CLEVELAND, Ohio - May 19, 2023 - Hiram played one of its best games of the season on Friday against the No. 3 team in Division III, Case Western Reserve; Darian Kanno had a complete performance at the plate and in the circle, while the offense answered any threat made by the Spartans as part of a 7-2 win at Mather Park.

The victory advances the Terriers to the Regional final on Saturday at 12 p.m., where they will play Mount Union after the Purple Raiders knocked out Case Western in the later game on Friday.

Hiram has yet to lose in this year's NCAA Regionals, meaning that it will have two chances to advance to the Super Regionals on Saturday under the double-elimination format.

Kanno went 2-for-2 with an RBI double off the left-center wall in the first inning, a solo home run in the third inning and two walks. She became the fourth player in Hiram program history to hit at least 6 home runs in a single season (Chastine Romanello in 2008/2009, Jessica Bolanz in 2011/2013 and Angela Perella in 2013). Bolanz holds the program-record with 9 HR in 2013.

The sophomore also pitched in the game, working 5.1 innings of 1-run ball in relief of Jeskari Rodriguez. She earned her 11th win of the season, matching her total from all of 2022.

"She's a special player," head coach Summer Collins said of Kanno. "She handles pressure well. She did that today. She showed everybody who she really is."

It was a back-and-forth game for the two offenses; Hiram trailed 1-0 before evening the score on Kanno's RBI double. Kanno's solo home run would then give Hiram a 2-1 lead, but Case Western Reserve answered with a game-tying run in the sixth inning. 

That set the stage for a 5-run inning by Hiram in the sixth. Danielle Robles and Fayth Kawamura each drove in runs on a fielder's choice before Giselle Bahena singled to center field to open up a 5-2 Terrier lead. Another 2 runs would score on a bases-loaded walk and a wild pitch to carve out a 5-run advantage and put the team just three outs away from advancing to the Regional final.

"We've gotten punched in the mouth so many times this season; we know how to handle the adversity and the pressure well," Collins said. "The things that become uncomfortable are now comfortable to us because we've seen it before."

Kanno capped the day off by setting down three of the four hitters she faced in the seventh inning. Her final line in the circle was 5.1 IP, 3 H, 1 R/ER, 3 BB, 2 K, setting Hiram up for another big day on Saturday.

"We came to compete," Collins said of the team's mindset on Friday and moving forward. "Any team that shows up tomorrow – that's the team we're ready for." 

With the win, Hiram has now won multiple games in a single NCAA Tournament for the third time in program history (2011, 2022, 2023). The team is one win away from advancing to the Super Regionals for the first time in program history.

The Terriers will look to achieve that feat on Saturday at 12 p.m. from Mather Park in Cleveland, Ohio. If necessary, another game will be played between Hiram and Mount Union at approximately 2:30 p.m. Check the tournament website for additional information/updates.