HONOLULU—The No. 20/22 University of Hawai`i softball team (12-5, 0-0 Big West) captured the 2013 Bank of Hawaii Invitational with wins over Memphis and Western Kentucky. Kaia Parnaby earned a pair of complete game victories for Hawai`i en route to earning Most Valuable Pitcher while Kelly Majam was named Most Valuable Player.
Parnaby went 4-0 in the tournament with four complete games with a shut out . She threw an even 28 innings allowing seven runs—four earned—with 33 strike outs to just five walks while holding opponents to a .219 batting average.
Majam led UH with a .412 batting average, going 7-for-17 at the plate with two doubles, a triple and two home runs for a 1.000 slugging percentage. Her home run today against Memphis was her 60th career round-tripper.
No. 3 Seed Hawai`i 5, No. 2 Seed Memphis 1
Box Score (html)
Hawai`i was the third seed in Sunday’s bracket play because three teams—UH, Western Kentucky and Memphis were all tied with identical 2-1 records. WKU gave up the least amount of runs in the tourney to grab the top seed and Memphis edged out UH for the second seed.
Hawai`i got on the scoreboard first, posting a pair of runs in the top of the second. After a pop out, Leisha Li`ili`i reached on a walk and Sharla Kliebenstein followed with a single to left. Jazmine Zamora then cleared the bases with a double to the left-centerfield gap to give UH the early 2-0 lead.
Majam launched a solo home run in the third inning that gave UH a 3-0 lead. It marked her 60th career home run and her team-leading sixth of 2013.
The ‘Bows extended their lead to 5-0 in the top of the fourth. With two outs, designated player Tara Anguino started the rally with a single and Majam followed with a double to put both runners in scoring position. Kayla Wartner then drew a walk to load the bases for Keiki Carlos who came through with a clutch double to left-centerfield to drive in Anguiano and Majam.
With the win, Hawai`i advanced to the championship game of the tournament.
Hawai`i 3, Western Kentucky 0
Box Score (html)
Parnaby tossed a three-hit shut out over the Lady Toppers in the tourney championship game. She faced just 24 batters in the win in which she issued one walk while fanning seven WKU batters.
Hawai`i got all the offense they needed in the top of the sixth. Kayla Wartner led the inning off by drilling a ball through the legs of the first baseman and advanced to second. Carlos then walked and Jessica Iwata came through with a three-run blast over the leftfield fence. It was Iwata’s second of the tournament and season, and it marked her 49th home run of her career.
Mallorie Sulaski suffered the loss, evening her record at 2-2. She threw 5.1 innings, giving up three runs on four hits with three walks and four strike outs. Emily Rousseau closed for the Lady Toppers, throwing the final 1.2 innings giving up two hits with a strike out.
Hawai`i now has three days off before beginning their span of 14 games in 10 days. The ‘Bows will play an exhibition doubleheader on Thursday, March 7 beginning at 6:00 pm against Tokyo Women’s College of Physical Education as part of the Pepsi Malihini Kipa Aloha Tournament (March 7-10).
2013 Bank of Hawaii Invitational All-Tournament Team
Preslie Cruce, Western Kentucky
Jessica Iwata, Hawai`i
Ericka Nesbitt, Campbell
Mallorie Sulaski, Western Kentucky
Laura Curtis, Memphis
Stephanie Jones, Campbell
Ijiah Hargrove, Memphis
Amanda Thomas, Western Kentucky
Morgan Mosby, Memphis
Keiki Carlos, Hawai`i
Most Valuable Player — Kelly Majam, Hawai`i
Most Valuable Pitcher — Kaia Parnaby, Hawai`i
See the original article at: KHON2 Local News
