Box Score

HONOLULU—The University of Hawai`i softball team (16-8) overpowered the Lions of Loyola Marymount, 9-0 in a mercy-rule, five inning game. Freshman pitcher, Kaia Parnaby fired a two-hit shut-out with a career-high 11 strike outs while Jessica Iwata and Katie Grimes hit home runs to pace the offense.

 

Parnaby (9-3) was dominant, facing just 18 batters in five innings—only one batter reached second base in the game. For Parnaby, it was her 10^th complete game and fourth shut-out of the season.

 

Hawai`i started the game with three straight singles from Kelly Majam, Iwata and Melissa Gonzalez. On Gonzalez's single up the middle, the centerfielder misplayed the ball, allowing Majam to score from second. Amanda Tauali'i then hit a sacrifice fly that allowed Iwata to score from third, and Gonzalez eventually scored on a ground out to short that gave UH an early 3-0 lead.

 

The 'Bows tacked on another three runs in the second. Two came on Grimes' home run over the left-centerfield fence that scored Kanani Pu'u-Warren, who had reached safely earlier on a throwing error.

In the fourth, UH put the game away with a two-run blast over the netting in left-centerfield and an RBI single by Tauali`i that put UH up 9-0 going into the top of the fifth.

 

Iwata and Gonzalez both went 3-for-3 to lead UH at the plate. Iwata also scored three runs and knocked two in, while Gonzalez scored two runs scored, a triple, and an RBI.

 

Erica Grady, Loyola Marymount's starter, suffered the loss, giving up seven runs on six hits with a walk in 3.1 innings. Molly Medeiros got the final two outs, but gave up two runs on three hits.

 

Hawai`i continues the tournament tomorrow with a game against DePaul at 2:00 pm and then a bracket game to be determined.

 

12:00 p.m. LMU vs. Troy

2:00 p.m. DePaul vs. Hawai`i

4:00 p.m. Seed 2 vs. Seed 3

6:00 p.m. Seed 1 vs. Seed 4