University of Hawaii softball coach Bob Coolen remembers the days when Cal State Fullerton was a nemesis for the Rainbow Wahine in their previous stint in the Big West Conference.
The Titans appeared ready to reprise that role early in Saturday’s games at Anderson Family Field in Fullerton, Calif. But UH weathered the threats to sweep the doubleheader and remain undefeated in conference play.
UH catcher Kayla Wartner drove in six runs in the doubleheader to help pitcher Kaia Parnaby reach the 30-win mark as No. 15/20 UH rolled to a 14-2 win in five innings in the opener, before claiming the second game 8-4.
"The whole atmosphere around the game was very electric," UH coach Bob Coolen said. "(The Titans) came out swinging … they were very excited to be playing us and it was just a tough atmosphere. I’m glad the bats came alive."
The Wahine (33-7, 11-0 Big West) extended their winning streak to 13 entering today’s series finale.
Parnaby earned two complete-game wins to improve to 30-3 and become the third UH pitcher to win at least 30 games in a season, joining Melissa Coogan (32 wins in 2003) and Stephanie Ricketts (30 in 2010).
"That’s huge right now and I don’t even think she knows she’s at 30 wins," Coolen said, noting Parnaby’s focus during her run at the single-season record.
The UH offense continued its recent surge to help Parnaby reach the milestone. Wartner drove in three runs in both games, including a go-ahead two-run home run in the fourth inning of the second game.
"Not only did she have family (at the games), she had friends here, her coach was here, just a lot of different things going on and it worked out well. She swung the bat well," Coolen said.
Senior Kelly Majam scored seven runs from the leadoff spot in the doubleheader, and UH pulled away in both games after the Titans (16-25, 3-8) threatened early.
Freshman Keiki Carlos gave UH the lead in the opener with a two-run homer in the top of the first, but Cal State Fullerton, which led the all-time series 47-10 entering Saturday’s renewal, battled back to tie the score with single runs in the first two innings.
UH regained the lead on Leisha Li‘ili‘i’s two-out single to center in the top of the third. The Wahine stretched the lead with a four-run fourth inning highlighted by Wartner’s two-run double, and put the game away with seven runs in the fifth, capped by Sharla Kliebenstein’s two-run double.
Cal State Fullerton struck early in the second game, taking a 3-1 lead on Eliza Crawford’s three-run homer with one out in the bottom of the first.
UH got a run back in the second on back-to-back doubles by Majam and Wartner, and tied the score in the fourth on Kliebenstein’s solo homer.
Later in the fourth, Majam was hit by a pitch and Wartner followed with a home run to left field to give UH a 5-3 lead. UH added three more runs in the sixth, with Jessica Iwata driving in two on a double down the left-field line.
Cal State Fullerton’s Melissa Sechrest homered in the bottom of the sixth, but Parnaby closed out her 30th complete game of the season and UH could start to focus on today’s series finale.
"(Today’s) a little different, we play at noon (Pacific time), so it should be a little warmer," Coolen said. "We’ll see how it goes."
