KANE'OHE, Hawai'i – The Vulcans drove in a season-high nine runs to take the game-one victory, but fell to Western Washington in game two to split Sunday's non-conference doubleheader at HPU's Howard A. Okita Field.
Hawai'i Hilo earned every one of its nine runs as Chloe Domingo walked the game off with a two-RBI single in the bottom of the sixth inning to reach the eight-run threshold for the 9-1 win.
Game No. 2 saw plenty runners come across the plate as the teams combined for 26 total runs, but it was the Vikings getting the best of the Vulcans by equaling a single-game school record and reaching the eight-run limit by a score of 19-7.
GAME 1: WESTERN WASHINGTON 1, HAWAI'I HILO 9
- The Vikings seemed to be getting things going in the second inning after stringing together three consecutive hits to plate a run, but Trinity Favela ended all that by doubling up with a line out and getting the runner at first base.
- With the help of two walks, the Vulcans responded in the bottom frame as Klara Cejkova-Kolaci slammed a double to right-center followed by a sacrifice fly from Jayda Favela to bring in the go-ahead run.
- Alexis Lacy got her second win on the season (2-4), giving up just three hits and one earned run with two strikeouts and no walks allowed. Other than the second inning, no Vikings runner got past second base.
- Hawai'i Hilo plated runs in each of the second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth innings highlighted by Lexie Tilton's lead-off homer in the third and later Chloe Domingo's walk-off hit in the sixth inning.
- Vikings pitchers Mareen Ramirez (4-1) and Alexis Slater combined to give up seven walks — three of which came around to score.
GAME 2: WESTERN WASHINGTON 19, HAWAI'I HILO 7
- It was back-and-forth early on with just a two-score difference after four complete innings with Western Washington ahead, 9-7, but the Vikings opened the game up with a total nine hits for 10 runs in the fifth and sixth innings.
- WWU posted 19 hits with five players reaching at least three hits apiece.
- Chloe Domingo evened the score early on with a bases-clearing double down the left field line to make it a 3-3 game in the first inning.
- Lauren Avalos got the start in the pitching circle, but Alexis Lacy was the losing pitcher on record after entering midway through the first inning. Lacy gave up four runs (all unearned) in 1.2 innings of work.
O'AHU WEEKEND RECAP
- In the four games played this weekend on O'ahu, Lexie Tilton batted .545 with six hits, three RBI, one home run, five runs scored, three walks, one hit by pitch, three stolen bases and two putouts in left field.
- Trinity Favela followed with six hits (.500), two RBI, one double, four runs scored, one walk, one hit by pitch, and nine putouts with 13 assists (.846) at second base.
- Chloe Domingo batted .417 with five hits, seven RBI,three doubles, two runs scored, two walks, one steal and three putouts with eight assists (1.000) at third base.
- Jayda Favela drew six walks in the lead-off spot and collected nine putouts and 10 assists (.905) at shortstop.
- In three appearances and 14.2 total innings of work, Alexis Lacy gave up just two earned runs (0.95 ERA) and added two complete-game wins to her record.
WHAT'S NEXT
Hawai'i Hilo moved to 3-6 overall (0-0 Pacific West Conference) while Western Washington moved to a 6-5 record (0-0 Great Northwest Athletic Conference).
The Vulcans will have their first home games this weekend for the PacWest Conference season opener against No. 17 Concordia University Irvine on Feb. 25-26 at the on-campus Vulcan Softball Field.
Hawai'i Hilo will have two more home series in the following weeks with Biola March 3-4 and Azusa Pacific March 13-14.
The final home games will be against Chaminade and HPU at the end of April.
