Small Colleges
HPU sweeps BYUH in softball

By Michael Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer

Feeling healthy for the first time in a month, Jessica Parra picked up a win and a save yesterday as Hawai'i Pacific downed Brigham Young-Hawai'i, 3-0 and 8-7, at HPU's Windward campus softball field.

HPU's Samee Fernandez tries to tag BYUH's Keri-Ann Napeahi, who slides in for a second-inning double. Gregory Yamamoto • The Honolulu Advertiser

HPU improved its record to 30-10 overall, 15-3 in the Pacific West Conference Pacific Division. All three of HPU's conference losses have come against BYUH, including two last weekend.

BYUH fell to 15-30 and 4-16.

"This was the first time I've felt good in a while," Parra said. "I walked more than I would have liked, but I felt good."

With the score 4-4 in the bottom of the fifth, pinch-runner Alisa Iloreta scored from second off a throwing error by Holly Harn.

Later in the inning, with Kristin Fujii on third and pinch-runner Rachel Lacar at second, Kiki Ishihara laid down a squeeze bunt in front of the plate that left Fujii in a run down between third and home.

Fujii made a move toward third to draw the throw from catcher Alisha Durrette to Harn at third base. Fujii then dashed for home, barreling over Durrette for the score.

With Durrette sprawled on the ground, Ishihara tried to take second base and was thrown out. That gave Lacar an opening to sprint for home, where she beat the throw to put HPU ahead 7-4.

Holly Garcia popped out to end the inning.

Sullivan gave up a double to Roxanne DelGado to start the sixth, then walked Tami Layton — her sixth walk of the game.

"(BYUH) felt confident against Malia," said HPU coach Howard Okita. "They hit her hard in three out of the four games they faced her, so I think they knew they could get their hits."

With the Sea Warriors' lead in jeopardy, Okita decided to give Parra the first relief appearance of her collegiate career.

The first batter Parra faced, Durrette, laid down a sacrifice bunt to advance Heather Bradshaw and Layton. After Maggie Reynolds grounded out for BYUH's second out, Harn ripped a single to right-center field to score both runners.

Parra gave up another single to Lyza Halas before Marie Maese lined out to end the threat.

HPU's aggressive base running turned out to be the difference down the stretch. In the bottom of the sixth, Samee Fernandez reached on a walk, made it to third on a sacrifice bunt by Ashelle Acosta and scored on a sacrifice fly by Brandy Choy Foo.

In the seventh, Juanita Vega scored from third on a fielding error by Garcia to bring BYUH within a run. But, with runners on first and third, Parra forced Reynolds to ground out and Harn to pop out, ending the game.

"I liked the pressure," Parra said. "I knew our defense would make the plays."

Said BYUH coach Jackson Mapu: "I thought we did a good job today but we let them get on base and you can't do that against a team like theirs."

MORE SOFTBALL

• Weekly honors: Hawai'i-Hilo's Taysha Anderson and BYUH's Lyndi Frei were named PacWest Co-Pitchers of the Week for the week ending April 8.

Anderson, a junior from Central Point, Ore., pitched back-to-back three-hitters as UH-Hilo won three of four against Chaminade last weekend.

Frei, a freshman from Santa Clara, Utah, allowed just four hits as BYUH defeated HPU on Saturday. Frei walked two and struck out five for her fourth shutout of the season.

TENNIS

• BYUH on a roll: The top-ranked Seasider women (32-0) ran the nation's longest win streak to 99 yesterday, downing Albertson, 5-4, in a dual match at home and Chaminade, 8-1.

The BYUH men's team (27-2) also won two matches yesterday, beating Albertson, 7-2, and Chaminade, 9-0.