And then there were 4; Sea Warriors gearing up for semifinal round vs. Metro State

And then there were 4; Sea Warriors gear up for semifinal round vs. Metro State

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – After a 27-hour trip from Honolulu and two days of competition, the Hawai‘i Pacific University softball team enjoyed a well-deserved day off from the NCAA Division II College World Series

The reward came after HPU won its first two games and now sits in the proverbial driver’s seat to advance to the national title game on Monday.

The Sea Warriors face Metro State of Denver, Colo., on Sunday at 9:30 a.m. HT needing just one win to play on national television on Memorial Day.

Metro State advanced by beating Wayne State 1-0 early on Saturday before bouncing North Georgia – who entered the tournament with a 50-0 record – 4-1 on Saturday evening.

If Metro State beats HPU in the first game, the two teams will tangle again at 3:30 p.m. HT for a berth in the finale.

The HPU-Metro State survivor will face the winner of Valdosta (Ga.) State and Angelo (Tex.) State.

North Georgia and Angelo State switched brackets after their losses on Friday. Angelo State defeated Bloomsburg (Pa.) 5-4 in eight innings on Saturday to move into the other semifinal round.

Timely base running, solid defensive efforts, and the right arm of pitcher Sherise Musquiz have made HPU one of two undefeated teams in the tournament.

In 17 innings on the mound - 10 innings in Friday’s thrilling 1-0 win over Angelo State - Musquiz has not surrendered a single earned run.

“It was nice to be on the winning end of one of those,” Musquiz, referencing two 14-inning, marathon loses her freshman season, said. “The defense has played well behind me which has made my job a lot easier.”

Musquiz was a big part of the defense she speaks of, posting six assists including the final out of the 1-0 win vs. Angelo State.

In addition to Musquiz’s heroic effort, centerfielder Kozy Toriano was an equal thorn in the Rambelle’s side. Her diving grab in the seventh inning prevented a game-winning score, and three innings later she scored the game’s only run to give HPU the win.

Sunday’s game can be heard live on the Internet at Red Zone Media and will be simulcast on AM 1500 radio in Hawai‘i.

The game can be viewed online at NCAA TV.