH the lead with a two-out double in the top of the seventh to score Jazmine Zamora with the go-ahead run. UCR put the tying run at second with two out in the bottom of the inning, but Heather Morales managed to close out a complete-game victory.

Morales (8-6) battled through the rough start and gave up eight hits, walked six and struck out three and was charged with just one earned run in the win.

Loie Kesterson also went the distance in the second game to earn her second win of the series and third of the trip. Kesterson allowed six hits, struck out two and walked one.

The Wahine went ahead in the top of the sixth when Li’ili’i and Wartner led off the inning with back-to-back home runs.

Kesterson worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the fifth and faced the tying run in the seventh. But a lineout to third started a game-ending double play.

Kliebenstein and Wartner enjoyed productive stays in their home state. Kliebenstein, who went 3-for-4 in Saturday’s first game, hit .428 over UH’s five-game winning streak while driving in seven runs. Wartner hit .357 with three homers in California.

UH returns home this week and opens a three-game series with Cal State Fullerton on Friday.

Heather Morales and Sharla Kliebenstein, Kayla Wartner (3). Alyssa Razo, Sophie Slagle (1) and Natalie Sanchez.

W–Morales. L–Slagle.

Leading hitters–Hawaii: Lindsey Willmon, RBI; Jazmine Zamora, 2-4; Keiki Carlos, 2-5  2b; Leisha Li’ili’i, 2-3, 2B, RBI; Kliebenstein, 3-4, HR, 4 RBIs.

UCR: Sanchez, 2b, RBI; Haley Harris 2b, RBI; Ashley Ercolano, RBI; Taylor Wright, 2-3, RBI. 

Loie Kesterson and Sharla Kliebenstein. Sophie Slagle and Natalie Sanchez.

W–Kesterson. L–Slagle.

Leading hitters–Hawaii: Jazmine Zamora, RBI; Leisha Li’ili’i, HR; Kayla Wartner, HR. UCR: Dionne Anderson, RBI; Kris DeAnda, 2-3.

SATURDAY
Hawaii 8, UC Riverside 7
Hawaii 4, UC Riverside 1
CS Fullerton 10, UCSB 0
UCSB  6, CS Fullerton 1
Cal Poly 1, CS  Northridge 0
Long Beach State at UC Davis, ppd.