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NORTHRIDGE, Calif.—The No. 20/23 University of Hawai`i softball team (24-7, 2-0 Big West) began their first season back in the Big West Conference with a doubleheader sweep at Cal State Northridge (14-20, 0-2 BWC). The Rainbow Wahine held off the Matadors, 5-4 in the opener and completed the sweep with a 5-3 win in the second game. Kaia Parnaby tossed a pair of complete game wins to raise her record to 22-3 overall and 2-0 in conference. Leisha Li`ili`i led Hawai`i at the plate going 4-for-7 on the day with a double and two home runs.
 
Hawai`i 5, Cal State Northridge 4
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Parnaby earned the complete game win, giving up four runs on five hits with five walks and 13 strike outs.  
 
Majam led the game off with a solo home run high over the rightfield fence to give UH an early 1-0 lead. It marked her 10th home run of the season and the 64th of her career. It is the 14th time in her career and second time this season that she's led UH off with a home run.
 
UH added another run in the second to go up 2-0 over the Matadors. Jazmine Zamora led off with a single up the middle but was erased at second on a fielder's choice hit by Alyssa Villalpando. With two outs and the outfield playing shallow, Brynne Buchanan drove a pitch over the centerfielder to the fence, allowing Villalpando to score all the way from first on two outs.
 
In the fourth, CSUN loaded the bases with no outs on a single, a walk and an error. But Parnaby got out of it with two strike outs and a pop up to third to thwart the rally.
 
Hawai`i scored another run in the top of the fifth. Keiki Carlos drew a one out walk and later came all the way home from first on an opposite field double looped down the leftfield line by Leisha Li`ili`i. UH led, 3-0 going into the bottom of the fifth.
 
Li`ili`i came through again for what proved to be the winning run in the top of the seventh when she launched a two-run bomb to left, scoring Jessica Iwata who had walked earlier in the inning. The home run gave UH a 5-0 lead.
 
In the bottom of the seventh, the Matadors notched four runs on a grand slam hit by Sydney House to right-centerfield to cut UH's lead to 5-4. But Parnaby got the final out on a pop up to short to end the game.
 
CSU Northridge's Mia Pagano took the loss dropping her record to 7-7 on the season. She gave up five runs on eight hits with six walks and six strike outs. Alexa Limon closed the game, getting the final two outs.
 
 
Hawai`i 5, CSUN 3
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The Matadors got on the scoreboard first, on an RBI double by MayLynn Thielges to score Korinne Randazzo in the bottom of the first inning.
 
UH knotted the score at 1-1 in the top of the second on a solo, line drive home run by Li`ili`i hit to straightaway centerfield. It marked her sixth of the season and 16<sup>th</sup> of her career.
 
The 'Bows then erupted for four runs in the top of the third inning. After a pop up to short, Kayla Wartner got a single to right and was followed by Keiki Carlos who drilled a shot past the centerfielder that rolled to the fence for a triple. Both Iwata and Li`ili`i walked to load the bases. CSUN pitcher, Tait then got a pop up to second for the second out, but Kaile Nakao came through with a clutch single through the leftside of the infield to score Carlos and Iwata. Tara Anguiano kept things going with a single up the middle to score Li`ili`i to give UH a 5-1 lead.
 
CSUN then scored on run in the third when Thielges reached on a single and later came around to score on an illegal pitch. The Matadors tallied another run on an illegal pitch in the bottom of the fourth to cut their deficit to 5-3 going to the fifth inning.
 
Parnaby earned her second complete game win of the day, giving up three runs—one earned—on seven hits with three walks and five strike outs.
 
Shelly Tait took the loss, giving up all five runs on five hits with four walks and four strike outs. Limon closed the final four innings, allowing just two hits with a walk and two strike outs.
 
The two teams will square off in the series finale on Sunday at 12:00 pm at the Matador Diamond.

More information to follow...