ATHERTON, California – Hawai'i Hilo Softball closed its 12-game road trip through Northern California with a narrow 5-4 defeat to Menlo in Pacific West Conference play on Tuesday afternoon at Wunderlich Field.
The Vulcans were tagged with four defensive errors with three of them coming in the bottom of the fifth inning to aid the Oaks in jumping ahead on the scoreboard. Hawai'i Hilo had just charged back with five base hits to plate four runs in the top of the fifth for a one-run advantage.
Menlo's Jolena Velasquez led off the inning with a ground ball to second base but the throw was muffed at first base for the first error of the inning. The Oaks managed back-to-back singles to load the bases, prompting the Vulcans to bring Madison Rabe into the pitching circle to send the next batter down on strike three. However on the next at-bat, Sofia Quintero hit a grounder to third base with the lead runner retired at home plate, but Vulcans catcher Chenoa Cainglit's throw down to the first base for the double-play attempt was one-hopped and got away from Victoria Macias at first base to allow the game-tying run to score. Second baseman Kiani Nakamura corralled the ball and gunned it home in attempt to get the runner coming around the horn from first base, but that throw was wide as Menlo took the 5-4 lead.
Kanoe Piltz, Macias (two hits, one double, two RBI) and Lexie Tilton (two hits) each drove in runs on base hits in the top of the fifth for the Vulcans.
The Vulcans split a doubleheader with the Oaks on Monday before dropping the series rubber match.
Hawai'i Hilo moved to 13-11 in the PacWest (19-18 overall) as Menlo moved to a 7-11 conference record (8-21 overall). Vulcans remain at No. 6 in the current conference standings with Menlo at No. 8.
UP NEXT: Friday, April 4 (NOON + 2 PM) vs Vanguard (Hilo, Hawai'i / Vulcan Softball Field)
