Alexis Lacy continued her brilliant pitching in Game 1, and the UH-Hilo softball team’s bats came alive in Game 2 against Dominican.
The Vulcans swept the Penguins 2-1 in eight innings and 8-0 in a five-inning TKO game on Sunday at their field to win their sixth straight.
In Game 1, Lacy (4-0) allowed an unearned run in eight innings. She gave up six hits, walked one and struck out seven. Lacy hasn’t allowed an earned run in her last 27 innings or four starts.
Lacy lowered her ERA to 1.47 in 35 innings. She’s allowed 34 hits and seven walks and struck out just 13.
The Vulcans managed just three hits off losing pitcher Shelby Keltner (4-11), who allowed two runs (one unearned), walked one and struck out three.
UHH manufactured a run in the fourth when leadoff hitter Jayda Favela was hit by a pitch and stole second. Brandee Chinen reached on an error by Keltner, who had an errant throw. Favela scored for an unearned run.
In the eighth, Angel Prewitt singled and advanced to second on a sacrifice and to third on a groundout. Skylar Thomas, who had been 0 for 3, worked the count to 2-1 and squared up a low outside fastball to right field for the game-winning RBI.
Thomas, a 2017 Waiakea graduate, had only one thought on her mind when she stepped to the plate.
“I better not mess it up,” she said. “I was struggling, been struggling, but with the support of my team and coaching staff, it was going to come into play sooner or later. I’m really grateful for all the support that I get.”
Lacy is a Los Angeles Dodgers fans and knows her history. She knew that Orel Hershiser holds the MLB record for most consecutive scoreless inning with 59, set in 1988 when the Dodgers won the World Series.
The left-hander from Anaheim Hills, Calif., doesn’t throw especially hard, but she keeps the ball down and consistently catches the outside corner.
“I throw a lot of drop-curves, screwballs, and changeups,” Lacy said. “That one inning (sixth) was a little rough, but my team had my back, and we ended up winning in the eighth.”
In Game 2, Sara Bhatt and Malia Risdall combined on a three-hitter, and the Vulcan pounded 14 hits in the five-inning TKO.
Bhatt (6-1) pitched four scoreless innings of three-hit ball, with one walk and three strikeouts. Risdall pitched a perfect inning.
Chinen, a 2018 Waiakea graduate, batted 3 for 4 with four RBIs, Mari Kimoto went 3 for 4 with two runs, and Chloe Domingo was 2 for 3 with a two-run homer.
“We’re finally getting those timely hits,” UHH coach Aisha Sueda said. “And we’re starting to produce runs.”
Kathryn Carvalho pitched 3 1/3 innings and gave up five runs in the loss. Rosa Leguria went 1 1/3 innings and allowed three runs.
The Vulcans (10-4, 8-2 PacWest) and Penguins (8-19, 5-13) conclude the four-game series with another doubleheader at noon Monday.