HIRAM, Ohio – April 17, 2025 – Hiram continued its dominant play at home on Thursday afternoon, winning both games of a doubleheader against Thiel, 5-1 and 11-3, at Myrtis E. Herndon Field.

Sammy Ochoa and Lillie Greene both delivered stellar outings in the circle between the two games, while the top-three hitters in the batting order had a combined eight hits in Game 2 alone.

"I think these two games were huge for the team," assistant coach Gianna Araki said. "Our girls were able to push through."

Game 1 Recap

Ochoa's command lifted her to the best outing of her collegiate career to start the day; the sophomore from Long Beach, CA delivered seven innings of one-run ball, holding the Tomcats to fewer than 10 baserunners for the entire outing. Thiel scored one run in the sixth, but Ochoa did more than enough to put her team in position for the win – 7 IP, 5 H, 1 R/ER, 1 BB, 0 K.

The Terriers made their move in the third inning, when four hits helped the team to a four-run frame. Ari Torres began the charge with a bunt single on a squeeze attempt before Fayth Kawamura (RBI single) and Daynna Mekaru (RBI fielder's choice) propelled Hiram to a 3-0 lead. Darian Kanno finished the inning with the hardest-hit ball of the game, an RBI double to give Hiram an even larger advantage.

Angel Santellan later added insurance in the form of an RBI single in the sixth inning, helping Ochoa earn her second win of the season. Also part of the victory was an acrobatic play from Kawamura, who threw out the leadoff hitter in the fifth inning on a acrobatic, spinning play up the middle of the field.

Game 2 Recap

The offense came alive in Game 2, scoring its most runs in a home game this season (11). The trio of Danielle Robles, Kawamura and Mekaru combined for eight hits, five runs scored and three RBI in the contest.

"Our girls feed off of each other," Araki said of the Terriers' ability to string together hits. "They have each other's backs all the time."

Beyond the top-three hitters, Hiram's Kayla Prigge and Ella Nevinski each had RBI singles in the second inning to give their team a 3-0 lead. Robles, who was effective bunter all day long, capped off the early charge with an RBI bunt single to make it a five-run game through two innings.

While the offense was rolling, Greene was also in mid-season form in the circle, working around traffic and finishing with a final line of 6 IP, 8 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 1 K. Greene pitched effectively with a lead, holding the opposition to just one extra-base hit.

Hiram tacked on three runs in the fifth and another three runs in the sixth, with a Kawamura RBI triple highlighting the late-game surge. The final run in the sixth inning led to an eight-run mercy rule.

What's Next

Hiram will play its final two home games of the regular season on Friday, when it celebrates Fayth Kawamura and Darian Kanno as part of Senior Day at Herndon Field. Game 1 against Ohio Wesleyan is slated for a 3:30 p.m. start, with a pregame ceremony beginning at 3:10 p.m.