Mid-Pacific softball coach Willie Quinn believes it's how one bounces back from a negative situation.

After a tough loss, his freshman pitcher was resilient as ever.

Last week, Keiki Carlos pitched a pair of shutouts to lead the Owls to two wins. On Wednesday, she pitched a four-hitter in a 1-0 win over Interscholastic League of Honolulu leader 'Iolani. On Saturday, she threw a three-hitter and homered for the game's only run in a 1-0 win over St. Francis.

The two wins were especially poignant for Carlos and the Owls (6-2). On April 4, Carlos gave up a go-ahead two-run homer in the top of the seventh inning in a 4-3 loss to Punahou.

"You can see it on her face, she's not going to make another mistake like that again," Quinn said. "Besides the pitching, her hitting, she won the game for us. For a freshman, she has so much power for someone coming in. She plays like a senior."

Quinn talked to Carlos after the Punahou game and said those things happen, but it's how you bounce back. He believes if you turn a negative situation into a positive, you'll come out ahead.

"I knew to let it go, learn the lesson, work hard and bounce back," Carlos said.

Against 'Iolani, Carlos also made a diving catch for an out in the seventh.

"She turned that situation into a positive, it's just amazing," Quinn said. "To be part of it ... 1-0 ... she came up with the catch, it's amazing."

She struck out 12 in Saturday's win over St. Francis and hit a solo home run in the top of the seventh inning.

"I was trying to get a base hit for my team to bring me in and contribute to win the game," Carlos said.

Carlos is one of eight freshmen on the team, and Quinn said seniors Desi Dung and Mari Tanaka have brought "the leadership to us, to the younger players who need that guidance."

Quinn traces Carlos' abilities to family support and years of club play with the Island Ladies squad that has won the last four state Amateur Softball Association age-group titles. Her father, Steve, works on her pitching and mom, Lori, is a constant source of support. Her grandparents have even drafted plans for the construction of a batting cage at Mid-Pacific and she's trained with longtime Hawai'i Pacific men's basketball coach Tony Sellitto.