Vanessa Salinas kept the University of Hawai’i at Hilo in the thick of the NCAA West Regional postseason discussion with her walk-off two-run home run that gave the Vulcans a 4-2 win in 10 innings over Hawai’i Pacific University in game one of a Saturday doubleheader.
Her pitching performance was just as important. The PacWest Conference announced Monday that the senior pitcher earned its Pitcher of the Week award for her complete game victory.
Salinas pitched all 10 innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on six hits with eight strikeouts and no walks. She improved to 18-8 on the season with the win, and her earned run average of 1.98 is good for fourth in the conference. She is also second innings pitched (183.2) and fifth in strikeouts (91).
The second game of Saturday’s doubleheader was halted due to darkness with the game tied at 5-5 going into the tenth inning. Salinas was used as a pinch-hitter and outfielder in the game, hitting 1-for-2. According to a UH-Hilo spokesperson, coaches from both schools are determining whether to continue playing the game on a different date or to call it a tie.
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The decision could play a factor in determining UH-Hilo’s fate. A tie could have a negative impact on the Vulcans’ postseason hopes, especially with no games remaining on their schedule. UH-Hilo is currently eighth in the NCAA West Region rankings.
Continuing the game, however, could have financial implications, including extra cross-island travel for one of the schools. If UH-Hilo were to lose a continued game, they may lose out on the postseason bid.
No timetable has been set for a decision on the finale. UH-Hilo holds a 31-16 overall record and 20-10 conference mark.
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