NORTHRIDGE, Calif.—The University of Hawai'i softball team (23-14, 2-4 Big West) dropped both games of Saturday's doubleheader against CSUN, 5-2 and 3-2 at the Matador Diamond in Northrdige, Calif. The Matadors improve to 24-13 overall and 4-2 in the Big West with the series sweep.
 
CSUN 5, Hawai'i 2
Hawai'i starting pitcher Dana Thomsen took the loss, dropping her record to 7-4 and 0-1 in conference. She threw a complete game, allowing five runs (two earned) with three walks and four strikeouts in six innings of work.
 
For the fifth straight game, UH's opponent scored in the first inning to take the early lead. Even though UH starter Dana Thomsen got three strikeouts in the frame, the Matadors were able to scratch out one unearned run. CSUN's Taylor Glover reached on a one-out single to left. She stole second and moved to third on a throwing error on the catcher. Katie Hooper then followed with an RBI single through the leftside of the UH infield to drive in Glover for the early 1-0 lead.
 
In the second inning, the Matadors extended its lead to 2-0. After getting the first out, Mackenzie Babbitt singled and Karlie Habitz reached on a fielding error on the shortstop. Tara Kliebenstein then reached on an unsuccessful fielder's choice to load the bases. Taylor Nate then drew a walk to force Babbitt across the plate. With the bases still loade, Hawai'i escaped any further damage with Thomsen getting a flyout and a groundout to short to thwart the rally.
 
Hawai'i cut their deficit in half in the top of the fifth, scoring a pair of runs to make the score, 4-2. Heather Cameron led off the frame by drawing a walk. Pinch-runner Alia Monges moved to second on a groundout to third. Danielle Garcielita then hit a chopper to second but the throw sailed past the first baseman which allowed Monges to score as Garcielita hustled into second. After a line out to left, Nicole Lopez drove a single through the leftside of the infield to put runners at the corners. Heather Morales then looped a single to right to score Garcielita for UH's second run.
 
CSUN added a run in the bottom of the sixth to extend their lead to 5-2.  Nate drew a one out walk and moved to third after an error on a bunt single by Glover to leave runners at the corners. Glover then stole second to put both runners into scoring position. Jessica Alexander then hit a groundout to second allowing Nate to score.
 
Daphne Pofek earned the complete game win allowing two runs on six hits with two walks and four strikeouts.  She improved to 10-4 overall.
 
CSUN 3, Hawai'i 2
For the sixth-straight game, UH gave up a run in the first inning. CSUN's Taylor Nate led off with a single to right that bounced past the rightfielder and rolled to the fence leaving Nate on third base. Glover then lifted a sacrifice fly to drive in Nate for the early 1-0 lead.
 
Hawai'i tied the score at 1-1 in the top of the second as Heather Morales led off with a solo, line drive home run that just snuck over the left-centerfield fence. It marked Morales' seventh homer of the season to tie her career high.
 
CSUN added single runs in the third and the fourth innings to take a 3-1 lead.
 
In the top of the sixth with one out, the Rainbow Wahine's Morales and Heen both got singles. But CSUN would thwart the UH rally getting a flyout to leftfield and a swinging strikeout to end the frame.
 
After shutting down the Matadors in the bottom of the sixth, the Rainbow Wahine put together another rally in the top of the seventh. Cameron reached first on a fielding error by the shortstop to lead off the inning. Another error, this time by the third baseman, allowed Jordian Hicks to reach and Cameron to advance to second base with nobody out. Garcilelita then grounded out, allowing Hicks to reach second, and Courtney Hiruko, pinch running for Cameron, to reach third. Sarah Muzik followed with a grounder that scored Hiruko to pull UH within one at 3-2. Third base, however, is as far as the tying run could get, as Nicole Lopez struck out to end Hawai'i's bid to pick up a win in Northridge.
 
Pofek made it two complete games on the day for CSUN, improving to 11-4 overall with her second win of the day, going seven innings and giving up six hits, five of them singles, while striking out three. Kanani Aina Cabrales went six innings and allowed eight hits, and just one earned run in the loss for UH.
 
Morales and Heen each went 2-for-3 at the plate in the game for the Rainbow Wahine.
 
The Rainbow Wahine return home for a three-game series against UC Riverside with a single game on April 14 at 6:00 p.m., followed by a double-header on April 15 beginning at 2:00 p.m. There will be Autograph Sessions after both Friday and Saturday's games and Saturday's doubleheader is the Rainbow Wahine's "Power in Pink" day at the park in honor of breast cancer awareness.