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HONOLULU—The University of Hawai`i softball team (13-13, 0-0 Big West) split its games on the third day of the Pepsi Rainbow Wahine Classsic on Friday night at the Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium. Hawai'i battled back-and-forth against No. 2 Oregon, before falling in six innings, 12-4 in the last pool play game of the tourney. No. 5 Hawai`i then played No. 4 seed Valparaiso in the opening bracket game to finish the night. Hawai`i overwhelmed the Crusaders, 8-4 powered by two Keiki Carlos home runs and a solo shot into the tennis courts by Leisha Li`ili`i. The Rainbow Wahine advance to face the top-seed and No. 2-ranked Oregon Ducks on Saturday at 11:00 am.

No. 2 Oregon 12, Hawai`i 4 (6)
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The Rainbow Wahine took an early 3-0 lead in the second inning, and traded blows early on with No. 2-ranked Oregon. But the 'Bows couldn't contain the Ducks late, as Oregon pulled away from Hawai`i to win 12-4 in six innings due to the mercy rule.

Hawai`i jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning. Li`ili`i led the inning off with a single up the middle. Kayla Wartner then laid down a perfect bunt that stopped spinning right on the inside of the third base line for a base hit. Later after two fielder's choice outs. Ulu Matagiese then launched her first career home run—a three-run bomb to centerfield. Hawai`i's lead snapped a streak spanning six games in which Oregon had not trailed in a game.
 
In the top of the third however, the Ducks responded, leap-frogging the 'Bows to take a 4-3 lead. Alexa Peterson drove in two runs with an RBI single up the middle then Kailee Cuico hit a two-run home run to left field to overtake UH on the scoreboard.
 
The 'Bows tried to answer right back in the bottom of the third after getting a single from Lindsey Willmon to start the inning and a Li`ili`i double to the right-centerfield gap to put runners at second and third. Kayla Wartner then came up and drilled a line shot just to the left of the shortstop who snagged it to end the inning.
 
Hawai`i battled back to tie the game at 4-4 in the bottom of the fourth. Sharla Kliebenstein led the inning off with a double down the leftfield line. Later with two outs Sarina Jaramillo drove in Kliebenstein from third with an RBI single down the third base line.
 
Oregon see-sawed back into the lead in the fifth on a sacrifice fly by Cuico to drive in Janie Takeda from third to go up, 5-4.
 
The Ducks then pulled away, scoring seven runs in the top of the sixth which was highlighted by a three-run home run by Alyssa Gillespie; two RBI singles by Cuico and Karine Shaver and a sacrifice fly by Jamie Rae Sullivan.
 
Hawai`i was unable to score in the bottom of the sixth and the game ended by the mercy rule.
 
UH's Heather Morales suffered the loss, dropping her record to 6-6. She gave up 10 runs on 12 hits with three walks and two strike outs. Keiki Carlos came in briefly in the sixth to face four batters, but was unable to get an out. She gave up two runs on three hits with a walk.
 
Oregon's Karissa Hovinga got the start but did not figure in the decision after throwing the first 3.2 innings. She gave up all four runs on eight hits with four strike outs. Jasmine Smithson-Willet earned the win in relief, tossing the final 2.1 innings. She allowed just one hit while fanning three batters for the victory.


No. 5 Hawai`i 8, Valparaiso 4
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The Rainbow Wahine opened the game scoring two runs in the top of the first with a two-out rally. Keiki Carlos drilled a solo home run over the leftfield fence. Li`ili`i then was walked and Wartner ripped a triple down the rightfield line to drive in Li`ili`i who hustled all the way from first base to score UH's second run of the game.
 
The Crusaders though cut their deficit in half in the bottom of the frame on an RBI-single by Janelle Bouchard to score Jorgi Calombaris.
 
Hawai`i added another run in the top of the third on a sacrifice fly by Kliebenstein to centerfield to drive in Zamora from third to give UH a 3-1 lead.
 
The 'Bows then erupted for five runs in the top of the fourth. After a groundout to second, Sarina Jaramillo laced a single through the leftside of the infield. Kaile Nakao followed with a walk and Willmon then drilled a hit up the middle to drive in Jaramillo. Then, after a strike out Carlos launched her second home run of the game to centerfield.  It marked the second time in her career that she's hit two homers in one game (UC Davis, Mar. 29). It was her fourth home run of the year and her eighth of her career. Li`ili`i then blasted a towering shot over the high-netting behind the fence and into the tennis courts behind the Bank of Hawaii sign to give UH an 8-1 lead. It was Li`ili`i's blast was her eighth of the season and her 31st of the junior's career.

Valparaiso then chipped away at UH's lead, scoring two in the bottom of the fourth with the bases loaded on an RBI single back to the pitcher by Taylor Lawson and an RBI groundout to second to score Bouchard and Amanda Wisniewski respectively.

In the sixth, Valpo loaded the bases again and got another run on a ground out to first by Calombaris to plate Lawson from third to cut UH's lead to 8-4.

But that is how the game would end. UH's Loie Kesterson earned the complete-game win, giving up four runs on six hits with three strike outs and four walks.

The Crusaders' Sierra Pico suffered the loss, dropping her record to 1-9 on the season. She threw the first 3.1 innings, giving up five runs on five hits with four walks and three strike outs. Mollie LIndeman then threw middle relief, getting one out. she gave up two runs on two hits with a strike out. Taylor Weissenhofer closed the game, tossing the final 3.1 innings. She gave up one run on three hits with a walk and four K's.

Hawai`i now advances to the top seed in the tournament, Oregon, who went 4-0 in pool play. The 'Bows will battle the Ducks at 11:00 am on Saturday, March 15. At 1:00 pm, the No. 2 seed James Madison will take on No. 3 seed BYU. then at 3:00 p.m., the winners of the first two games of the day will face off for the championship.