Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

HENDERSON, Nev.-The University of Hawai'i softball team split their doubleheader on the third day of the DeMarini Desert Classic held at the Stephanie Lynn Craig Softball Complex in Henderson, Nev. on Saturday afternoon.


Hawai'i 5, Southern Utah 1
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The Rainbow Wahine defeated the Thunderbirds of Southern Utah, 5-1 on Saturday afternoon. Brittany Hitchcock snapped her three-game losing streak by earning a complete-game win. She evens her record at 3-3 after throwing 7.0 innings and allowing just one run on four hits with a walk and four strike outs.

Hawai'i got on the scoreboard first in the top of the fourth inning. Keiki Carlos led off by reaching on an error by the pitcher. Two groundouts pushed Carlos to third with two outs. Ulu Matagiese then came through with an infield hit to short that allowed Carlos to score from third. UH led 1-0 after 3-1/2 innings of play.

SUU tied the game at 1-1 on an RBI single with runners at second and third by Chelsea Martinez which allowed Morgan Leonard to score from third.

The Rainbow Wahine posted two runs to re-take the lead 3-1 in the top of the fifth. Both Tayana Mata and Nicole Lopez reached on errors to put runners at first and third with one out. Keiki Carlos then reached on a fielder's choice hit to short which erased Lopez at second but allowed Mata to score from third. Carlos then drilled a single up the middle to drive in Carlos, who had stolen second base during the at-bat, for UH's second run of the inning.

In the seventh, Hawai'i's Rachel Lack launched her second home run in as many games. Lack's two-run bomb sailed over the right-centerfield fence and drove in Carlos who had led the inning off with a single down the leftfield line.

Southern Utah pitcher Kirsten Hostetler dropped her record to 0-3. She threw 5.0 innings, allowing three runs on six hits with a walk. Haley Wall threw the final two innings. She allowed two runs on four hits.

Carlos tied her career high, scoring three runs in the game. She went 1-for-4 with an RBI. Muzik went 2-for-4 with a double; Lack was 2-for-3 with a home run and two RBI and a walk; and Ojala was 2-for-3 in the game.


Grand Canyon 8, Hawai'i 3
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Hawai'i got off to a good start, loading the bases in the first inning with Sarah Muzik leading off with a walk. Lopez reached safely after an error that pushed Muzik to second. Carlos followed with a single to left to load the bases for Heather Morales whose ground out to second allowed Muzik to score from third. UH led GCU after one complete inning, 1-0.

The 'Lopes however, rallied with two outs to record three runs in the top of the second. UH got two quick outs with a ground out to short and a swinging strike out. Bianca Boling then reached on an error and Hill singled to put runners at first and second. Shea Smith then singled to centerfield to drive in Boling and Nicole Newbury followed with a two-RBI single to center to score both Shea Smith and Kendsey Hill.

GCU then erupted for five runs to extend their lead to 8-1 in the top of the fourth. The 'Lopes started the frame with three-straight singles to load the bases. UH got the first out of the inning on a comebacker to Aina Cabrales who threw home to cut down the lead runner at the plate. GCU's Jamilia Cosay then grounded out to third which allowed Shea Smith to score. GCU then got back-to-back home runs by Madelyn Dowdle and Sierra Smith to go up be seven runs over Hawai'i.

The Rainbow Wahine got two runs back in the bottom of the frame on a two-run home run by Ulu Matagiese which drove in Aina Cabrales. UH trailed GCU, 8-3 after four complete innings. It was Matagiese's fifth career home run and her first of 2016.

Hawai'i loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom of the fifth inning, but the 'Lopes got a pop-out to second to escape unscathed.

Lack went 2-for-3 and Carlos was 2-for-4 to lead UH on offense. Matagiese was 1-for-2 with a home run and two RBI.

Aina Cabrales suffered the loss, dropping her record to 3-2 on the season. Aina Cabrales gave up eight runs on 10 hits with two walks and three strikeouts in four innings of work. Jennifer Iseri threw the final three innings and she did not allow a run and faced just one batter over the minimum.

GCU's Kailey Regester threw a complete game improving her record to 4-0. She gave up three runs on six hits with five walks.

Hawai'i concludes the DeMarini Desert Classic on Sunday with a single game against Utah at 11:15 am (PT) at Eller Media Stadium in Las Vegas, Nev.