Christina Pedroza pitched a six-hitter with four strikeouts and Nicole Alconcel doubled and hit a solo homer as Hawai'i-Hilo beat Academy of Art, 4-1, yesterday to complete a sweep of a Pacific West Conference softball doubleheader at the UHH softball field.

Bryanna Hardy and Aisha Sueda also had two hits for the Vulcans (18-5, 14-4). Andrea Hanchey ended Pedroza's shutout with a two-out RBI double in the sixth for the Urban Knights (11-11, 2-4).

In the first game, Amber Waracka (11-1) scattered seven hits and struck out five, and Tessa Truong hit a three-run homer in a six-run sixth inning as the Vulcans rallied for a victory.

Hilo had been held to one hit by Sierrah Garcia entering the bottom of the sixth.

"This team has a lot of heart and a never-say-die type of attitude," UHH head coach Gwen Kagaoan said. "We made a couple of changes in the sixth inning and they rode on that momentum."

Garcia finished with a six-hitter and five strikeouts.

BASEBALL

HOT-HITTING HPU FALLS TO DIXIE, 6-5

Despite amassing 16 hits, Hawai'i Pacific dropped a 6-5 decision to host Dixie State yesterday in a non-conference baseball game at St. George, Utah.

Jordan Inamasu and Bas Nooij each had three hits, and Tyler Davis, Sean Winston, Kale Sumner and Kenny Turner added two hits apiece for the Sea Warriors (15-5), who scored all of their runs in the top of the eighth inning on seven hits. Alex Agortsas hit a two-run single and Inamasu a two-run triple to spice the big inning.

Drew Oldfield had two hits, including a three-run double in the third inning, for the Red Storm (12-9).

Meanwhile, the Sea Warriors earned a No. 5 West Region ranking for the second week in a row.

The ranking was made by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA).