Box Score
ST. GEORGE, Utah--Undefeated and No. 19 nationally ranked Colorado Mesa scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to come from behind to edge Hawai`i Hilo, 6-5, in UHH's first game at the Dixie State Easton Classic on Thursday night at the Canyons Softball Complex.

The Mavericks improved to 5-0 on the season while the Vulcans fell to 5-3. UHH will return to the field bright and early tomorrow, taking on Metro State (Colorado) at 10 a.m. Mountain time (7 a.m. in Hawaii).

When Colorado Mesa took the lead in the top of the seventh, it was the first time that they had been on the front end of the scoreboard the entire game.

UHH got on the board first in the bottom of the opening inning. A Danielle Antolin single, followed by two walks and a two-run single by Kacie Freudenberger put the Vulcans up 2-0. Although Colorado Mesa would push across a run in the top of the second, the Vulcans answered with two more counters, one unearned and one brought home on a Bailey Gaspar sacrifice fly.

Mesa made it 4-3 in the third, but Freudenberger hit a solo shot in the bottom half, and just like that UHH had a 5-3 lead.

That margin held until the seventh inning, as freshman Leah Gonzales worked in and out of trouble. Meanwhile the Mavericks' McKenzie Surface, who had entered the game in the third inning, was throwing blanks at the Vulcans. 

UHH from two outs away from the win in the top of the seventh. But a walk, single, double and single brought in two runs and moved the winning run to third. One ground out later, the sixth Maverick run crossed the plate, sending the stunned Vulcans to try and stay alive in the bottom half of the inning.

But Surface wouldn't allow any thoughts of a comeback. She struck out the side, sending the Vulcans to their third loss of the year.

Surface gave up just one hit in her five innings and struck out nine. 

Mari Kawano and Freudenberger had two of those hits each, and Freudenberger had three RBI with the home run. Antolin had the other base knock and also scored two runs.

In addition to playing Metro State on Friday, the Vulcans will also take on Western Washington at 3 p.m. MST (noon Pacific).

Gonzales took the loss, allowing five earned runs and ten hits. She fanned one and walked one.