HILO, Hawai'i – The Hawai'i Hilo softball team closed the Pacific West Conference season opener at home Sunday afternoon with two losses to No. 16 Concordia University Irvine, 9-0 and 4-2.
The Vulcans were shutout in game one of the doubleheader as it was ended after five innings due to the eight-run mercy rule before falling late in a tough battle to the Golden Eagles.
CUI swept Hawai'i Hilo, 4-0, in both team's PacWest season-opening series.
Trinity Favela led the Vulcans with four hits on the afternoon.
GAME 3: CUI 9, UHH 0 (5 INNINGS)
- The Golden Eagles got on the scoreboard early with four runs in the first inning after clumping together two singles, three doubles and a two-run home run by Rylie Rohr.
- CUI added five more runs on five hits in the third inning highlighted by Shelby Pfeiler's three-run homer.
- The Vulcans left eight total runs stranded on the basepaths with perhaps their best opportunity in the bottom of the first inning as they got the first two runners on but couldn't cash in as they were retired on back-to-back strikeouts.
GAME 4: CUI 4, UHH 2
- The two teams traded single runs through the first two innings as CUI's Missy Nemeth and Hawai'i Hilo's Jayda Favela drove in Megan Massa and Chloe Domingo, respectively, who each led off their respective innings with a double down the left-field line.
- Things remained quiet through the next three innings before CUI took the lead with back-to-back-to-back home runs from Rylie Rohr, Sydney Sprinkle and Shelby Pfeiler.
- Hawai'i Hilo responded by getting one back in the bottom frame on pinch hitter Makena Nera's RBI single to third base, but that would be all as the Vulcans fell, 4-2.
SERIES SUPERSTARS
- Trinity Favela's four hits Sunday afternoon brought her batting average to .364 through the four-game series to lead the Vulcans as she also collected 11 putouts and 10 assists (1.000) at second base.
- CUI had five players finish the series batting over .400.
- Rylie Rohr belted three home runs and totaled six putouts and five assists (1.000) at shortstop for the Golden Eagles.
- Courtney Koelmans and Rae Flores each pitched complete-game shutouts for CUI.
WHAT'S NEXT
Hawai'i Hilo moved to 0-4 in the PacWest (3-10 overall) while No. 16 Concordia University Irvine improved to a 4-0 record (14-4 overall).
Hawai'i Hilo will have two more home series in the following weeks starting with Biola March 3-4 at the Vulcan Softball Field.
The final home games will be against Chaminade and HPU at the end of April.
