HONOLULU, Hawai'i – The Western Washington University softball team opened its six-game Hawai'i road trip with a doubleheader split against Hawai'i Pacific University Saturday at Sand Island Park.
The Vikings won the opening game 4-0 behind a 2-hit shutout from starting pitcher Mareena Ramirez and a pair of RBI from Isabel Cargill.
WWU looked to be in control for the doubleheader sweep leading HPU 1-0 heading into the 7th inning on a Hailey Rath solo home run, but the Sharks earned their first win of the season in walk-off fashion.
Cargill and Rath each recorded a pair of hits in the doubleheader.
The Vikings (5-4) continue their six-game trip to Hawai'i Sunday facing Hawai'i Hilo with a doubleheader scheduled to begin at 12 pm HT/2 pm PT.
The Vikings opened the day with a 4-0 shutout victory over the Sharks, led by a complete-game two-hitter by starting pitcher Mareena Ramirez.
The Vikings opened the scoring in the top of the 2nd inning plating a pair of runs. Kinzey Williams drove home the first run on an infield single with the bases loaded and Isabel Cargill added another run with a hit-by-pitch with the bases loaded.
Cargill added to the Vikings lead in the top of the 4th inning stroking a two-out double into the right field gap to score McKenna Crum from third base. Emily Paulson put the game out of reach with a RBI double to center field in the top of the 5th inning extending the lead to 4-0.
Cargill finished with a pair of RBI and Ramirez improved to 4-0 on the season with her first shutout as a Viking. Ramirez struck out three batters, walked one and allowed only a pair of singles.
Western Washington 4, Hawaii Pacific 0 (Feb 18, 2023 at Honolulu, HI) - Game 1
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Western Washington.. 020 110 0 - 4 6 0 (5-3)
Hawaii Pacific...... 000 000 0 - 0 2 2 (0-8)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Western Washington - Ramirez and Paulson
Hawaii Pacific - Thompson and Sayler-Kovac
Win-Ramirez (4-0) Loss-Thompson (0-4) T-2:05
Haily Rath hit her first collegiate homer to give the Viking a 1-0 lead in the top of the 3rd inning and starting pitcher Hanako Hirai did not allow a run in the first six innings, but Hawai'i Pacific scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the 7th inning for a 2-1 victory in the second game of the doubleheader.
Rath hit a two-out, solo home run to left field to stake the Vikings to the 1-0 lead.
Hirai scattered five hits in the first six innings without allowing a run, but ran into trouble in the Sharks final at-bat.
HPU loaded the bases on a pair of singles and a walk, before Hirai walked in the game-tying run. Freshman Alexis Slater entered in relief and walked in the game-winning run to send HPU to its first victory of the season.
Hawaii Pacific 2, Western Washington 1 (Feb 18, 2023 at Honolulu, HI) - Game 2
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Western Washington.. 001 000 0 - 1 5 1 (5-4)
Hawaii Pacific...... 000 000 2 - 2 7 0 (1-8)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Western Washington - Hirai; Slater (7) and Christensen
Hawaii Pacific - Yoshida and Sayler-Kovac; Lohse
Win-Yoshida (1-1) Loss-Hirai (0-1) T-2:05 A-55
HR WWU - Rath (1)
The Vikings (5-4) have four games remaining in their trip to Hawai'i with doubleheaders scheduled for Sunday (vs. Hawai'i Hilo) and Monday (vs. Chaminade). For links to follow the games and updated information on the Vikings, visit wwuvikings.com/SB_23.
Up-to-date season information, including season statistics, bios, roster, schedule and historical information can be viewed online at WWUVikings.com/Softball. WWU Softball also has a strong social media presence on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook, so give them a follow!
The WWU softball program enters its 31st season in 2023. WWU advanced to the NCAA Division II Championships for the fifth time in program history in 2021 after winning the GNAC Tournament. WWU has posted a winning record 19 times during the 30-year history of the program, which won the 1998 NAIA National Championship in only its sixth season to record the school's first ever team national title. During the nine-season span from 2014-2022, the Vikings have combined to go 224-172 and won a pair of GNAC Tournament titles (2017 & 2021).
