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Hawai'i Hilo Vulcans Athletics

HAWAI'I HILO VULCANS ATHLETICS
Leah Gonzales
3
Winner Central Washington CWU 1-0
1
Hawaii Hilo UHH 1-1
Winner
Central Washington CWU
1-0
3
Final
1
Hawaii Hilo UHH
1-1
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 R H E
Central Washington CWU 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 3 5 1
Hawaii Hilo UHH 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 4 2

W: Lexie Strasser (1-0) L: Gonzales, Leah (0-1)

Game Recap: Softball |

'Cats edge Vulcans in extras, 3-1

LAS VEGAS, Nev.—Central Washington's used Lexi Strasser's dominant pitching performance and a little help from something called the international tiebreaker to clip Hawai`i Hilo 3-1 in extra innings at the Desert Stinger Softball Tournament on Friday afternoon at Majestic Park.

Strasser was effective for eight innings, allowing only four hits and one unearned run in CWU's 2019 season opener. It was the second game of the day (and season) for the Vulcans, who are now 1-1.

Strasser, a First Team All-Great Northwest Athletic Conference selection as a freshman in 2018, never allowed a runner past second base until the international tiebreaker kicked in during the eighth inning. Only then did the Vulcans finally score, when Maria Steadmon was placed on second base, moved to third on a fielder's choice and then scored on Kiarra Lincoln's base hit.

But it wasn't enough because of what the Wildcats had done in the top of the eighth. With the score tied at 0-0, CWU took advantage of the lead runner on second base and a UHH throwing error to score the first run of the game. The Wildcats would then plate two more runs on Savannah Egbert's single and Julia Reuble's double—by far the largest offensive output by either team in the game.

Pitching ruled the day. Isabelle Mejia was the Vulcan starter and only allowed one hit, a walk and she fanned two before being removed with one out in the fourth. Leah Gonzales, who pitched 1.2 perfect innings for a save in the day's earlier 7-3 win over Sonoma State, entered the game and continue to throw blanks until the trouble in the eighth.

Gonzales would be the hard-luck loser, pitching 4.1 innings and allowing only one earned run. She gave up four hits, three walks and struck out two.

Gonzales also had one of the UHH four hits, with the others belonging to Lincoln, Steadmon and Markie Okamoto. Okamoto, the sophomore catcher, threw out two Wildcats attempting to steal earlier in the game to help bolster the defense.

The Vulcans will continue play at the Desert Stinger on Saturday, taking on Concordia (Ore.) at 11:30 am Pacific, followed by a 4:30 pm match-up with Cal State San Bernardino.
 
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