HONOLULU — The 2023 season officially began for Saint Mary's Softball on Friday in Honolulu, as the Gaels played in the Hawaii Paradise Classic. In the first day of three days of softball in nicer weather than they'd see in California, they dropped a pair of games to Utah Tech and Hawaii. The season opener against the Trailblazers wound up as an 8-0 defeat before falling to the hosting Rainbow Wahine 5-3 in the nightcap.
 
Game 1: Utah Tech 8, Saint Mary's 0
EARLY THREE FOR TECH
The Trailblazers got on the board in the top of the second inning and never looked back. After tossing a perfect first inning, Gaels starter Marissa Woolsey allowed a leadoff double, promptly followed by a wild pitch. That set up Laura Lockard with a sacrifice fly to put Utah Tech on the board 1-0. Woolsey then allowed a single, and was relieved by Odhi Vasquez, who made her collegiate debut. She loaded the bases, but then got her first collegiate strikeout, and was one out away from ending the inning. A two-run single by Tanya Windle down the left field line to push the lead to 3-0, which made the hole even larger for Saint Mary's to climb out of.
 
SINGLES NOT ENOUGH
The bats weren't quite in midseason form for the Gaels in the opener, as they had a tough time mounting rallies. Their first hit of the season came off the bat of Claudia Kirchner, who singled up the middle. Kirchner also singled again to lead off the fifth inning, marking a perfect 2-2 day for her. The only other hit for Saint Mary's came off the bat of Taylor Lane, who recorded her first collegiate knock in the third inning. The Gaels did not have a walk in the season opener, compared to eight for the Trailblazers, with two hit batters.
 
Game 2: Hawaii 5, Saint Mary's 3
KIRCHNER CONTINUES
It might have taken until the second game of the season, but the Saint Mary's offense finally broke through, thanks to the player who led them in the first game. Claudia Kirchner enjoyed quite the season opener, which included a solo home run in the second inning against Hawaii. Her first collegiate home run was an inside the park home run to right field that put Saint Mary's in front 1-0, their first lead of the season. For Kirchner, it was her fourth career extra base hit, and her third hit of the series.
 
LAUNCHING THE LONG BALL
Home runs were the story in the second game of the evening, with the Gaels allowing three, the first of which turned the game around. Chelsea Bennett made her collegiate debut in the circle and was excellent through the first three innings of play, allowing just one walk and one hit through the first three innings of her career. She ran into trouble in the fourth, and it began with a walk and a hit batter. That set the stage for Rachel Sabourin, who launched a three-run home run with one out to make to make it 3-1 Hawaii. Bennett was then chased from the game after allowing another home run to Mya'Liah Bethea. All told, Hawaii hit three home runs in the game, accounting for all five of their runs.
 
KEEPING IT CLOSE
While they wouldn't homer again, the Gaels did add another run on the board in the top of the sixth inning. All-WCC honorable mention from one season ago Bry Waters opened up the inning with a double, and she was moved to third base on a sacrifice bunt. That brought up preseason All-WCC selection Marissa Nishihara, who didn't get a hit, but she brought in Waters with a groundout to third, making it a 5-2 game. In the seventh, Jenavee Amador opened the inning with a single, and after a pair of outs and a single from Taylor Lane, Lindsay Cabral added a run on a base hit to keep the game alive. A walk by Waters loaded the bases with the tying run at second, but a fly out to center ended the game and prevented the Gaels from mounting an impressive comeback.
 
UP NEXT
The Hawaii Paradise Classic continues on Saturday with two more games for Saint Mary's. Utah Tech and the Gaels will square off first at 3:00 pm PT in a rematch of Friday's season opener, and then the Gaels and Rainbow Wahine will meet for the second time at 7:30 pm PT. The weekend in Hawaii will conclude with a single game on Sunday against Hawaii, with first pitch at 2:00 pm PT.