KANEOHE, Hawai'i – Hawai'i Pacific University opened the 2022 softball season by splitting a doubleheader with DePauw University. HPU won the second game 7-4 after dropping the first 3-2 at Howard Okita Field.
 
The Sharks (1-1) took advantage of outstanding weather to open the season, while the NCAA Division III Tigers used the contests as an exempted exhibition.
 
Junior Brandi Leong of Wahiawa, Hawai'i/Leilehua led the Sharks from the leadoff spot, going 5-for-7 with an RBI and a run scored in the twinbill. Freshman Neva Poulin of Corona, Calif./Norco went 5-for-8 with an RBI and two runs scored in her collegiate debut.
 
Freshman righthander Taylor Thompson of Phoenix, Ariz./Pinnacle picked up the win in her first collegiate game in the second contest, striking out 11 Tigers while allowing four runs (three earned) on six hits with two walks in a complete game. Senior righty Malia Torres of Danville, Calif./Monte Vista suffered a tough loss in the season opener, allowing three runs on five hits with three strikeouts and three walks in going the distance.
 
The Sharks got on the board first as Torres helped her cause with an RBI single in the second, but the Tigers responded with a run in the fourth to tie and two in the sixth to claim a 3-1 lead. HPU added a run in the bottom of the sixth with a Torres RBI double as she went 2-of-3 at the plate in the game. However, HPU suffered 11 stranded runners in the contest including two in the sixth and seventh in the 3-2 loss.
 
The second game saw the Tigers plate three runs in the first inning, with HPU returning the favor with three runs in the bottom of the frame thanks to a bad throw from the Tigers on a stolen third base that allowed Leong to score, then getting a sacrifice fly from freshman Jewel Larson of Waipahu, Hawai'i/Pearl City and an RBI single from Poulin.
 
The game stayed knotted until the fifth when the Sharks scored four runs on a junior Savanna Salyer-Kovacs RBI walk, a Thompson fielder's choice, a Leong RBI single, and a Noel Saunders RBI single for a 7-3 lead.
 
DePauw added a run in the top of the seventh  to finalize the contest at 7-4.
 
The Tigers got a win for Kersten Brayton in relief and a save from starter Cami Henry who returned in the seventh. Reliever Riley Magoon took the loss in the second game for the Tigers.
 
The Sharks have an alumnae exhibition on Saturday, Jan. 29 at noon at Howard Okita Field, then return to regular season play on Tuesday, Feb. 1 against Corban (Ore.) at 1 p.m. at Howard Okita Field.