NORTHRIDGE, Calif.—The University of Hawai'i softball team (23-12, 2-2 Big West) fell in a heartbreaker to CSUN, 6-5 Hawai'i launched three home runs on Friday afternoon, but it was not enough as CSUN hit three homers as well, including Katie Hooper's solo walk-off home run in the bottom of the seventh for the win at the Matador Diamond in Northridge, Calif.
 
The Rainbow Wahine overcame a shaky start on defense in the first inning to go on to take as big as a 5-2 lead in the fifth. But the Matadors charged back posting a single run in the fifth, two more in the sixth and then the winning run in the seventh, while on defense, the Matadors retired UH's last seven-straight batters of the game.
 
UH struggled on defense in the top of the first, committing three errors which brought seven Matadors to the plate in the inning. CSUN scored twice for an early lead 2-0.
 
Hawai'i, however responded in the top of the second. Heather Morales started the rally with a single to leftfield. Callee Heen then followed with a two-run blast over the right-centerfield fence to tie the game at 2-2. It was Heen's sixth home run of the freshman's career. After a groundout to the pitcher, Chardonnay Pantastico launched a solo shot just inside the rightfield foul pole to give UH a 3-2 lead. It was Pantastico's second home run of the season and UH's 32nd of the year.
 
In the top of the fifth, UH's Nicole Lopez pulled a two-run home run over the leftfield fence to give the 'Bows a 5-2 lead. The homer drove in Jordian Hicks who had led the inning off with a single up the middle. It marked the Lopez's team-leading 10th home run of the season and the 15th of her career.
 
CSUN trimmed UH's lead to just two runs in the bottom of the fifth, when Taylor Nate hit a solo home run to centerfield. Hawai'i led 5-3 after five complete innings.
 
The Matadors then tied the game at 5-5 on a two-run home run by Savannah Horvath in the bottom of the sixth. CSUN went on to load the bases with two outs, but Lopez made a diving stop on her glove hand side and made the throw to first to end the rally.
 
In the seventh inning, with the game tied at 5-5, Katie Hooper hit a walk-off home run to left, ending the game with CSUN winning 6-5.
 
Defensively, Hawai'i turned a pair of inning ending double-plays in the third an fourth frames. In the third, UH got a 6-4-3 ground out double play and in the fourth the 'Bows' Ramos snagged a line drive and doubled up the runner at first.
 
Hawai'i's Brittany Hitchcock suffered the loss, dropping her record to 14-7 overall and 2-1 in the Big West. She allowed six runs (four earned) on 10 hits with two walks and three strikeouts.
 
CSUN's Rebecca Bell earned the win after throwing the final five-and-two-thirds innings in relief. She allowed two runs on three hits. Matador starter Taylor Troost threw the first inning and a third, giving up three runs on four hits.
 
Hawai'i and CSUN will square off on a series ending doubleheader on Saturday, April 8. First pitch is scheduled for 10:00 am HT.