Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 KANEOHE, HI (March 13, 2015) – The Hawai'i Pacific Softball Team (10-6, 3-5) went to battle against seventh-ranked Dixie State (19-5, 10-0) and dropped two close games. HPU lost the opener 2-1 and the second game 6-4.

The first game moved along quickly as both pitchers worked through the opposing lineups, it was a battle of the aces. Kristen Caskey proved her worth once more against one of the best lineups in the country. Caskey allowed just two runs in seven innings on six hits.

Caskey's lone rough inning came in the second when back-to-back singles led to the Red Storm plating two. From then on, Caskey would allow just two hits over the next five innings.

Unfortunately, for the Sharks the offense was limited to one run.

The Sharks did try to work some late inning fireworks again in the seventh inning. Nicole Viena reached on a fielding error by Dixie's left fielder, scoring Chelsea Cramer. Leading to a showdown with the tying run on second, pinch hitter Paige Crawford lined a bullet to right center only to be caught by an outstretched right fielder.

Caskey would get the tough loss, her first of the year, dropping to 5-1.

In game two the both offenses awoke and it became a battle of the bats.

Dixie started out on a hot note with a solo homerun in the second inning. HPU answered back in the bottom of the inning as Noelani Boyer scored on a fielding error. Then in the third, Dorian Acierto scored on a squeeze bunt by Boyer.

In the fifth inning however, the Red Storm pushed across four runs to take the lead and then added one more insurance run in the sixth. The score was 6-2 going to the seventh.

In the seventh, Keila Elderts singled to leadoff the inning and was quickly drove in by a Dorian Acierto homerun (2) to leftfield.  The Sharks continued to threaten, but DSU brought in game one starter, Michelle Duncan, to shut the door on game two.

Shark starter Paige Crawford fell to 3-3 on the year after allowing five runs, three earned, in four and a third innings of work.

The Sharks continue their series against Dixie State at Howard A. Okita Field on Saturday with the first pitch of game one scheduled for 12 pm and game two for 3:00 pm.