SAN MARCOS, California – Hawai'i Hilo Softball fell to top seed Cal State San Marcos, 9-1, in six innings in the NCAA West Regional First Round at CSUSM Softball Field.
The Cougars managed to score four runs in the bottom of the first and added two more in the second to take a 6-0 lead. CSUSM later led 8-0 heading into the top of the fifth when Mariah Antoque singled up the middle for both her's and the Vulcans' second hit of the game. Kanoe Piltz's sacrifice bunt moved Antoque one base over and Ava Monturio followed with a base hit. Pinch hitter Chenoa Cainglit brought Antoque across the plate with an RBI fielder's choice for the Vulcans' lone run of the afternoon.
Vulcans batters were retired by 16 groundouts and two strikeouts with zero fly balls.
CSUSM managed to total nine hits and ended the game in the bottom of the sixth with the eight-run mercy-rule walk-off run scoring on a Vulcans defensive error.
Hawai'i Hilo moves to the elimination bracket and will face fourth-seed Cal State Dominguez Hills, who fell to fifth-seed Cal State Monterey Bay, 4-0, later on Thursday afternoon.
NOTES
- This is Hawai'i Hilo's seventh overall NCAA postseason appearance: 2005 (0-2), 2006 (0-2), 2007 (2-2), 2010 (0-2), 2013 (0-2), 2021 (2-2), 2026 (0-1).
- Hawai'i Hilo: 26-18 Overall (23-11 PacWest)
- Final Conference Finish No. 3
- PacWest Championships Fourth Place
- NCAA West Regional Seed No. 8
- Cal State San Marcos: 51-8 Overall (28-4 CCAA)
- San Marcos, California
- California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA)
- Final Conference Finish No. 1
- CCAA Championships Runner-Up
- NCAA West Regional Seed No. 1
UP NEXT
- Friday, May 15 (9:30 AM / 12:30 PM PT) vs Cal State Dominguez Hills (San Marcos, California) — Elimination Game
- Friday, May 15 (NOON / 3 PM PT) vs Loser of Cal State San Marcos / Cal State Monterey Bay (San Marcos, California) – Elimination Bracket Finals
