HONOLULU, Hawai'i – Hawai'i Hilo Softball dropped the opener, 2-0, before bouncing back with an 11-5 victory to split Sunday's doubleheader at HPU in Pacific West Conference play at Mauli Ola Sports Complex at Sand Island Park.

Breeann Leong delivered the go-ahead RBI single in the sixth inning of Game 2 to put the Vulcans ahead for good. Ke'alohi Markham went 3 for 3 with three runs scored while Lexie Tilton added three RBI. Madison Rabe earned the win in relief going 5.1 innings.

In Game 1, HPU scored both of its runs in the fifth inning aided by four walks. Hawai'i Hilo totaled just three hits, two by Rayna White, with the contest featuring just five total between the two teams.

Over the weekend trip to O'ahu, the Vulcans secured the No. 3 spot for next month's four-team PacWest Championships. Hawai'i Hilo will have an opening-round matchup with the No. 2 seed, which is still be determined between Concordia (29-7) and Biola (28-7). Jessup (20-14) is slotted in at the No. 4 spot.

The regular-season finale is set for next Friday in Hilo and it will be Senior Day (Breli Agbayani-Shibao, Madi Lee, Kanoe Piltz, Madison Rabe, Tehani Seto, Lexie Tilton, Rayna White, Megan Yorba).

NOTES

• Game 1: Hawai'i Hilo 0 - HPU 2
  • HPU scored both runs in the bottom of the fifth with four walks contributing to the rally. Sharks scored on a bases-loaded walk and a wild pitch strikeout.
  • White finished 2 for 2 at the plate.
  • Ke'alohi Markham had the Vulcans other hit: her first career triple.
  • Janessa Santos got the start in the circle going 4.1 innings and while she only gave up two hits and totaled eight strikeouts, Santos also surrendered eight walks.
• Game 2: HPU 5 - Hawai'i Hilo 11
  • With the game tied, 4-4, the Vulcans took the lead for good with four runs in the top of the sixth inning. Ava Monturio led off with a double to set up Leong's game-winning RBI single. Hawai'i Hilo had five hits in the inning as Tilton followed later with a two-RBI single. Another run scored on a defensive error to extend the Vulcans' advantage to 8-4.
  • White (groundout), Breli Agbayani-Shibao (triple) and Tilton (single) added three more RBI in the final inning.
  • Markham went 3 for 3 with an RBI, a walk and three runs scored.
  • Rabe threw the final 5.1 innings in earning her eighth win of the season.
• Hawai'i Hilo: 24-15 Overall (21-11 PacWest)
  • Preseason Coaches Poll: No. 6
  • Current Conference Standing: No. 3
• HPU: 7-33 Overall (5-27 PacWest)
  • Honolulu, Hawai'i
  • Preseason Coaches Poll: No. 8
  • Current Conference Standing: No. 10

UP NEXT

• Friday, May 1 (NOON + 2:30 PM) vs HPU (Vulcan Softball Field)
  • Senior Day
• Tuesday, May 5 (2 PM / 5 PM PT) at PacWest Championships vs #2 Concordia/Biola (La Mirada, California)
• Wednesday, May 6 (TBD) at PacWest Championships (La Mirada, California)
• Thursday, May 7 (TBD) at PacWest Championships (La Mirada, California)

PACWEST CHAMPIONSHIPS

The four-team 2026 PacWest Championships postseason tournament will be hosted by Biola on May 5-7 in La Mirada, California. Clinched: Concordia (27-7), Biola (26-7), Hawai'i Hilo (21-11), Jessup (20-14). Champion earns an automatic bid into the eight-team NCAA West Regional.

NCAA WEST REGIONAL RANKINGS

NCAA Division II Championships Committee released its first Division II Softball Regional Rankings earlier this week listing Hawai'i Hilo among the top 10 teams under consideration in the West Region.

The latest rankings list teams alphabetically with no numerical order assigned. Joining the Vulcans in the West Region top 10 are Biola, Cal State Dominguez Hills, Cal State East Bay, Cal State Monterey Bay, Cal State San Marcos, Concordia, Northwest Nazarene, Stanislaus State and Western Washington. Three automatic bids are awarded to the champions of the PacWest Conference, Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC), and California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) with five at-large selections rounding out the field.

PACWEST HAWAI'I CHALLENGE

With a split on Sunday, Hawai'i Hilo and HPU each earned two points in the Softball competition of the PacWest Hawai'i Challenge. Hawai'i Hilo now leads with eight points and Chaminade and HPU currently tied with six points apiece. Two games remain between Hawai'i Hilo and HPU.

Hawai'i Hilo had already wrapped up this year's challenge after the Men's Golf team repeated as four-time PacWest Champions earlier this week — marking the third consecutive year of winning the annual competition (fourth time in the last five years) between the three NCAA Division II schools in Hawai'i. Vulcans currently have a final score of 21 points and is guaranteed at least two more points (at least one point for baseball and one point for softball) and will finish with a minimum final score of 23. A maximum of six points (three in each sport) is up for grabs but it still won't be enough for Chaminade (15) and HPU (16) to tie or overtake the top spot.

The year-long PacWest Hawai'i Challenge tracks head-to-head (Men's Soccer, Women's Soccer, Women's Volleyball, Men's Basketball, Women's Basketball, Softball, Baseball) and common conference event results (Women's Cross Country, Women's Tennis, Men's Golf) in equal sponsored sports between Hawai'i's three NCAA Division II schools. Full breakdown available at HiloAthletics.com/PWCHI.