HILO, Hawai`i--Freshman outfielder Brinell Kaleikini and junior third baseman Bailey Gaspar took turns in the main spotlight, each providing a walk-off game winning hit during a 3-1 and 3-2 softball doubleheader sweep of Hawai`i Pacific on Sunday afternoon at the UH Hilo softball field.

It was the fourth and fifth wins in a row for the Vulcans, who evened their overall record at 19-19 and improved to 10-12 in the Pacific West Conference. The Sharks are now 18-18 on the year and 7-13 in conference play.

In the opener, Kaleikini ripped a 3-2, two-out pitch well over the left field fence in the bottom of the ninth inning to send the winning runs home and her teammates scrambling out of the dugout in celebration. Ditto for Gaspar in the bottom of the seventh of the nightcap, when she singled and Kristen Ishii slid past the Shark catcher for the winning tally and more celebration for the Vulcans. 

Each contest had a pitching hero as well for UH Hilo. Cyanne Fernandez went the extra inning distance in game one and Leah Gonzales tossed a complete game in the second contest.

The first game was a pitching duel between Fernandez and HPU's Emiliee Leonard. Fernandez blinked first when Noelani Boyer hit a change up deep over the right-center field fence to give the Sharks a 1-0 lead in the second inning. The Vulcans answered in the bottom of the third when Cristina Menjivar hit a sharp single up the middle that scored Maria Steadmon, but the go-ahead run was gunned down at the plate on a throw by the center fielder Sienna Santiago.

The score stayed 1-1 through regulation play. The Sharks made another outstanding defensive play in the bottom of the seventh when Dominique Walker made a sliding catch on a Ishii blooper that saved the game. Fernandez and Leonard kept dealing, with the score still deadlocked in the ninth, just one out away from the tenth inning and the internaitonal tie-breaker rule.

But with two outs, the Vulcans stayed alive when Steadmon worked a walk to bring up Kaleikini. On a 3-2 pitch, the freshman right fielder crushed a no-doubter over the left field fence to end the contest. 

UHH had only five hits in the game against Leonard, who also walked four batters and struck out five. Fernandez scattered seven hits, struck out six and did not walk a batter to improve to 5-3 on the year. Boyer had three of those hits for the Sharks.

The second game was another pitching treat, with Gonzales and Jordan Curry getting outs. Through six innings, Gonzales hadn't given up a run and allowed only four hits. Curry had a no-hitter through four innings until Kaleikini stroked the first UHH hit in the fifth.

In the bottom of the sixth, Gaspar worked a walk and Menjivar followed with a base hit. Pinch runners entered for both players, with Kayla Requelman on second base and Samantha Lauro on first. Gonzales then had another duel with Curry, this time in the batter's box. Gonzales battled through a 10-pitch at-bat before earning a walk, loading the bases.

Danielle Pulido followed with a soft ground ball to first, but the throw to home skidded off the catcher's glove and two runs scored to give UHH a 2-0 lead heading into the seventh inning. But the Sharks stayed alive with a two spot of their own. A two-run double by Sierra Dias, the only extra base hit of the game, tied the contest at 2-2 and opened the door for the possibility of another extra inning affair.

In the bottom half of the inning, with one out, Ishii walked to first and Mari Kawano singled her to second. That brought up Gaspar, who slapped a single into right field. Ishii scampered past third and slid inside the tag at home to give the Vulcans just their third doubleheader sweep of the year.

Curry gave up only four hits and struck out seven, but she also walked six Vulcan batters. Gonzales improved to 6-5 on the year, allowing six hits and two walks. She fanned three Sharks. Dias had two hits and the two RBI to lead her team.

The Vulcans will play their final home games of the season next Saturday (April 15) when they host Chaminade at noon. Senior Day will be celebrated after the games.