TUCSON, Ariz.--Hawai`i Hilo has 16 returning players with UHH softball experience, but on Friday afternoon at the Cactus Classic it was a newcomer that led them. 

Kamalei Labasan drilled a two-run double in the bottom of the seventh to lead her Vulcan team to a come-form-behind 4-3 win over Southern Nazarene University at Lincoln Park. The junior outfielder (Edmonds CC/Mililani, HI) drove a pitch to right centerfield to bring home Brinell Kaleikini (reached on error) and Vevesi Liilii (hit by pitch). 

The Vulcans improved to 3-5 with the win, while the Storm fell to 5-3. UH Hilo is scheduled to play St. Mary's TX tonight at 5:30 pm.

UH Hilo had ten hits in the game, but had to work around leaving runners on base and four errors on defense. 

The Vulcans put runners on second and third in the first two innings and loaded the bases in the third, but didn't score. Meanwhile, UHH starting pitcher Valerie Alvarado retired the first eight batters she faced, but the Storm put together a two-out rally in the third with two singles, a triple (Peyton Robinson) and an error to bring two runs across the plate.

UHH finally broke through in the fourth inning. Megan Johnson led off with a double, moved to third on a sacrifice bunt and scored on Kiarra Lincoln's single. Kimberly Olivas then brought Lincoln home with a double to tie the game at 2-2. 

That's how it stayed until the top of the seventh when SNU used two Vulcan errors and a hit to take a 3-2 lead--and jwas ust three outs from a victory until Labasan's game-winner.

Alvarado picked up her second win of the year (2-2), allowing just two earned runs in seven innings of work. She scattered nine hits, walked one and fanned three. 

Olivas, Kaleikini and Labasan had two hits each for UHH, with Olivas and Labasan rapping doubles.