KANEOHE, Hawai'i – Hawai'i Pacific University grabbed a first game 4-3 win against Hawai'i Hilo, but suffered a 9-1 second contest loss in PacWest Conference action on Saturday afternoon at Howard Okita Field.
 
The Sharks (4-11, 4-11) held on to an early advantage on the PacWest Hawai'i leading Vulcans (13-6, 13-6) in the first contest, but allowed big inning in the second game for the loss.
 
HPU's offensive star was sophomore leftfielder Noel "Tita" Saunders of Pearl City, Hawai'i/Pearl City, who was 5-for-6 on the afternoon at the plate with three doubles, three runs scored and an RBI. Sophomore shortstop Kanoe Tanigawa of Mililani, Hawai'i/Maryknoll was 3-for-6 on the afternoon with two RBIs.
 
Junior righthander Malia Torres of Danville, Calif./Monte Vista (3-5) chalked up her third straight win in three starts with a complete game in the front end of the twinbill. She allowed three runs, none earned, on eight hits and two walks.
 
Junior lefthander Megan Wilson (1-6) of Santa Clarita, Calif./West Ranch suffered the loss in the nightcap, allowing eight runs on 10 hits in 4.1 innings. Torres finished up allowing a run on three hits and a walk in 1.2 innings.
 
HPU jumped out to a 4-0 lead after two innings in the opener.
 
After Saunders singled to right to leadoff the first and sophomore Brandi Leong of Wahiawa, Hawai'i/Leilehua reached on an error during a sacrifice bunt, Tanigawa followed with an RBI single to right.  Later in the inning Leong scored on a wild pitch to put HPU up 2-0.
 
In the second inning, the Sharks got a single from senior centerfielder Cieana Curran of Ewa Beach, Hawai'i/Campbell. Saunders drove her home with an RBI double and Leong followed with another RBI double to plate Saunders as the Sharks went up 4-0.
 
In the top of the fourth, UH Hilo capitalized on two Shark errors to put runners on the bases in front of Skylar Thomas who belted an 0-1 pitch over the fence in left center to pull the Vulcans within a run at 4-3.
 
That would be it for UH Hilo. Despite getting baserunners on in each of the next three innings, the Sharks did not break and held off the visitors from the Big Island.
 
Malia Risdall (0-1) took the loss for UHH, hurling a complete game allowing four runs, three earned, on eight hits in six innings.
 
Game two was a battle for the first four innings.
 
HPU collected a run in the bottom of the first when Saunders hit the first pitch down the right field line for a double and scored on Tanigawa's RBI single to left.
 
In the top of the second, the Vulcans used a single to lead off the inning by Chloe Domingo and a Thomas RBI double to tie the score at 1-1.
 
That's the way it stayed until the dreadful fifth inning when the wheels fell off. The Vulcans got a single, and two on after a fielder's choice set up an RBI single, then a two RBI single, an RBI double and another RBI single to chase starter Wilson. But another RBI single followed and when the dust cleared the Vulcans had plated seven runs on eight hits in the inning.
 
HPU threatened another run in the bottom of the fifth when Saunders doubled. Leong followed with a single to center and Saunders was thrown out at the plate to end the inning.
 
The Vulcans opened the sixth with a double and single, then scored on a sacrifice fly to take the 8-run, 9-1 lead.
 
UHH set the Sharks down 1-2-3 in the bottom of the frame for the mercy rule win.
 
Leah Gonzales (5-1) got the complete game win, allowing just the one first inning run on five hits with a walk and three strikeouts.
 
The Sharks and Vulcans have one more doubleheader on Sunday. It's the final home games for HPU of the season, with Senior Day activities slated for after the second game. First pitch is set for Noon at Howard Okita Field.