HAYWARD, Calif.—After splitting their last four doubleheaders, the UH Hilo softball team looked to break that trend today during a twinbill with Holy Names.

Break it they did, along with battering a number of season offensive highs, too. They topped the Hawks in a pair of mercy rule games, winning the first contest 11-0 and bombarding Holy Names in the shortened nightcap, 23-3 at the Pioneer Softball Field.

The Vulcans wrapped up a 10-game swing against Pacific West Conference schools in northern California on a positive note and improved to 14-16 on the year and to 8-12 in conference play. The Hawks are now 3-24 overall and 2-18 in the PacWest.

In the second game, UHH had 24 hits, which along with the 23 runs, were season highs. On the day, the Vulcans scored 34 runs and rapped out 39 hits.

In the first game, the visitors scored in every inning, including four in the fifth to bring the mercy rule into effect. Leah Gonzales did her part in the pitching circle, tossing five shutout innings and allowing only three hits, one walk and she struck out five to improve to 4-3 on the season.

Three Vulcans had three hits each in the pounding—Kristen Ishii (also three runs), Mari Kawano (2 RBI) and Danielle Pulido. The senior catcher had a double and a home run and drove in a pair runs. Danielle Antolin went 2-for-2 to add to the attack.

And apparently, the offense was just getting warmed up.

In the nightcap, the Hawks actually took a 3-1 lead after one inning of play. But the Vulcans then scored seven runs in the second inning and 11 more in the third to put the game out of reach.

Ishii led the 24-hit parade with a 4-for-6 game, which included a double and three RBI. Kawano and Pulido had three hits each again, with Pulido driving in three runs. Billi Derleth had two hits and four RBI, and Antolin had two hits, including a double, and drove in four runs.

Cristina Menjivar added a home run to the cause. On defense, Cyanne Fernandez pitched three shutout innings in relief to get the win and improve to 2-2. She gave up just two hits.

For the day, Ishii was 7-for-10, Kawano 6-for-8 and Pulido was 6-for-9 with five RBI.

The Vulcans hope to carry those hot bats with them to Turlock, where they will begin play on Friday at the Tournament of Champions. They will play six games in three days, beginning with a 4:30 p.m. (PDT) contest against Chico State on Friday.