Kaneohe, Hawaii – The Gustavus Adolphus softball team suffered its first losses of the season after being swept by Hawaii Pacific University on Wednesday at Howard A Okita Field. The Gusties suffered a 2-0 loss in game one and a 5-3 loss in game two to drop them to 2-2 on the year. With the sweep, Hawaii Pacific begins its 2015 season 2-0.
Game One Recap – Hawaii Pacific 2 def. Gustavus 0
Following three scoreless innings, the Sharks broke the ice with a run in the bottom of the fourth and another in the fifth.
The Gusties managed just three hits off Kristen Caskey who went the distance and stuck out six batters in the process. Carly Klass (Sr., Richfield, Minn.), Nathalee Boissiere (Jr., Plymouth, Minn.), and Kailey Morgan (Jr., Mound, Minn.) recorded Gustavus’s hits.
Jena Willis (So., Glacier, Mont.) took the loss on the hill after allowing the game-winning run in the fourth. She went four complete innings, allowed one run on two hits, and struck out seven. Sarah Rozell (Sr., Lakeville, Minn.) pitched the remaining two innings and gave up a run on two hits.
Game Two Recap – Hawaii Pacific 5 def. Gustavus 0
The Gusties dug themselves a hole early in game two when Hawaii Pacific scored four runs on five hits in the bottom of the second inning.
Gustavus scored its first run of the day and cut the lead to 4-1 in the top of the fourth when Addy Nelsen (Jr., Willmar, Minn.) brought in Rachel Malo (So., Owatonna, Minn.) with a ground ball to the shortstop.
After the Sharks got the run back to go up 5-1 in the bottom half of the inning, the Gusties scored two in the sixth to bring the score to final. Rachel Standmark (Fy., New Ulm, Minn.) scored on an error, and Nelsen singled up the middle to once again bring in Malo.
Only Ali Hoffman (So., New Prague, Minn.) and Addy Nelsen were able to record hits off Paige Crawford, who allowed three runs (one earned) on two hits with five strikeouts in seven innings.
Sarah Rozell started and took the loss after giving up four runs on five hits in three innings. Jena Willis gave up one unearned run on one hit in two innings, and Shelby Nosan (Sr., Baudette, Minn.) sat down the Sharks in order in the final frame.