Kaia Parnaby’s combination of effectiveness and endurance powered her to the University of Hawaii softball program’s single-season wins record on Friday.
The senior left-hander earned two complete-game victories in UH’s doubleheader sweep at Cal Poly, first matching the record then making it her own while pushing her season total to 33.
Parnaby struck out 10 and held Cal Poly to three hits in a 4-0 win in the opener of the Big West series in San Luis Obispo, Calif. She went the distance again in the second game and the Rainbow Wahine rallied for a 3-1 victory.
"It’s a credit to everyone really, it’s not just me," Parnaby said in a telephone interview. "I get the victory, but I wouldn’t have done it by myself. The girls have all helped out with the bats, with fielding, with everything. It takes endurance, but I give it to the girls because they deserve it as much as I do."
No. 15/20 UH (36-8, 13-1 Big West Conference) closes the series with Cal Poly (18-28-1, 7-10) and concludes an 11-day road trip with a single game at 11 a.m. today at Bob Janssen Field.
UH coach Bob Coolen said he mentioned the wins record to Parnaby at the start of the season, "and she looked at me like, yeah right.’ "
Parnaby (33-4) reached her initial goal of 20 wins prior to the start of conference play, then hit 30 last week at Cal State Fullerton. She tied the record set by Melissa Coogan in 2003 in Friday’s first game and was given the start again in the second.
"Kaia felt fresh so we went for it, and we hit the ball," Coolen said.
Parnaby got early offensive support in the first game on Keiki Carlos’ RBI triple in the top of the first inning and Sharla Kliebenstein’s solo home run into a brisk wind in the second.
Leisha Li’ili’i added a two-run single in the seventh and Parnaby closed out her 11th shutout of the season.
Cal Poly took a 1-0 lead in the first inning in the second game, but Jessica Iwata tied it with a home run leading off the fourth.
"I didn’t help us out in the first inning and to know my team is still behind me is just great," Parnaby said.
The Wahine took the lead in the fifth when Kayla Wartner doubled to left field to score Brynne Buchanan with the go-ahead run. With two runners on, Iwata singled to drive in pinch runner Dori Ann Sugai.
Parnaby retired nine of the last 10 batters she faced to secure win No. 33. She finished with six strikeouts.
"We had a lot of short-game outs, that was just a tribute to our corners getting a lot more aggressive and helping Kaia out," Coolen said.
At San Luis Obispo, Calif.
UH (35-8, 12-1) |
110 |
000 |
2 |
— |
4 |
9 |
1 |
Cal Poly (18-27, 7-9) |
000 |
000 |
0 |
— |
0 |
3 |
2 |
Kaia Parnaby and Kayla Wartner. Chloe Wurst and Mariah Cochiolo. W–Parnaby, L–Wurst.
Leading hitters–Hawaii: Wartner, 2-4; Keiki Carlos, 2-4, 2B, 3B, RBI; Leisha Li’ili’i, 2-4, 2 RBIs; Jazmine Zamora, 2-4, 2B; Sharla Kliebenstein, HR. Cal Poly: Lauren Moreno, 2-3, 2B.
Hawaii (36-8, 13-1) |
000 |
120 |
0 |
— |
3 |
9 |
1 |
Cal Poly (18-28, 7-10) |
100 |
000 |
0 |
— |
1 |
4 |
2 |
Kaia Parnaby and Kayla Wartner. Jordan Yates, Chloe Wurst (5) and Mariah Cochiolo. W–Parnaby. L–Yates.
Leading hitters–Hawaii: Wartner, 2-4, 2B, RBI; Jessica Iwata, 2-3, HR, 2 RBIs.
Note: Cal Poly has a tie in its record.
Big West standings
|
Conference |
Overall |
Team |
W |
L |
GB |
Pct. |
W |
L |
Hawaii |
13 |
1 |
— |
.929 |
36 |
8 |
Pacific |
11 |
4 |
21/2 |
.733 |
26 |
20 |
Long Beach St. |
10 |
5 |
31/2 |
.667 |
28 |
18 |
Santa Barbara |
6 |
6 |
6 |
.500 |
25 |
17 |
Cal Poly |
7 |
10 |
71/2 |
.412 |
18 |
28 |
CS Fullerton |
6 |
8 |
7 |
.429 |
19 |
25 |
UC Davis |
4 |
8 |
8 |
.364 |
17 |
22 |
CS Northridge |
4 |
8 |
8 |
.333 |
18 |
26 |
UC Riverside |
0 |
11 |
111/2 |
.000 |
16 |
26 |