H A W A I I _ C O L L E G E _ S P O R T S


Lono delivers key hit for Sea Warriors in opener

Staff and wire reports

DECATUR, Alabama - Been there. Done it.

Didn't want to do it again.

The Hawaii Pacific women's softball team knows what it's like to climb out of the losers' bracket to win a double-elimination tournament. The Sea Warriors did it last week when they had to defeat Azusa Pacific three times to win the Far West Regional.

Top-ranked and top-seeded HPU avoided a repeat scenario yesterday by defeating St. Francis of Illinois in the opening game of the NAIA National Tournament at Wilson Morgan Softball Complex. The Sea Warriors scored two runs in the top of the 10th inning to beat the Lady Saints, 3-1.

HPU (47-6) takes on No. 8 seed William Woods, Mo. (51-15) in a noon HST second-round game today. Quarterfinal and semifinal play is tomorrow, with the champion game Saturday.

"It feels good to get the first one out of the way," said Sea Warriors coach Howard Okita. "That's always been the nemesis for us. The other team played well. We hit the ball hard and they made some good plays.

"Susie (freshman pitcher Schoales) pitched a good game. I think she felt some of the pressure we were under (as the top seed) but she hung in there."

The Lady Saints (39-16) scored first in the bottom of the first.

HPU rallied to tie the game in the top of the sixth on Jen Kimura's two-out single down the third-base line that scored pinch runner Neille Yamaguchi from third.

In the 10th, Lynnette Williams and Star Perry opened with back-to-back singles. With the bases loaded and two outs, Jarnett Lono drilled a shot toward third that ricocheted off the glove of the St. Francis third baseman into left field, scoring two HPU runners.

Hawaii Pacific 000 001 000 2-3 13 1

St. Francis 100 000 000 0-1 10 1
Susie Schoales and Jennifer Kimura; Ali Franzen and Rose Warren. W-Schoales (20-2).

HPU hitters: Lynnette Williams, 4-5; Star Perry, 2-5, Jarnett Lono, 2-3, 2 RBIs.



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