With runners on first and third, Jamie McGaughey was just trying to keep the ball away from the the shortstop and third baseman.
“Situational hitting,” the Hawaii slugger said in a phone interview. “Just trying to go to the right side. I was trying to hit it that way, so I was successful in my plan.”
Yes, McGaughey hit the ball away from the left side of Cal State Fullerton’s infield — and away from everyone else on defense, as she blasted a three-run homer over the right field fence to put the Rainbow Wahine ahead of the Titans for the first time since the first inning.
McGaughey’s team-leading 12th homer highlighted a nine-run seventh inning that took the Wahine from a three-run deficit to an 11-5 victory over the Titans at the Big West Softball Championship tournament Thursday.
With its fourth win in a row and second in the tournament at Fullerton’s Anderson Family Field, UH (33-18) advanced to the semifinals of the winners’ bracket of the two-loss elimination tournament. The winner of the six-team tourney moves on to the NCAA Tournament. It would be the first NCAA appearance since 2013 for Bob Coolen, who is in his 34th and final season as UH head coach.
“Earlier today we were talking about Manoa magic and the seventh inning,” McGaughey said. “Last time we played them here, something similar happened.”
Indeed, when they met on March 29, the Titans led going into the seventh inning. But a two-run double by Lia Thomas keyed a five-run inning, and UH won 6-2, at the same park.
This time, though, the Wahine needed three runs to tie going into the seventh, not just one.
The Titans needed just three outs with a 5-2 lead to send the Rainbow Wahine to the losers’ bracket. But UH’s bats came alive with one out.
Larissa Goshi singled, then moved to third on Izabella Martinez’s double. After a walk to Carys Murakami, Milan Ah Yat singled down the right field line to drive in two and make it 5-4.
That set the stage for McGaughey’s blast, scoring pinch runner Maycen Gibbs and Murakami ahead of her.
The Wahine had the lead, but they were not done.
Starting with a single by Thomas, they loaded the bases, still with one out, and Chloe Borges walked to force Thomas in and make it 8-5. Martinez reached on an error that cleared the bases to make it 11-5.
Millie Fidge pitched the final 42⁄3 innings for UH, not allowing a run after one in the fourth when the Titans expanded their lead to 5-1.
“Millie did an amazing job coming in and holding them down in a high-pressure situation,” McGaughey said.
Fullerton fell to 37-16. Two of the Big West regular-season champion’s five conference losses were against UH at home.
Martinez started the game with a 3-2 walk, and scored from third four batters later when Thomas grounded into a fielder’s choice with the bases loaded and one out.
The Titans countered in the home half. Nataly Lozano’s single scored Colby McClinton, who was hit by an 0-2 pitch from Wahine starter Addison Kosterncich.
Fullerton grabbed the lead with a three-run third, keyed by Sarah Coccillos’ two-run, one-out single. Fidge relieved and avoided more damage.
Through four innings, McGaughey’s single was UH’s only hit off Fullerton starter Trisha McCleskey.
“I hit it good, it was a routine single up the middle,” McGaughey said.
McClinton’s solo homer made it 5-1 in the fourth.
UH came up empty in the fifth despite a single by Borges to start the inning.
Pinch hitter Alyssa Nakagawa broke through with a run-scoring double in the sixth, closing it to 5-2. She entered the game with a .167 batting average in 18 at-bats.
“It’s gratifying that we’re getting contributions from so many different players, not just the starters,” Coolen said.
Hawaii plays No. 2 seed Cal State Northridge today at 10. The winner advances to Saturday’s championship round with two chances to get one win that earns them the conference title. The loser plays an elimination game tonight.
