Two Huntington Beach natives had big weeks for the UH Hilo softball team during the first part of their southern California trip and have been named the Vulcan Pepsi Athletes of the Week.

Junior pitcher Billi Derleth stepped big for the Vulcans this week when they needed it most. During a six-day period where they played eight games, UH Hilo needed quality innings and they got them from the Huntington Beach native (Oceanview HS). She pitched in three games, a total of 20.2 innings and gave up only four earned runs. She walked just one batter during that span, scattered 21 hits and fanned six. In the final bout of a wild series with Azusa Pacific, she pitched a complete game as the Vulcans claimed a 11-2 win. On the season, she is 2-1 with a 1.85 ERA.

Senior outfielder Maria Steadmon has been on a tear all season and played a big role as the Vulcans took three of four games from Azusa Pacific on the road. The Vulcans played eight games this past week in southern California, and the Huntington Beach (Huntington Beach HS) native had hits in seven of them. In the one game that she didn't get a hit, she still scored three times and walked twice. She went 14-for-35 for the week (.400), scored eight runs and had five RBI. On the season, she leads the 20-8 Vulcans with a .373 batting average.

The softball Vulcans will take on first-place Concordia on Monday and Tuesday in Irvine in a battle of two of the top teams in the PacWest Conference.