TURLOCK, Calif. — Hawai'i Pacific University opened the three-day 2018 Turlock Tournament of Champions with a win and a loss in action Friday at the Pedretti Sports Complex.
 
The Sharks (10-10) opened the tournament with a heartbreaking 4-3 loss to Cal State Dominguez Hills and immediately followed it with a 15-7 six-inning triumph over Cal State San Marcos.
 
The first game started slow with HPU hitting the board in the third inning with a run scored by sophomore Sierra Dias who was walked to get on base. She was brought home by freshman Mary Dungey with a base hit to right field giving the Sharks a 1-0 lead to start.
 
The Toros took the lead in the sixth with a base hit followed by an RBI triple to left center tying the game at one. CSUDH brought home the leading run with another base hit up the middle making it 2-1.
 
The Sharks didn't waste any time taking back the lead with two of their own runs in the sixth. Senior Sienna Santiago started things off with a base hit to center field and was brought home by freshman Cieana Curran's crushing triple to center field tying the game at two. Curran beat out the fielder's choice from Ashley Iseri giving the Sharks a 3-2 lead heading into the seventh.
 
In the final frame, the Toros scored two runs off of just one hit with an HPU throwing error to take the lead from the Sharks eventually ending the game.

Junior Jordan Curry of Farmington, N.M./Farmington pitched for six innings allowing four runs (three earned) off of seven hits and three walks. She picked up a strikeout but suffered the loss bringing her to 2-4 on the season. Senior Gabriella Nowack of San Jose, Calif./Silver Creek pitched for the final frame not allowing a hit but gave up two walks.
 
CSUDH's Alyssa Valinches (5-7) pitched all seven innings for the Toros allowing three earned runs off of six hits and four walks. She struck out Sharks and picked up her fifth win of the season.
 
The Sharks were led by Sierra Dias who hit 1-for-3 with a run scored and Cieana Curran who was 1-for-2 with a run scored and an RBI from her triple. Santiago also hit 1-for-3 with a run scored.
 
In Game Two, the Sharks faced off against the CSU San Marcos Cougars.
 
The Cougars came out swinging scoring five runs in the first inning including a two run homer and a double while the Sharks closed out the inning with a double play.
 
HPU had a strong start as well scoring three runs in the first frame. Junior Tiana Cantero-Kawelo was hit by a pitch to get on base and brought home by Dias with a double. Senior Noelani Boyer brought home Dias with a base hit down the left field line. Iseri singled up the middle to advance Boyer to second, and freshman Taylor Okamura recorded her first RBI of the season with a single through the right side to cut the Cougars lead 5-3.
 
CSU San Marcos added another run in the second frame off of a bases-loaded walk making it 6-3.
 
The Sharks tallied a run in the third when Curry was walked and then advanced to third on a Cougar error. Curran brought her home with a sacrifice fly making it 6-4.
 
The teams split the fourth inning with each scoring one run. HPU's run was from Noelani Boyer who cranked a homer to right center making it 7-5 going to the fifth.
 
The Sharks took control of the game in the fifth frame with seven runs off of five hits and an error. HPU made it through their entire batting order with highlights of a double steal from Dias and Cantero-Kawelo and a two RBI double from Okamura putting the Sharks up 12-7.
 
HPU ended the game with the eight-run rule in the sixth starting with the first RBI of the season from pitcher Gabriella Nowack. Boyer cranked a double to right field bringing in Cantero-Kawelo, and senior Kiana Wolfe topped off the game with an infield single to bring home Boyer for the 15-7 victory.
 
Junior Alexis Morales of San Diego, Calif./Mater Dei Catholic pitched for just one third of an inning allowing four five runs (all earned) off of four hits with two walks. Senior Alexa McCoin of Sacramento, Calif./Pleasant Grove saw three and one thirds innings allowing two runs (both earned) off of three hits with three walks, but added two strikeouts on the day. Sophomore Emilee Leonard pitched for two and one thirds innings allowing just one hit and a walk. She picked up the win for the Sharks bringing her to 2-1 on the season.
 
The Sharks were led by Boyer, Curran, and Okamura. Boyer hit 3-for-4 in the game scoring four runs and managing three RBI. Curran hit a perfect game going 3-for-3 with two runs and two RBI. Okamura hit 2-for-4 with three RBI.
 
HPU is back with two more games on Saturday. HPU meets Cal State San Bernadino at 10:30 a.m. HST (1:30 p.m. PDT) and No. 3 Chico State at 1 p.m. HST (4 p.m PDT) at the Pedretti Sports Complex.