A fourth-inning outburst gave the University of Hawaii softball team hope of pulling out a comeback victory.
Stanford’s bats snuffed any such thoughts.
After the Rainbow Wahine took the lead with a five-run fourth, the Cardinal kept pounding at the plate and pulled away to a 14-6 win on Saturday in the Pepsi Malihini Kipa Aloha Tournament.
“We only made it a game in the fourth inning and that was it,” UH coach Bob Coolen said. “We fell apart.”
UH (10-9) closes the tournament today against Coastal Carolina (8-10) in a game scheduled for 12:30 p.m. at Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium.
Stanford (10-8) ended both of its games in Saturday’s doubleheader after the sixth inning due to the eight-run rule. The Cardinal began the day with a 12-4 win over Coastal Carolina and hit three home runs in their second win over UH in as many days.
Whitney Burks and Lauren Frost homered in the first inning to give Stanford a 4-0 lead and first baseman Kayla Bonstrom’s two-run shot to left field in the top of the fifth put the Cardinal up for good after UH rallied to take a 6-5 lead in the fourth.
Stanford then put the game out of reach with a seven-run sixth inning, with the help of some shaky UH defense.
“They swung the bats really well today,” second-year Stanford coach Rachel Hanson said. “I’m really proud of the way our team attacked good pitches. … I’m just really proud of our team for persevering and continuing to put the bat on the ball.”
The pitching numbers weren’t pretty for either team, but Stanford sophomore Haley Snyder picked up the win in relief, giving up five runs on nine hits with three strikeouts and two walks in 32⁄3 innings. UH starter Kanani Aina Cabrales took the loss with 13 runs, 12 earned, on 11 hits, four strikeouts and three walks in 51⁄3 innings.
The trip to the islands has done wonders for the Stanford bats.
The Cardinal arrived in town with 12 home runs in their first 14 games. Through four games this week, they’ve sent 10 shots out of RWSS.
Stanford hit three homers in a 13-4 win over UH on Friday and took command early again on Saturday via the long ball.
UH bunched six singles in its five-run rally with two outs in the fourth inning, tying the game on Ulu Matagiese’s two-run single. The Wahine moved ahead when pinch hitter Dori Ann Sugai fouled off four pitches with two strikes before lining a single into left field to score Keiki Carlos with the go-ahead run.
“We hit the ball, we made adjustments, we hit their No. 1 pitcher that came into the game,” Coolen said. “But we had no pitching.”
Stanford answered with one out in the fifth when Bonstrom hit her second homer of the season. Bonstrom added a two-run double in the Cardinal’s seven-run sixth inning.
“She’s been working through some things with her swing and she stayed resilient and bounced right back and did a great job,” Hanson said.
| At Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium |
| Stanford (10-8) |
400 |
127 |
— |
14 |
13 |
3 |
| Hawaii (10-9) |
001 |
500 |
— |
6 |
11 |
3 |
Kaitlyn Lagattuta , Haley Snyder (3)and Victoria Molina. Kanani Aina Cabrales, Jennifer Iseri (6) and Heather Cameron. W–Snyder. L–Aina Cabrales.
Leading hitters–Stanford: Kylie Sorenson, 3-4, 2B, 2 RBIs; Whitney Burks, HR, 2 RBIs; Savannah Schulze, RBI; Jessica Plaza, 2-4, 2B; Lauren Frost, 2-3, HR, 2 RBIs; Kayla Bonstrom, 2-4 2B, HR, 4 RBIs; Snyder, RBI. Hawaii: Sarah Muzik, 2-4; Nicole Lopez, RBI; Keiki Carlos, RBI; Ulu Matagiese, 2 RBIs; Dori Ann Sugai, 2-2, RBI; Cameron, 2-2, 2B, RBI.
Saturday
Stanford 12, Coastal Carolina 4, 6 innings
Today
Stanford vs. Coastal Carolina, 10 a.m.
Coastal Carolina vs. Hawaii, 12:30 p.m.
