Tsunami warning forces PacWest teams to postpone multiple events.

Tsunami warning forces PacWest teams to postpone multiple events

HONOLULU, HI - Tsunami warnings issued on Saturday for Hawai‘i resulted in multiple postponements of athletic contests involving Pacific West Conference teams on the islands of Hilo and Oahu. 

BYU-Hawaii, Chaminade, Hawai‘i Hilo and Hawai‘i Pacific all were impacted by the warnings, as were the Dixie State softball and Grand Canyon baseball teams.

Hawai‘i Hilo is located on the island of Hilo and was the destination for the Grand Canyon baseball team, while BYU-Hawaii, HPU and Chaminade are all located on Oahu. Dixie State already was in Oahu and was scheduled to play the second of two doubleheaders vs. Hawai‘i Pacific on Saturday.

The tsunami warning was issued early Saturday morning following an earthquake in the South American country of Chile measuring 8.8 on the Richter scale. It closed the major airport on Hilo - located at sea level - and coastal roads on Oahu that restricted travel.

The Chaminade men's and women's basketball teams were scheduled to play at Hawai‘i Hilo on Saturday evening in a PacWest doubleheader, but the teams could not fly into Hilo. The games have been canceled and will not be made up.

The BYU-Hawaii softball team had a non-conference doubleheader scheduled at Hawai‘i Hilo and could not make the trip as well. That twinbill was postponed.

The Hawai‘i Hilo men's golf team canceled its participation in the Cal State San Bernardino Coyote Invitational because of travel concerns. The team was preparing to leave Hilo for California.

The BYU-Hawaii-Hawai‘i Pacific men's and women's basketball doubleheader,0 scheduled for the Mid Pacific Institute on Saturday evening, was postponed, while the Dixie State-HPU softball contest for Saturday afternoon was postponed as well.

The Grand Canyon-Hawai‘i Hilo baseball series scheduled for Hilo beginning on Sunday will continue as planned. The start of the series was initially going to be pushed back until Monday, but the Antelopes did manage to arrive on Hilo and the decision was made to play the games as scheduled.