HILO, Hawai'i – Dominican softball fell 3-2 in a 10-inning marathon that spanned two days with University of Hawai'i at Hilo at Vulcan Field.
Nayellys Torres-Gonzalez allowed one earned run over 6.1 innings pitched with
Alexis Verduzco allowing no earned runs in three innings of work for the Penguins (7-11, 2-4 PacWest) in the loss. Janessa Santos and Madison Rabe combined for the win for the Vulcans (6-7, 3-3 PacWest) allowing no earned runs during the game.
The Penguins loaded the bases in the top of the first as
Leila Benson and
Annabelle Burke drew walks and
Kate Tobola singled to right field, but Santos forced a pair of ground balls to third base to get lead runners and end the inning without any runs scoring. Rayna White walked and Lexie Tilton doubled up the middle to put two runners in scoring position for UHH. White scored on a wild pitch and Tilton came home on an error to make it 2-0. Torres-Gonzalez allowed no more runners to cross with a pair of popouts ending the inning.
Kelissa Lee walked and
Marina Medina singled to put runners at the corners.
Payton Oas entered as a pinch runner and stole second to put two in scoring position.
Tiare Guerrero drew a walk with the final pitch skittering away from the catcher allowing Lee and Oas to come home and tie the game 2-2. A pitching duel between Torres-Gonzalez and Santos ensued for the next five innings until the Vulcans threatened to walk-off a victory in the bottom of the seventh after White, Tilton and Ava Monturio all singled with one out. Verduzco had entered in relief and Mariah Antoque flied out to right field on the next at bat but it was not deep enough as
Aneesa Brewer held the runner. Another fly out in the next at bat left all the runners stranded as the game headed to extras.
After a scoreless eighth, the game was halted due to darkness. Lee, Oas and Guerrero all drew walks to load the bases with two outs when the game resumed, but the Vulcans made a pitching change and Rabe was able to get a flyout to end the threat. The game entered the 10th and runners began to be placed on second. Dominican sacrificed their runner to third but a short fly to right field was not deep enough and White gunned down the runner at home to end the frame. Harley Acosta brough an end to the game with one out in the bottom of the 10th as she doubled to right to bring home the runner from second for the 3-2 walkoff.
