HENDERSON, Nev.—The University of Hawai'i softball team (4-3, 0-0 Big West) defeated Idaho State, 5-1 in the final game of the 2017 DeMarini Desert Classic. Hawai'i starting pitcher Brittany Hitchcock earned the complete game win while both Danielle Garcielita and Angelique Ramos both racked up three hits apiece to lead the Rainbow Wahine offense at the Stephanie Lynn Craig Softball Park on Sunday afternoon.
 
Hitchcock earned her third complete game victory of the season. She allowed just one run while scattering four hits. She had two walks and struck out three while facing just 28 batters.
 
The Rainbow Wahine bolted out to take an early 4-0 lead in the top of the second inning. After a popout to start the frame, Bree Soma reached first after getting hit by a pitch. Heather Cameron and Angelique Ramos followed with back-to-back singles to shortstop to load the bases. Garcielita then drove in Soma from third for UH's first run with a single to centerfield. Sarah Muzik kept things rolling with a single to second to push Cameron across the plate. Nicole Lopez then lifted a sacrifice fly to centerfield to drive in Ramos and Garcielita capped the scoring by crossing home plate on a passed ball.
 
In the top of the fourth, UH added a run as Ramos drilled her first home run as a Rainbow Wahine over the left-centerfield fence to increase Hawai'i's lead to 5-0. Ramos had a perfect day at the plate, going 3-for-3 in the game.
 
For the third time in the last four games, Hawai'i's offense tallied over 10 combined hits. UH out-hit BYU 11-to-10 on Thursday and racked up a season-high 12 hits against San Jose State. The 'Bows had 11 hits today against the Bengals. For Garcielita, it was her second game this week with three hits in a game after going 3-for-3 in the San Jose State game. Against ISU, she was 3-for-4 and reached base safely in all four at-bats. For the tournament, Garcielita hit .571 going 8-for-14 at the plate.
 
Idaho State starter Harley Wells (0-1) took the loss, throwing the first 3.1 innings. She allowed all five runs while giving up nine hits with two strikeouts. Ashlyn Ames tossed the final 3.2 innings and did not allow a run. She gave up a pair of hits with no walks and six strikeouts.
 
Hawai'i returns home to host four consecutive tournaments at the Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium beginning with the Bank of Hawaii Invitational. Oregon, Montana and UNLV will all be coming to Honolulu for the four-team tournament from February 23-26.