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HONOLULU—The University of Hawai`i softball team (20-25. 5-11 Big West) fell to Cal State Northridge, 11-6 in the series opener on Friday night at the Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium. The Rainbow Wahine trailed 11-0 going into the fifth inning before rallying to score six runs while launching three home runs in the last three innings. Freshman pitcher Heather Morales suffered the loss, dropping her record to 10-10 on the season while CSUN starter Brianna Elder improved to 21-10 overall.
 
The Matadors came out with a fast start, scoring four runs in the top of the first, two in the second, three in the third and two in the fifth. In the first inning CSUN rallied on two. Ariana Wassmer came through with a 2-out RBI-double to drive in Madalyne Handy and Madison Fleming followed with a two-RBI single up the middle to drive in Katie Hooper and Wassmer from second and third. Maylynn Mitchell then hit a single to right and Fleming scored on a fielding error on the rightfielder.
 
Hawai`i tried to counter in the bottom of the first, loading the bases on two walks and a beaned batter with two outs, but CSUN got out of the jam with a groundout to short.
 
CSUN added two runs in the second on an RBI-groundout by Handy and a sacrifice fly to centerfield by Taylor Glove to increase their lead to 6-0. In the third, the Matadors tacked on three more runs—all on two outs. CSUN loaded the bases on two walks and a single and then started to drive in the runs. Carissa Sherman hit an RBI-single to first and then a walk and a beaned batter scored the next two runs to give Cal St. Northridge a 9-0 lead.
 
The Matadors added two more runs on an RBI-single by Sherman and Glover's second sacrifice fly of the game to give them a commanding 11-0 lead.
 
But Hawai`i, with the threat of being shut out in a mercy-rule game, then started a rally to score five runs in the bottom of the fifth to keep the game going. Jazmine Zamora led the inning off with a walk and Kayla Wartner drilled an opposite-field home run over the left-centerfield fence for UH's first two runs. It was Wartner's seventh home run of the season and her 24th of her career. After a pop-out to second and a ground out to first, Morales then laced a single to the left-centerfield gap. Sarina Jaramillo then cranked the second, two-run home run of the inning over the left field fence. It marked Jaramillo's second round-tripper of the rookie's career. Cal State Northridge then lifted starter Elder for Daphne Pofek who beaned the first two batters she faced. Kaile Nakao then drove in the fifth run of the inning with an RBI-single up the middle to score Sharla Kliebenstein from second.
 
Hawai`i scored one more run in the bottom of the seventh on a solo home run by Lindsey Willmon. It was a shot over the centefield fence and it was her 11th homer of the season.
 
Morales gave up 11 runs on 12 hits with seven walks and four strike outs in the loss.
 
Elder threw 4.2 innings, giving up four runs on four hits with four walks and three strike outs. Elder took a no-hitter into the fourth inning. But with two-outs, Willmon broke up the no-no with a sharp single through the leftside of the infield. Pofek fired the final 2.1 innings but did not figure in the decision. She gave up two runs on four hits with two strike outs.
 
The three-game series concludes on Saturday with a doubleheader starting at 2:00 pm. It will be Military Appreciation Day and Senior Day for four Rainbow Wahine playing their final home games—Jori Jasper, Sharla Kliebenstein, Kaile Nakao and Jazmine Zamora. The 'Bows will be wearing special camouflage Under Armour jerseys for the doubleheader.