Cira Bartolotti’s frantic dash around the bases gave the University of Hawaii softball team a walk-off victory to open senior weekend.
The Rainbow Wahine had erased a two-run deficit in the sixth inning of Thursday’s series opener with UC Davis, and Bartolotti, one of UH’s four seniors, stood on first base with two out in the bottom of the seventh.
UH coach Bob Coolen put Bartolotti in motion as leadoff hitter Xiao Gin grounded a single into right field. Bartolotti sprinted into third base as the throw escaped down the left-field line. She bounced off the bag then back again as another throw to the plate went awry.
This time there was no stopping her.
Bartolotti bolted home and stepped on the plate just ahead of the return throw and went sprawling as her teammates stormed out of the dugout to celebrate the 3-2 victory at Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium.
“It was just pure adrenaline,” a beaming Bartolotti said.
“I stepped on the plate and tripped over (the catcher’s) foot, so I dove at the end. It didn’t have to look pretty, but if I made it home, I made it home.”
Bartolotti, a Kapolei graduate, will make her final appearance on her home field today when the Rainbow Wahine (30-21, 13-12 Big West) close the season with a doubleheader starting at 4 p.m. UH’s senior class of Bartolotti, Amanda Ajari, Princess Matavao and Rachel Sabourin will be honored after the finale.
The wild finish gave UH sophomore left-hander Brianna Lopez (16-11) a complete-game victory. Lopez struck out seven and walked none and retired 15 of 17 batters from the end of the first into the top of the sixth.
She limited the damage in the first and sixth innings to keep the Wahine within striking distance going into their final two turns at bat.
“(UH catcher Izabella Martinez) did a nice job at mixing,” Coolen said. “(Lopez) hasn’t thrown that many changeups in a while and she was confident in it and she just hung with it.”
UC Davis (27-20, 13-12) led 2-0 going into the bottom of the sixth and Gin and Ka’ena Kelliinoi singled to lead off the inning. They advanced on Martinez’s grounder to first and UC Davis called timeout before UH clean-up hitter Haley Johnson came to the plate.
“I went up to (Coolen) and he was, like, ‘How are you feeling?’ and I was like ‘I’m gonna hit the ball and score these runners,’ because I’m long overdue,” Johnson said. “I just went up there thinking, ‘no fear.’ ”
Johnson drilled UC Davis right-hander Kenedi Brown’s next pitch through the infield and to the fence in left-center, scoring Gin and Kellinoi to tie the game.
Lopez retired UC Davis in order in the top of the seventh, and Bartolotti reached base with one out when her grounder was bobbled.
“She’s our fastest kid, she’s gained so much confidence this year,” Coolen said of Bartolotti.
With Gin behind in the count, Coolen called a hit and run, and Gin’s grounder through the right side triggered the sequence that ended with the celebration at the plate.
“It means a lot to know my teammates always have my back and we’re always fighting to the end,” Bartolotti said. “Xiao did a great job of staying in the box and just finding any way to the hit the ball, and it was a great team win all around.”
AT RAINBOW WAHINE SOFTBALL STADIUM
UC Davis (27-20, 13-12) 100 001 1 — 2 6 2
Hawaii (30-21, 13-12) 000 002 1 — 3 7 0
Kenedi Brown and Grace Kilday. Brianna Lopez and Izabella Martinez. W—Lopez. L—Brown.
Leading hitters—UCD: Anna Dethlefson, 2B; Libbie McMahan, 2B, RBI; Bella Pahulu, RBI; Sarah Starks, 2B; Delaney Diaz, 2B. Hawaii: Xiao Gin, 2-4; Ka’ena Keliinoi, 3-3; Haley Johnson, 2-3, 2 2B, 2 RBI.
