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Hawaii Pacific University Athletics

Eric Alcantara

Softball

HPU Eliminated From Postseason

Honolulu, HI (May 14, 2011) – Hawai'i Pacific's softball season came to an end on Saturday with a 5-3 loss to Sonoma State. HPU staved off elimination earlier in the day with a 7-2 win over Dixie State. This season marked the fifth consecutive year that HPU was won the PacWest; HPU attained a national rank as high as third and finished with a record of 38-12.

Things started well for HPU against Sonoma State as the Sea Warriors led 2-0 after three innings. NCAA postseason program cover girl Maile Kim doubled to left field to open the scoring. Sonoma State posted four runs in the fourth inning which chased starter Breanne Patton from the game. In the fifth, Caira Pires brought HPU to within one run with a RBI single. Sonoma State picked up an insurance run in the top of the seventh to make the final 5-3.

Pires had a pair of hits to lead HPU, while Chante Tesoro scored all three of the Sea Warriors' runs. Melissa Kirby pitched a scoreless inning of relief. SeaWolves freshman Cira Becerril got the win pitching four innings in relief.

In the opener, HPU topped Dixie State on the strength 11 hits. HPU jumped out to a 6-0 lead after the second inning. Patton and Kim each had big two RBI hits in the first and second inning respectively. Starter Ashley Valine gave up two runs in the fourth and had the first two batters of the sixth reach base. With the tying run on-deck, Kirby came in and escaped the jam.  A RBI hit from Pires in the sixth gave HPU a little more breathing room as Kirby closed it out. The win eliminated Dixie State, avenging the 2009 season when Dixie State eliminated HPU in the West Regional.

Valine was credited with the win moving to 9-1 on the season and beat Dixie State for the third time this year, Valine never lost to Dixie State in her four-year HPU career. Kirby picked up the save, the first in her career. Tesoro, Kozy Toriano, and Nicole Morrow each had two hits.  

Sonoma State will play Cal State San Bernardino tomorrow at noon at Howard A. Okita Field. If Sonoma State wins that would force a winner-take-all game at 2:30 PM.

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