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HONOLULU—The University of­­­­­­ Hawai`i softball team (1-0) opened its 2012 season with a 6-2 win over Seattle (0-1). Senior pitcher Stephanie Ricketts earned the win in a complete game effort while the offense was bookended by two early home runs by Kelly Majam and Dara Pagaduan and a sixth inning four-run rally that sealed the win at the Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium on Thursday night. ­
 
Majam—UH's junior centerfielder—led UH's first inning on offense off with a line-drive home run that sailed over the rightfield fence. It marked the ninth time the Majam has led UH off with a round-tripper. It also was Majam's 40th career home run—just four of tying former UH All-American Kate Robinson's career record of 44. Majam also made a highlight-reel play from centerfield in the top of the third when she gunned out Becca Cable on a one-hop throw to third off of a single by Jenny Hurst.
 
In the second inning, Pagaduan doubled UH's run total with the Hawai`i's second solo home run of the game on two outs. It was the senior second baseman's sixth career home run.
 
The Rainbow Wahine were able to get two runners on in every inning, but were held off the scoreboard, until the sixth inning when the offense erupted for four important runs that proved to be the difference in the game. Senior first baseman Makani Duhaylonsod-Kaleimamahu led the inning off with a solid single down the rightfield line. Pagaduan then walked and Majam was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Freshman catcher Kayla Wartner then came through with her first collegiate hit--a clutch double looped into the leftfield corner to drive in pinch runner Brynne Buchanan and Pagaduan from second and third. Later with two outs, senior leftfielder Alex Aguirre ripped a single up the middle to bring both Majam and Wartner home to increase UH's lead to 6-0 with an inning to go.
 
Seattle got on the scoreboard in the final frame of the game on a two-run home run to left-centerfield by Ashley Devare.
 
Ricketts threw all seven innings and gave up two runs on six hits with no walks and nine strike outs. The senior pitcher now has a career record of 75-32.
 
Seattle's Mandie Sugita fired the first five-plus innings of the game, giving up four runs on six hits with four walks and two strike outs. Jessica Ulrich closed the game, throwing the final inning, giving up two runs on two hits with a strike out.
 
In earlier action, DePaul came back to tie and win the game over Missouri Kansas-City, 5-2 on a three-run, walk-off home run by pinch-hitter Mary Connolly.

Hawai`i continues the Paradise Classic tomorrow with a pair of games against Missouri-Kansas City and DePaul starting at 6:00 p.m.