KANEOHE, Hawai'i — Hawai'i Pacific University shortstop Noelani Boyer smacked an RBI single into right field to lead the Sharks to a 5-4, nine inning win in game two over Missouri Western as the schools split a non-conference doubleheader Monday at Howard Okita Field.
 
The Sharks (7-3) fell 3-2 in a tightly contested game 1 to the Griffons (16-4). HPU's win snapped MWSU's nine-game winning streak. HPU's win in the second game ended Missouri Western's nine-game win streak.
 
"We played two exciting games against a really good team," said HPU head coach Bryan Nakasone. "We got a lot of hits and made them count in the second game."
 
The Sharks were led offensively in the doubleheader by senior rightfielder Nicole Viena of Corona, Calif./Santiago who went 3-for-7 at the plate with an RBI and a run scored, and three stolen bases on three attempts.
 
Junior righthander Alexa McCoin of Sacramento, Calif./Pleasant Grove, got the game two win, going the distance allowing four runs, two earned, with 10 hits and two strikeouts.
 
The Sharks are in action again next Monday when they host Azusa Pacific in a PacWest doubleheader starting at 1 p.m. at Howard Okita Field.
 
Game Two
 
The Sharks used a never say die attitude to make the come-from-behind take shape.
 
HPU trailed 4-3 going into the bottom of the ninth inning. With pinch runner Mari Kajiwara placed at second, catcher Carolann Toyama laid down a bunt to move Kajiwara to third. But Griffon firstbaseman Kailey Green, who fielded the bunt, threw the ball into right field. Kajiwara scored, but Toyama was gunned down trying to go to third on the error. Sierra Santiago was hit on the next pitch, then moved to second when Sierra Dias reached on a dropped throw at first. Kayla Sanchez singled to right to load the bases still with one out. Boyer followed by sending a 1-0 pitch through the pulled in infield into right, allowing Santiago to score the winning run.
 
The Sharks scored the first run in the game in the third inning when HPU pulled off a delayed double steal, allowing Toyama to swipe home when Dias' stole second.
 
Missouri Southern added a run in the fourth on a Rebecca Mueller RBI single.
 
HPU plated another run in the sixth when Viena used single to get on, then stole second and third before Santiago brought her home with an RBI single for a 2-1 lead.
 
The Griffons tied the score in the seventh on Shelby Atwell's RBI double.
 
Both teams scored in the eighth and the Griffons took a 4-3 lead in the ninth when Riley Wilson came home when Morgan Rathmann was caught stealing. That set up the ninth inning heroics for the Sharks.
 
Game One
 
Missouri Western broke open a scoreless game in the fourth inning, scoring three times thanks to an error that loaded the bases, followed by an RBI single, a sacrifice foul fly and a wild pitch.
 
The Sharks got on the board in the fifth by Santiago and Kajiwara pulling off a double steal to get into scoring position, so that Sanchez sacrifice fly to right drove in Santiago. But Kajiwara was stranded at third.
 
HPU, down 3-1, rallied again in the seventh. After a singles by Kajiwara and Dias, the Sharks were caught trying to advance following a failed pickoff attempt. Dias later scored on an fielding error after a Sanchez single. The Sharks got pinch runner Kristy Washizaki to third, but stranded her there.