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Of the songs in the pregame mix at Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium, “Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride” best fits the home team’s fortunes so far this season.
The dips and rises of the University of Hawaii softball team’s nonconference schedule continued Sunday when the Rainbow Wahine lost to Seattle for the second time in three days then bounced back to shut out Charleston Southern for the second straight meeting to finish third in the Coca-Cola Malihini Kipa Aloha Tournament.
After the Wahine (9-8) lost to Seattle 4-1 in the semifinals, UH right-hander Brittany Hitchcock held Charleston Southern to two hits, struck out seven and walked none in a 3-0 victory. Toledo beat Seattle 6-2 to win the tournament.
Hitchcock had lost four of her previous five starts and saw her earned-run average rise from 1.58 to 3.50 over that span.
She earned a win with 22⁄3 innings of scoreless relief against Toledo on Saturday and rolled the rare appearance out of the bullpen into Sunday’s start against Charleston Southern, which entered the game among the national leaders with 28 home runs.
“I definitely needed just a little bit of a confidence boost to refocus,” Hitchcock said. “(Saturday) was a good one to carry into today just knowing that I have a strong offense and defense behind me.”
UH first baseman Heather Morales gave Hitchcock a lead by driving in Danielle Garcielita with a two-out single in the bottom of the first inning. Justine Garner, a transfer from Santa Clara, was given her first start of the season and provided added breathing room with her first UH hit, a two-run home run in the fourth.
“I told (the team) Justine seized the moment,” UH coach Bob Coolen said. “Two runs at that point in the game is huge rather than 1-0 going into the sixth and seventh.”
The win sent UH out of the weekend on the upswing after seeing a shot at playing for the tournament title slip away with the loss to Seattle.
UH took the lead when Garcielita scored on a wild pitch in the first inning but the Red Hawks jumped ahead in the second. With two out, Sara Dominguez looped a single into shallow left field to score Maddy Kristjanson from second. Dominguez headed to second on the throw to the plate and catcher Heather Cameron’s throw sailed into center field, allowing Dominguez came around to score the go-ahead run.
UH junior Dana Thomsen kept the Wahine within a run until Kris Jansen launched a two-run homer with two out in the sixth.
UH will have a day off before facing Toledo in a doubleheader on Tuesday. The Wahine then open the five-day Outrigger Hawaii Spring Fling on Wednesday.
At Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium
Seattle (5-13) 020 002 0 — 4 6 1
Hawaii (8-8) 100 000 0 — 1 5 2
Alyssa Reuble, Andie Larkins (6) and Sara Dominguez, Susanne Morris (6). Dana Thomsen and Heather Cameron. W—Reuble. L—Thomsen.
Leading hitters—Seattle: Maddy Kristjanson, HR, 2 RBIs; Dominguez, RBI.
Charleston Southern (10-13) 000 000 0 — 0 2 2
Hawaii (9-8) 100 200 x — 3 4 1
Holly Clark and Caitlyn Emberson, Georgi Delio (4). Brittany HItchcock and Callee Heen. W—Hitchcock. L—Clark.
Leading hitters—Hawaii: Heather Morales, RBI; Justine Garner, HR, 2 RBIs.
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