IRVINE, Calif.—In a battle between two of the top softball teams in the Pacific West Conference, this one ended in a standoff.

Kiarra Lincoln went 3-for-4 and hit a home run in the first game as the Hawai`i Hilo Vulcans raced past host and No. 7 ranked Concordia, 5-1. In the second game, the Eagles broke a 0-0 tie by squeezing home two runs in the bottom of the sixth and then held on for a 2-1 victory.

The two teams will square off again on Tuesday in games three and four of the series. Start time at Eagle Field is 2 pm.

With the split, the Vulcans are now 21-9 on the season and 16-6 in the PacWest. Concordia remains at the top of the league standings at 12-3, and they are 24-4 on the season.

This one was interesting from nearly the very first pitch.

Eagle ace Callie Nunes, who came into the game with a 16-2 record and All-American credentials, faced Vulcan lead-off batter Lincoln. The sophomore shortstop promptly smacked a home run over the left field fence to give the Vulcans a 1-0 lead before people were even settled in their seats.

Both Nunes and Vulcan pitcher Valerie Alvarado matched wits after that, with similar results—both had to work around control problems (walks), but still managed to keep their opponent off the scoreboard. The Eagles stranded two runners on base in the second, third and fifth innings, and UH Hilo loaded the bases in the fifth but couldn't score.

In the sixth, the Vulcans got the insurance that they would end up needing. Brinell Kaleikini led off with a walk, and Skylar Thomas followed her with the same. Freshman third baseman Chloe Domingo then made Nunes pay with a three-run shot over the left field fence to make the score 4-0.

The Vulcans added another run in the top of the seventh when Markie Okamoto singled and Vevesi Liilii doubled. Kaleikini walked again to load the bases, ending Nunes' day. Domingo worked reliever Erika Morris for a walk to make it 5-0.

The Eagles made one last rush in the bottom of the seventh. Sydney Sprinkle singled home a run and Concordia would load the bases with two outs. But Alvarado got the final out on a fly ball to end the game.

Alvarado worked around her seven walks to improve to 6-3 on the year. In a full seven innings, she allowed just six hits, one run and she struck out one. Nunes took the loss (16-3), giving up six hits, five earned runs and ten walks. She also struck out ten Vulcan batters.

As mentioned above, Lincoln had three of UH Hilo's six hits. Both Lincoln and Domingo had home runs, and Domingo ended up with four RBI in the game.

In the nightcap, two different pitchers matched zeros through the first five and a half innings of play. Billi Derleth was putting up round numbers on the scoreboard and Morris was doing the same for the Eagles.

UH Hilo had more threats without the results through the first five innings. In the third inning, Domingo doubled and Lincoln dropped a bunt single to put runners on second and third with no one out, but Morris was able to work out of the jam.

UHH had two runners on in the fifth but couldn't get a run across. In the sixth, the Eagles had their biggest offensive output of the day, combining old fashioned base hits with two squeeze plays.

Mckensey Thorpe led off the inning with a single to center field, and Sydni Dix followed with the same. Dix moved up to second on the throw to third. Amanda Gjertsen followed with a squeeze bunt to score Thorpe, and Sprinkle did the same to plate Dix, giving the Eagles a 2-0 lead heading into the top of the seventh.

The Vulcans did not go down quietly. Liilii led off the inning with a double, and then scored on Kaleikini's RBI-single. Morris then knuckled down to strike out the next two batters, and got the final out of the game on a ground ball.

Morris got the win (4-1), scattering eight Vulcan hits and striking out five. Derleth was the unlucky loser on the scoresheet, despite giving up only five hits and the two earned runs. She didn't walk a batter and fanned three.

Lincoln was 2-for-4 in the second game, making her 5-for-8 on the day. Domingo had two hits in the nightcap, as did Isabelle Mejia (both 2-for-3).

Tuesday's second showdown will be the final conference games of this trip for the Vulcans before they head to Turlock, Calif. for the Tournament of Champions this weekend.