In a stark contrast to their earlier defeat, the University of Hawai'i softball team bounced back on Saturday, splitting their doubleheader with UC Davis, and it was Macy Brandl on the mound, exhibiting the kind of stellar performance that turns heads and maybe, just maybe, seasons around; her one-hitter in the nightcap was a clinic on pitching prowess, leading the Rainbow Wahine to a 6-0 shutout victory, according to Spectrum News.
Earlier in the day, the Rainbow Wahine had faced a crushing 12-4 extra-inning loss that could knock the wind out of any team's sails, as UC Davis unleashed an offensive avalanche with eight runs in the eighth; but Coach Bob Coolen implied a switch in strategy, with Macy stepping in, offering a different style, a rise ball, a screw curve, which befuddled the Aggies, keeping them off the board and "chasing" those elusive hits, as Brandl herself mixed it up supremely well, a sentiment reflected in an interview with Spectrum News.
Despite what might seem like an emotional rollercoaster of a day, the Rainbow Wahine's ability to regroup was on full display, especially as the show of resilience comes during a critical juncture of their season; currently, they sit in seventh place, just outside the qualification range for the inaugural Big West tournament which decides who gets the coveted NCAA Tournament berth, "There's a lot more purpose to the season," Coach Coolen highlighted in a statement obtained by Spectrum News, with cool practicality, understanding the long road ahead to make the cut.
The contributions were a team effort, with multiple players like Jamie McGaughey and Liliana Thomas hitting home runs and Izabella Martinez notching a career-best 4-for-5 at the plate in a losing effort that belied their grit and after that gut check of a game the 'Bows were not done, as they put their heads down, and with Brandl on the hill, they etched a victory that could echo in their Big West campaign, with Martinez lacing key hits and the lineup showing life, a vital ingredient for a team searching for consistency, as reported by Hawaii Athletics.
