TUCSON, Arizona – The Hawai'i Hilo Softball are returning to the Big Island with a 2-0 record after getting the 2024 season started this past weekend at the Division 2 Cactus Classic with wins over Minnesota State Moorhead, 3-1, and Nebraska-Kearney, 5-1.
The Vulcans opened play with a doubleheader Friday evening but had their remaining three scheduled games (Davis & Elkins, Adams State and Western New Mexico) canceled due to inclement weather in Arizona.
FEB. 9: HAWAI'I HILO 3 - MINNESOTA STATE MOORHEAD 1
- Madison Rabe got the start in the pitching circle and went the distance for the complete-game victory, notching three strikeouts and allowing just one walk, five hits and no earned runs.
- The Vulcans rallied with two outs in the opening frame of the season with three consecutive singles. Dyoni Garcia brought in the first run with a two-strike RBI base hit. After the Dragons evened the score in the fifth inning, Hawai'i Hilo responded with two runs in the sixth inning to take the lead.
- Hawai'i Hilo, who led the nation last season in double plays per game, helped close out the season-opening victory with a 4-6-3 double play before ending the contest with an induced ground out to first base.
- Lexie Tilton batted 2 for 4 with a double and two runs scored.
FEB. 9: NEBRASKA-KEARNEY 1 - HAWAI'I HILO 5
- The Vulcans lashed out 10 base hits, led by Rayna White's 3-for-3 outing at the plate. Hawai'i Hilo once again got on the scoreboard early as Victoria Macias cashed in White with an RBI single in the bottom of the first inning. Aided by Lopers pitching miscues, the Vulcans plated two more runs an inning later on wild pitches before White added another with an RBI hit to left field.
- Junior Tehani Seto returned to action after having last played in April 2022 to grab the complete-game win with two strikeouts and just two walks and one earned run allowed.
- Other starters for the Vulcans were: Jayda Favela (SS), Makena Nera (3B), Kanoe Piltz (C), Maya Lee Saneishi (CF) and Kiani Nakamura (2B).
UP NEXT
Hawai'i Hilo moved to a 2-0 record (0-0 Pacific West Conference) while MSU Moorhead moved to 5-3 (0-0 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference) and Nebraska-Kearney to 3-1 (0-0 Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association).
The Vulcans will have their home opener Tuesday, Feb. 13 in a nine-inning exhibition with Josai International University from Japan. First pitch is set for 2 p.m. at the Vulcan Softball Field.
Hawai'i Hilo will then head to O'ahu over the next two weekends for games against HPU (Feb. 16, 24-25) and Western Oregon (Feb. 17) in Kane'ohe before returning to the Big Island to host Dominican (March 1-2).
VIDEO STREAM PACKAGES
The Hawai'i Hilo Softball team will have 14 home games available to be viewed online in partnership with Out of the Sea Media Arts Inc.
Single-game viewing will be priced at $7.50 with a season-package offering of $78.75.
More information is available at HiloAthletics.com/LiveStream.
