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VIDEO: 2016 Senior Day Highlights
Photo Gallery (Photos courtesy of Gabe Estevez, Andrew Lee and Luis Flores)

HONOLULU—The University of Hawai'i softball team's Nicole Lopez launched a walk-off, solo home run in the bottom of the eighth and Brittany Hitchcock fired a pitching gem to lift the Rainbow Wahine to a 1-0 win over Cal Poly in UH's Senior Day finale.  Hawai'i split their doubleheader against the Mustangs, dropping the first game of the day, 4-3 before bouncing back in their final home game of the season to win the series 2-1 on Saturday at the Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium. It was the final home games for five Rainbow Wahine seniors—Keiki Carlos, Tayana Mata, Sarah McAndrew, Dori Ann Sugai, and Kiani Wong.

Cal Poly 4, Hawai'i 3
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Hawai'i got on the scoreboard first, posting a single run in the bottom of the third. Keiki Carlos came through with an RBI-single through the leftside of the infield to drive in Kanani Aina Cabrales, who began the inning by reaching on an error, from third.
 
The Mustangs then rallied in the fifth to record three runs to go up, 3-1. Courtney Tyler led the inning off with a triple and then scored on a sacrifice fly by the next batter, McKenna Young. After a walk and a base hit, Amanda Sandoval drove in two runs with a double hit just over the outreached glove of the centerfielder off the fence.
 
Hawai'i then tied the score then tied the score at 3-3, answering right back by tallying two runs in the bottom of the fifth. UH rallied on two, getting back to back singles by Sarah Muzik and Lopez. Keiki Carlos was then hit-by-the-pitch to load the bases for Heather Morales who knocked in the Muzik with a sharp single to left. Tayana Mata was then walked to force Lopez across the plate.
 
Cal Poly see-sawed back into the lead on Tyler's RBI single to drive in Betsy Colburn from second to go up, 4-3.
 
That was all that relief pitcher Sierra Hyland needed to earn the win to improve to 13-6 on the season. She threw the final 2.1 innings, allowing just one hit with a walk and a strikeout. Cal Poly starter Lindsey Chalmers threw the first 4.2 innings, allowing three runs on four hits with two strike outs.
 
UH starter Aina Cabrales took the loss, dropping her record to 8-10. She up four runs on seven hits with two walks and a strike out. Hitchcock tossed the final inning, allowing just one hit with a strikeout.
 
For the game, Morales led UH at the plate, going 2-for-3 with a double.
 
 
Hawai'i 1, Cal Poly 0
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The series finale was a pitchers' duel between UH's Brittany Hitchcock and CP's Sierra Hyland. Hitchcock fired her fourth complete game shutout of the season to improve to 12-14 overall. She flirted with a perfect game through the first 5-2/3 innings, retiring the first 17 batters of the game. She faced just two batters over the minimum and also retired the last six batters in a row to end the game. She allowed just two hits with three strikeouts and for the 21st time this season, she did not allow a walk in an appearance.
 
Hyland also tossed her second complete game in her third appearance of the series, throwing 7.1 innings. She allowed the one run on two hits with two walks and five strike outs.
 
The score was knotted at 0-0 through the first seven innings before Lopez came up with one out in the bottom of the eighth inning and launched the walk-off home run over the leftfield fence. It marked Lopez's fifth home run of the season for the freshman who also was solid at the hot corner, making nine plays in the game.
 
The Rainbow Wahine won their second Big West series of the season, winning two-of-three games against the Mustangs. For the 'Bows, it marked their 13th-straight win in their Senior Day finale.
 
UH travels to Long Beach State next week to finish the season on the road with their last three-game Big West Conference series. The two teams open with a single game at 2:00 pm PT on May 13 before ending the season with a doubleheader on Saturday, May 14 at 12:00 pm PT.