HILO, Hawai'i – Dominican softball won the final two games over the University of Hawai'i at Hilo 2-1 in nine innings in the first and 7-5 in the second game at Vulcan Field on Saturday afternoon.
 
Shelby Keltner led the way in the first game striking out nine in a complete game victory for the Penguins (8-8, 3-5 PacWest). Caitlyn Perales then led the way in the second game going 2-for-3 with four RBI, three runs scored and her first careeer home run. 
 
Game one
The teams opened up with a pitching duel between Keltner and Chloe Sales as the two combined to allow seven base runners through four innings. Kama Kaleikini led off the top of the fifth with a single up the middle and Kate Tobola came in as a pinch runner and stole second base. A pair of Penguins were hit by a pitch to load the bases with two outs and Mariah Hopkins worked from behind but Sales caught her looking on the seventh pitch of the at bat to end the threat.
 
Keltner struck out two in the bottom of the inning and Melissa Garcia doubled into the right center gap on the first pitch she saw advancing to third on a groundout. The next pitch was out of reach of the catcher allowing Garcia to come home for the 1-0 lead. Jayda Favela drew a walk to lead off the bottom of the sixth and stole second before advancing to third on a sacrifice bunt. Head coach Juliana Santos went to talk to her team and Keltner responded with two more strikeouts to end the threat and leave the runner stranded. 
 
Dyoni Garcia drew a walk to lead off the bottom of the seventh and her pinch runner, Kanoe Piltz, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt as the Vulcans were looking for the tie with some small ball. Garcia tracked a long fly ball down the right field line to secure the second out but Piltz was able to move to third on the play. Keltner worked quickly to get Maya Lee Saneishi into an 0-2 count but Saneishi won the battled and laced a single over the head of the shortstop and into left field for the tie. 
 
Neither team put a runner on the bases in the first extra inning and the ninth looked to be following suit as reliever Megan Yorba retired the first two batters on groundouts. Keltner took a ball to her back to get a runner on the base paths and Tiare Guerrero singled just over the outstretched glove of the shortstop to put runners on first and second. Olivia Lee singled up the middle to bring home a run for the 2-1 lead heading into the bottom of the ninth.
 
Facing the same spot in the lineup as the second inning, Keltner made sure history would not repeat itself as she got ahead in the count and caught Dyoni Garcia looking on the fourth pitch. Guerrero then secured a pop fly for the second out and Perales tracked a ball to deep left to end the game for the Penguins.
 
Game two
The Vulcans struck first in the second game as Favela came home on a double down the left-field line to take the 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Perales drew a five pitch walk to lead off the top of the second and a sacrifice bunt by Kaleikini became an adventure. The throw by the catcher to first got under the fielder's glove and a relay to second hit Kaleikini in the back allowing Perales to score. A walk and a hit by pitch then loaded the bases for Lee who singled on a sharp line drive to shallow right to give Dominican the 2-1 lead. Madison Rabe retired the next two batters to limit the damage.
 
The Penguins continued its offensive success as Melissa Garcia tripled to right center to lead off the third as a diving attempt by the right fielder caromed off her glove and into deep center field. Perales then singled through the right side to bring her home. Perales advanced to third on a sacrifice and a groundout bringing Taylor Eby to the plate with a runner in scoring position. Eby delivered a single back up the middle to bring in the run for the 4-1 lead. 
UHH got two back in the bottom of the frame as Lexie Tilton and Victoria Macias delivered back-to-back solo shots to trim their deficit to 4-3. Kassidy Stetler entered the game and quickly retired the next three batters in order to preserve her lead. 
 
A pair of walks in the top of the fourth put two on for Perales and she delivered yet again for the Penguins sending a ball over the fence in right center to expand the lead to 7-3. The Vulcans put their first two runners on in the next two innings but Stetler left them stranded to keep the lead. UHH threatened once again in the bottom of the seventh with runners on the corners and two out but Garcia tracked the ball into deep center making the catch while colliding with the fence to send the game to the seventh.
 
An error in the bottom of the seventh allowed two Vulcans to come home but Dominican once again regrouped and retired the next two batters in order to secure the series victory.
 
Dominican will return to the diamond Tuesday as it travels to take on Hawai'i Pacific in a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. HST at Howard A. Okita Field.