ROHNERT PARK -- Holli Brown smashed her ninth career home run -- and first of the season -- in the bottom of the first inning of game two, a two run shot to give the Sonoma State softball team a two-run lead early, but Hawaii Hilo came back to score eight unanswered runs to secure the doubleheader sweep of the host Seawolves (1-2) on Tuesday afternoon at the Seawolf Softball Field.  The Vulcans (2-0) earned a 1-0 victory in the opener to get their 2015 season off on a winning note.

Brown's two-run shot would be the only runs produced by the Sonoma State offense in the two games combined, thanks to the pitching efforts from Valcan starters Vanessa Salinas and Danielle Wilson, both going the distance in games one and two, respectively.  Salinas notched the shutout, allowing just four hits, striking out one.  Wilson gave up the home run to Brown early, but settled down to keep SSU scoreless the rest of the way, walking three and striking out two in the meantime.

Keeley Ray led the Seawolves with four hits, going 4 for 7 with a run scored, including a perfect 3 for 3 in game two.

Sonoma State will head to Las Vegas this weekend to compete in the MSUB Desert Stinger before returning home on Feb. 20-21 to open CCAA play against Cal State Dominguez Hills.

Game 1:  Hawaii Hilo 1, Sonoma State 0

The two teams combined for just eight hits in game one, four on each side, but one of the four Hawaii Hilo hits would prove to be the difference as Melanie Morelos drove a 3-2 pitch from Sonoma State starter Amanda Llerena up and over the right center field fence for a solo home run to lead off the fifth inning.

Down by a run in the bottom of the seventh, Ray began the frame with an infield single before Alison Strycula got aboard via a throwing error by the pitcher, Salinas, putting two runners on base for the Seawolves with no outs.  Brown put down a sacrifice bunt to move both runners into scoring position with one out, but Salinas got out of her jam in the circle, inducing a groundout and a flyout to end the game.

Llerena struckout nine batters in the loss as she fell to 1-1 on the season.  Ray, Strycula, Carlie Daniel and Karly Macadangdang each had a hit for Sonoma State.

Game 2:  Hawaii Hilo 8, Sonoma State 2

After a scoreless top of the first inning, the Seawolves were quick to put a pair of runs on the board thanks to the two-run home run to left field by Brown.  However, that would end up being the only runs scored by the hosts the rest of the way.

That's when Hawaii Hilo flexed its muscles and showed some power.  Danielle Pulido smashed a two-run shot down the left field line in the second inning to knot the game at 2-2, then Emily Greene hit the go-ahead solo home run in the third, also to left field.  Three more runs came in to score in the inning on a two-RBI double by Amanda Lara and an RBI single by Pulido, giving the Vulvans a 6-2 advantage.

Two more runs scored in the fifth inning for UHH, one on an obstruction call on an SSU fielder during a rundown between third base and home plate and the other on an RBI single by pinch-hitter Rachel Greer-Smith to put Hawaii Hilo up 8-2 for good.

Mayleen Mazon (0-1) got the start for Sonoma State in the nightcap, but lasted three innings after allowing 10 hits and six runs.  Gabby Dupree came on in relief to work the final four innings; she gave up four hits and two runs in her collegiate debut.

In addition to three hits off the bat of Ray, Brown, Taylor Batey and Ancia Purdy also recorded a hit for SSU on offense.