by TURLOCK, Calif. – Hawai’i Pacific University opened the 2019 Turlock Tournament of Champions with a 7-2 loss to Concordia Portland at the Pedretti Sports Complex, but followed it with a 3-0 shutout of Simon Fraser at the Turlock Regional Sports Complex on Friday.
The Sharks (25-17) saw their five-game winning streak snapped by the Cavaliers (15-12) in the first game of the tournament, but bounced back to down The Clan (6-15) in the second game shutout.
Senior right hander Jordan Curry (15-6) of Farmington, N.M./Farmington notched her 16th complete game with the win in the second game. Curry also collected her fifth shutout, striking out two and allowing five hits and two walks.
Curry (Navajo) led the offensive attack for the Sharks for the day, going 3-for-6 with two doubles and two runs scored. Freshman left fielder Noel Saunders of Pearl City, Hawai’i/Pearl City was 3-for-5 with a double and two RBI, while freshman second baseman Brandi Leong of Wahiawa, Hawai’i/Leilehua was also 3-for-5 with an RBI and senior shortstop Tiana Cantero-Kawelo of Wahiawa, Hawai’i/Leilehua went 2-for-6 with two runs scored.
Junior right hander Emilee Leonard (8-6) of La Mirada, Calif./St. Paul took the loss against CUP allowing five runs, four earned, on four hits and three walks as she struck out two in two innings. Curry subbed in relief allowing two runs on three hits and four walks.
In the opening contest against Concordia Portland, the Sharks drew first blood after a Cantero-Kawelo single was followed by an RBI double to left center from Saunders for the 1-0 lead.
But the Cavs answered in the bottom of the first by turning two leadoff walks into runs on a two RBI single from Paityn Willoughby to take the lead 2-1.
The Cavaliers broke the game open in the third, after a walk and an error, Hannah Self ripped a two RBI single up the middle, followed by an RBI double from Willoughby to take a 5-1 advantage and chase Leonard.
The Sharks got one back in the top of the fourth as Curry doubled and scored on a sacrifice fly from freshman first baseman Leipua Kaui of Kapa’a, Hawai’i/Kapa’a that made it 5-2.
But CUP a run in the bottom of the fourth with a Mckenzie Smith double and two wild pitches, and one in the fifth when Smith got a sac fly with runners on the corners to go up 7-2.
Sally Bowles (6-6) recorded the win going six innings allowing two runs on eight hits with a strikeout. Kayla Lagerguist threw one inning in relief seeing just three batters.
In the Sharks second contest of the day, there was no score until the bottom of the fourth when junior third baseman Sierra Dias of Mililani, Hawai’i/Bishop Gorman drew a leadoff walk, moved around on sacrifice bunt and fly out before coming home on an RBI single from Leong to go up 1-0.
In the fifth, Curry led off with a double to left center and was driven home on an RBI single from Cantero-Kawelo. After a walk, Saunders chalked up an RBI single to bring home Cantero-Kawelo and the Sharks were up 3-0.
Curry held The Clan at bay the final two innings for the win.
The Clan’s Jessica Fasolino (4-8) suffered the loss despite four strikeouts and allowing the one run on three hits in four innings. Jessica Tate followed in relief allowing two runs on three hits with four walks in two innings.
