Hawaii softball: Callee Heen climbs up home run chart in Rainbow Wahine win
As so often happens, Callee Heen wasn’t aiming for the fences when she delivered a pivotal blast for the Rainbow Wahine softball team Thursday night.
After the Wahine erased an early three-run deficit against Portland State, when Heen stepped to the plate with a runner on base and two out in the bottom of the fourth, “I was just trying to hit line drives,” she said, “because the wind was really blowing a lot so nothing in the air was going to be really good.”
By staying true to her approach, the ball rocketed off the barrel and did, in fact, elevate well over the fence to right-center, cutting through the wind for a go-ahead two-run homer to help propel the Rainbow Wahine to a 7-5 win to open the Hawaii Invitational.
>> PHOTO GALLERY: HAWAII VS. PORTLAND STATE
UH senior Callee Heen gives #HawaiiSB a 5-3 lead with her fifth HR of the season, a two-run shot in the bottom of the fourth. @hawaiiwworld pic.twitter.com/l7RRkIb6qC
— Jason Kaneshiro (@jasonkaneshiro) February 21, 2020
The senior went 3-for-4 and drove in three runs in support of UH sophomore Ashley Murphy, who recovered from a rough start to earn a complete-game victory, and continued her climb up the program’s career home run chart.
She tied Nawai Kaupe for the team lead with her fifth homer of the season and is one away from catching Kate Robinson (2005-08) for fourth place on the career list after hitting her 43rd blast. Leisha Li’ili’i (2012-15) is third with 49 with Jessica Iwata (2010-13) not far beyond at 55. Kelly Majam’s school record of 72 from 2010 to ’13 will likely remain safe for quite a while.
Along with a veteran approach in the box, confidence — in her own swing and the rest of the lineup — remains a key to Heen’s production.
“At the beginning of the year she thought she had to do it all, she had to put the whole team on her shoulders,” UH coach Bob Coolen said. “Now she’s starting to relax and have a little bit more of a situation where she’s not carrying everyone. It’s like, ‘if I don’t do it somebody’s going to pick me up.’ ”
Through 12 games, the Wahine are hitting a collective .311 and are averaging 6.2 runs per game. Kaupe leads the team at .457 followed by Heen at .441 and a total of six UH players are above .300 through Thursday’s play.
UH senior Callee Heen on the confidence of the #HawaiiSB offense. Rainbow Wahine collected 11 hits in a 7-5 win over Portland State with Heen going 3-for-4 with 3 RBIs, including the go-ahead HR in the fourth. @hawaiiwworld pic.twitter.com/JTPlY69mMe
— Jason Kaneshiro (@jasonkaneshiro) February 21, 2020
Over the first two weeks of the season, UH’s plate production was often eclipsed by struggles in the circle with UH opponents hitting .323 against the Wahine through 11 games. UH dropped three one-run games in the Golden State Classic in Lake Elsinore, Calif., all of them shootouts with Utah State (11-10), Army (7-6) and Loyola Marymount (6-5).
Murphy’s start on Thursday added to the concern when she gave up a double, two singles and a two-run homer to the first four batters she faced. A runner was caught stealing in the middle of PSU’s opening surge, which limited the damage to a 3-0 Vikings lead after a half inning.
UH answered with Brittnee Rossi leading off the bottom of the first with a double to left-center and freshman Ka‘ena Keliinoi drilling a triple into the right-field corner. Heen followed with single up the middle to cut the deficit to 3-2.
UH answers with two runs in the bottom of the first. Freshman and St. Francis grad Ka’ena Keliinoi drives in Brittnee Rossi with a triple and later scores on Callee Heen’s single. Wahine leave the bases loaded and trail Portland State 3-2 after 1. @hawaiiwworld pic.twitter.com/14L9F3ECLZ
— Jason Kaneshiro (@jasonkaneshiro) February 21, 2020
After a quiet second inning, UH scored in each of the next four innings while Murphy settled down to string five zeroes across the scoreboard.
Following the first-inning homer, Murphy retired 11 consecutive hitters and held Portland State to one hit over the next five innings.
“I was just fine-tuning my pitches, found the strike zone and I knew my teammates were going to pick me up,” Murphy said.
“(The run support) was awesome. It makes me feel a lot more confident on the mound and comfortable, lets me pitch my pitches and throw my game.”
With first baseman Sammie Ofoia likely out for the next two tournaments due to injury, Heen started at first base on Thursday with Keliinoi taking over at catcher. Freshman Rachel Sabourin got the start at second and went 3-for-4 and drove in UH’s final run of the night.
UH freshman Rachel Sabourin delivers a two-out single to score pinch-runner Cira Bartolotti. #HawaiiSB extends its lead to 7-3 going into the seventh. @hawaiiwworld pic.twitter.com/gOvYV792Da
— Jason Kaneshiro (@jasonkaneshiro) February 21, 2020
UH led 7-3 going into the seventh and the tension picked up a bit when Alexis Morrison delivered a two-run triple with two out to bring the tying run to the plate. But Murphy got a flyout to center to preserve the win and improve to 3-3.
Portland State strikes for two runs and brings the tying run to the plate in the seventh. But Ashley Murphy gets the F8 to close out a CG. #HawaiiSB (5-7) opens the Hawai’i Invitational with a 7-5 win. @hawaiiwworld pic.twitter.com/mbYiFgEypI
— Jason Kaneshiro (@jasonkaneshiro) February 21, 2020
The four-day tournament continues Friday with UH scheduled to face Kansas City at 6 p.m. The schedule was altered from bracket play on the weekend to a set schedule. The Wahine face Kansas City and Iowa on Saturday and have a rematch with Portland State on Sunday.
UH sophomore Ashley Murphy on recovering from a rough first inning to hold Portland State to one hit over the next five on her way to a complete-game victory. @hawaiiwworld pic.twitter.com/Wx7Ot5AyzO
— Jason Kaneshiro (@jasonkaneshiro) February 21, 2020
Why isn’t Gandia-Mak playing?