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HONOLULU—The University of Hawai'i softball team opened its 2016 season with a 2-0 win over St. Mary's on the first night of the Oceanic Time Warner Cable Paradise Classic. Sophomore pitcher Brittany Hitchcock fired a two-hit shutout while striking out a career-high eight batters. On offense, Heather Morales broke a scoreless game with a line-drive blast over the centerfield fence and Nicole Lopez added an RBI-double to lift the 'Bows over the Gaels.

With the win, Hawai'i head softball coach Bob Coolen is now just two wins away from 900 as the head coach at UH. He is in his 25th season at the helm of the Rainbow Wahine softball program.

Hitchcock did not issue a walk and faced just 23 batters in the game. She and the UH defense allowed just three baserunners on the night. It marked Hitchcock's fifth career shut-out and her 16th complete game of the sophomore's career.

UH's first hit of the game was Morales' home run that sailed out of the Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium in a hurry. It was the eighth round-tripper for Morales in her career. The homer gave UH a 1-0 lead in the fifth inning.

Lopez collected her first collegiate hit of her Rainbow Wahine career with an RBI-double to the right-centerfield gap in the sixth inning to drive in fellow freshman, Sarah Muzik from second.

St. Mary's pitcher Katie Moss suffered the loss in a complete game effort. She gave up two runs on two hits with two walks and eight strike outs.
 
Hawai'i continues the Oceanic Time Warner Cable Paradise Classic with a pair of games on Friday night. The 'Bows will battle Ole Miss at 5:00 pm followed by UMKC at 7:00 p.m.
 
Friday's Tournament Schedule
12:00 pm  -  St. Mary's vs. Ole Miss
2:30 pm  -  St. Mary's vs. UMKC
5:00 pm  -  Hawai'i vs. Ole Miss
7:00 pm  -  Hawai'i vs. UMKC