UPDATE; UH HIlo vs. Chaminade moved to Kailua-Kona and Kealakehe High School. Saturday's doubleheader starts at noon, Sunday begins at 11 am.
Like last weekend, the Hawai`i Hilo softball team will likely battle rain this weekend in addition to their opponent, although the team in the other dugout has changed.
The Vulcans will host Chaminade this Saturday and Sunday, with doubleheader start times scheduled at noon on Saturday and 11 am on Sunday. The contests have been moved to the other side of the island to Kailua-Kona and Kealakehe High School.
Last weekend, after a week of the heaviest rain in Hilo all year, the Vulcans managed to get one out of four scheduled games in the books against Hawaii Pacific. The Vulcans won Sunday morning's game 6-1 before the deluge came to wash out the second game. Both of Saturday's games were postponed.
Those three games still may be made up, whether it is here in Hilo or on Oahu on one of UHH's trips there in April.
When the Vulcans finally did get to play for the first time in 12 months, they used a solid pitching performance from
Valerie Alvarado and a three-run homer from
Vevesi Liilii to cruise to the win. Alvarado pitched a complete game, giving up four hits and three walks. Vevesi had two of UHH's seven hits, including the monster mash that opened up things for a six-run Vulcan third inning.
"It was good to get a game in," head coach
Callen Perreira told the Hawaii Tribune-Herald after the game. "We've been working together two months and didn't have a Fall practice season. All things considered, it's good. We played well."
Overall, Perreira is thinking bigger picture since softball is one of the sports that will feature an NCAA postseason.
"We were disappointed that we didn't get the opportunity last season to play on," he said of his 11-10 squad that was just getting going when the pandemic hit. "We went 6-3 against the strong SoCal teams and were coming off a sweep of nationally ranked Concordia where we outscored them 11-1. We were in a good place to make a strong run for the PacWest title or regional berth.
"That was a year ago. The team knows its potential and we hope to carry that momentum into this unusual pandemic season. I believe the ceiling of this team is unlimited if they go out and work hard weekly on and off the field and in the weight room. We did not have a fall season together however we kept in contact via bi-weekly individual meetings and bi-weekly team zoom meetings. For the most part they arrived on campus in good shape and excited to be together as a team."
Next step for the Vulcans will be hosting Chaminade this weekend. Traditionally, Hawaii Pacific has been the stronger of the two Oahu teams, but to open the 2021 season the Silverswords swept the Sharks in a doubleheader.
Sophomore Kobie Brown is off to a hot start for the Silverswords, going 6-for-8 in the doubleheader. Senior veteran Malia Ka`akiimaka-Moisa was 4-for-8 with a pair of doubles and four RBI as Chaminade hit .354 as a team. Fourth-year starter Madelyn Stockslager anchors the pitching staff and fanned 12 Sharks in 9.2 innings pitched.
"Due to the pandemic, weather, pod scheduling and less games than normal we have been talking a lot as a team about having the mentality of controling what we can control and not being concerned what we have no control over," Perreira added. "Our goal is to win the Hawaii pod and let the regional selection committee do their job, something that we have no control over."
As per Hawai`i County pandemic rules, no fans are allowed at Kealakehe High School. All Vulcan home games are streamed live, for more information go to hiloathletics.com and to Schedules, and click on WATCH link for more details.
