LAS VEGAS, Nev.—Kiarra Lincoln and
Markie Okamoto hit home runs and pitching newcomer Valerie Alvardo pitched six strong innings as the Hawai`i Hilo Vulcans opened the 2019 campaign with a 7-3 win over Sonoma State at the Desert Stinger Softball Tournament at Majestic Park.
Lincoln homered in the fourth inning and fellow sophomore Okamoto went yard in the sixth to help give Alvarado the cushion she needed. The junior transfer (Indian River State College) pitched 5.1 innings, allowing the three runs on seven hits to get the win.
Leah Gonzales came on in the sixth inning to pick up the five-out save, fanning three Seawolf batters without allowing a hit.
The Vulcans will now turn around right away and play defending GNAC conference champion Central Washington, with the start time scheduled for 12:15 Hawaiian time.
UH Hilo jumped out early against Sonoma State, a team that is picked to finish fifth in the softball-strong CCAA. Lincoln singled to lead off the game (Vulcans were the visitors), and after walks to
Rayla Jacobs-Kea and
Isabelle Mejia, Okamoto brought the first two Vulcans in with a single to post a 2-0 lead.
UHH added another run in the second on an RBI-single by Jacobs-Kea to make the count 3-0. Alvardo then danced around her first spot of trouble in the bottom of third, working out of a bases loaded jam with a pitcher's best friend—the double play.
In the top of the fourth, the Vulcans added more insurance after Lincoln followed
Maria Steadmon's single with a shot over the fence to make it 5-0. The Seawolves finally scratched across a pair of runs in the bottom half of the inning, but Okamoto's round-tripper in the sixth countered to make the scoreboard read 6-2.
Cassidy Romano homered in the sixth for Sonoma State, which led to Gonzales' pitching circle appearance. The Vulcans then added one final run in the seventh when Jacobs-Kea doubled and came home on Mejia's RBI-single.
Lincoln, Jacobs-Kea and Okamoto had two hits each for the Vulcans, who had eight base knocks total. Okamoto drove in three runs and Lincoln knocked in two.