IRVINE, Calif. -- Each meeting this season between Hawai`i Hilo and Concordia this season has been a thriller with a lot on the line. After Concordia won a pair of one-run games against the Vulcans at the AQ Pod Series, Hawai`i Hilo took its turn scratching out a narrow victory with a 4-3 win in eight innings on Thursday.

Kiarra Lincoln and Vevesi Liilii both hit home runs in the third inning to give No. 5 seed Hawai`i Hilo a 3-0 lead, and Concordia tied the game with one swing of the bat by Missy Nemeth in the bottom of the fourth inning to tie the game, 3-3.

In the bottom of the seventh inning, the top-seeded Eagles got two runners on base with no outs for their best chance to take their first lead of the game when it mattered most. However, Valerie Alvarado caught a line drive that was hit right back to her and flipped the ball to second base for a double play. Alvarado induced a groundout from the next batter and got the Vulcans out of the jam.

Liilii led off the next inning with a double down the third-base line to put the go-ahead run in scoring position. The Vulcans couldn't advance her, leaving Liilii at second base with two outs when Chloe Domingo stepped up to the plate. Domingo drove the ball into the gap in left center field, allowing Liilii to score the go-ahead run with a 4-3 lead.

“I was struggling so much at the plate today, but I was finally able to come through in the clutch,” Domingo said after having started the game 0-for-3. “I’m so proud of my teammates for this win.”

Alvarado came back out for her third inning of relief. It was her first relief appearance of the season, and she had not allowed a hit in the first eight batters she faced. Alvarado got the Eagles to pop out three times and retired the side in order to secure the Vulcans' second win of the tournament.

"Val did her job again," head coach Callen Perreira said. "She always gets pumped up for Concordia. I told her that this was a big game and she needed to do it for the team. She was a little sore but she warmed up and she was fine after that."

Hawai`i Hilo will now advance to face the winner No. 3 seed Northwest Nazarene and No. 2 seed Biola on Friday in the final game of the winners' bracket. Concordia will have to go through the elimination bracket and will play again this evening against either Biola or Northwest Nazarene.

Thursday's game was a match-up of two All-PacWest pitchers in Callie Nunes for the Eagles and Leah Gonzales for the Vulcans. Lincoln broke up the scoreless tie by opening the third inning with a solo shot over the left-field fence. After Darian Obara worked a walk, Liilii then hit her fourth home run of the season when she pulled one to left field that cleared the fence easily.

“We made a statement with Kiarra and Vevesi’s home runs, and that gave us a lot of confidence," Perreira said. "Callie is a great pitcher and does very well. We were very fortunate to get to her that early in the game.”

Like the previous two times the teams met, this was not going to be a straight-forward win despite the Vulcans' big performance with their bats. Mackenzie Thorpe and Sydney Sprinkle each hit singles to set up Nemeth, who is the PacWest leader in home runs. She didn't miss her chance to tie the game hitting the ball to dead center for a home run.

Kelsea Sweeney came into the game for the Eagles and didn't allow any runs over her first five innings of work. The double by Liilii gave the Vulcans their first chance to score since her home run in the third inning. That's when Domingo delivered what eventually was the game-winning double for the Vulcans.

“We couldn’t wait to face Concordia again," Domingo said, reflecting on the season series against the Eagles. "They’re such a great team and we have so much respect for them, and we were happy that we were able to come out on top today.”