IRVINE, California – There was plenty hits to go around the lineup with the Vulcans racking up 31 total through Friday's season-opening doubleheader as Hawai'i Hilo Softball split with a 14-5 win over Western Oregon and a narrow 11-8 loss to No. 23 Cal State San Marcos at the Orange County Great Park in the Concordia Kickoff Classic.
The Vulcans had 17 hits against the Wolves, the most since finishing with 19 against Western New Mexico in Feb. 2018. In the second outing of the day, Hawai'i Hilo totaled 14 hits against the 23rd-ranked Cougars to match last year's season high in the penultimate game of 2024 — an 11-inning marathon victory over Biola at the PacWest Championships.
Jayda Favela (.625), Victoria Macias (.556) and freshman Mariah Antoque (.556) each racked up five hits and combined to score 11 of the Vulcans' runs. Kiani Nakamura and Rayna White both had four RBI.
Middle infielders Favela (shortstop — eight total putouts and seven assists) and Nakamura (second base — six putouts and seven assists) both had busy days with their gloves.
Hawai'i Hilo moved to 1-1 on the season as Western Oregon moved to 0-1 and No. 23 Cal State San Marcos to 2-0.
UP NEXT: Concordia Kickoff Classic (Irvine, California / Orange County Great Park) – Saturday, Feb. 1 vs No. 15 Cal State Dominguez Hills (11 AM / 1 PM PT) and Sonoma State (4 PM / 6 PM PT)
HAWAI'I HILO 14, WESTERN OREGON 7
- Macias got the scoring going in the first inning with a two-out RBI double to score Lexie Tilton after getting on with a two-out single.
- Chenoa Cainglit brought in the winning run with a bases-loaded RBI single to follow four drawn walks in the top of the fourth.
- Redshirt-freshman transfer Janessa Santos got the opening-game start in the pitching circle, allowing zero hits in 3.0 innings but giving up six walks. Tehani Seto closed out the final 4.0 innings to record the win on record.
- The Vulcans drew 10 walks, matching the single-game season highs from last year. White walked four times.
NO. 23 CAL STATE SAN MARCOS 11, HAWAI'I HILO 8
- Both teams combined for 30 hits as six Vulcans each finished with a pair of base knocks.
- Facing an early one-run deficit, the Vulcans rallied on two outs in the bottom of the second with three consecutive singles before White clutched up with a two-strike bases-clearing double to put Hawai'i Hilo up, 4-2.
- With the scored tied in the next inning, Nakamura knocked a full-count bases-loaded single to score two runs. Ke'alohi Markham added an RBI ground out to give the Vulcans a three-run lead. Tilton added on in the bottom of the fifth with a first-pitch RBI single.
- CSUSM took the lead in the next frame with four hits and five runs.
- Chloe Sales got the start, going 3.1 innings, as junior transfer Madi Lee was tagged with the loss. Lauren Otsubo and Madison Rabe also made appearances in the pitching circle.
