HONOLULU – Hawaii native Kalei Kaneshiro led off the four-run fourth with a solo home run Sunday as SIUE downed Utah 5-2 at the Hawaii Spring Fling.
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Corrina Rivas, now 3-3, picked up the win with 4 1/3 innings of scoreless relief. SIUE improved to 7-6 overall and next faces Hawaii in a 10 p.m. CT game Monday.
The Cougars knocked off Utah, of the PAC 12 Conference, with the big inning.
"She (Kaneshiro) got out front and got through the ball," said Jones. "It was literally a line drive shot over the left fielder's head."
That started a rally of SIUE's three players from Hawaii collecting RBIs in the inning. Sammie Ofoia drove home Micah Arps and Kloe Hilbrenner with a single, and Alana Cobb-Adams followed that up with a single through the left side that drove home Ofoia.
SIUE's only other run came in the second when the game became a 1-1 tie on Concatto's double down the right field line, which scored Reagan Curtis.
Curtis improved her batting average to .421 after drawing two walks and added a single in the fifth inning.
"Reagan's mentality at the plate is calm, cool and collected," said Jones. "She is staying balanced. She has put a lot of time into her batting, and it has paid off."
Rivas provided a lift in the circle that helped propel the Cougars. She came into the game in relief of Emily Ingles trailing 2-1.
"I knew we were in a situation and we needed to get out of it," Rivas said. "I felt confident and had confidence in my team and my coach's pitch calling."
"She (Rivas) got us going," said Jones. "She was phenomenal. I'm proud of her."
Jones also singled out the defense behind the Cougars' pitchers. She counted at least three key plays where Concatto, a second baseman, made spectacular defensive plays.
"Without her defense, we would not have won the game," noted Jones.
SIUE and Utah each finished with seven hits. Utah's Chantelle Ladner suffered the loss and is now 0-2. Utah is 10-13 overall.
"We were the tougher team today, and that's what got us the win," said Rivas.
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