HONOLULU—The University of Hawai'i softball team opened the 2019 season by defeating Georgia State, 8-0 in a mercy rule win on Thursday night at the Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium. Sixth-year senior pitcher Brittany Hitchcock earned the win while the 'Bows racked up eight hits en route to the opening night victory.

Hitchcock fired a one-hit shutout in her return to the field after a season-ending injury last year allowed her a medical redshirt and a sixth year of eligibility. Hitchcock logged five strikeouts while walking three.
 
Hawai'i got on the scoreboard first when Callee Heen blasted an opposite-field, two-run home run over the leftfield fence to drive in Nicole Lopez, who had singled earlier in the inning. It marked the junior's 24th career home run.
 
The Rainbow Wahine added another run in the bottom of the third. The 'Bows rallied with two outs to load the bases as Cheeks Ramos got hit by the pitch and Heen and Madison Veldman both drew walks. Brittnee Rossi then got UH's third walk in a row to force pinch runner Jenna Kumabe across the plate to extend UH's lead to 3-0.
 
Hawai'i pushed their lead to 6-0 after Lopez came through, ripping a two-run double down the leftfield line to drive in both pinch runner Jennifer Iseri and Sissy Pantastico. Later in the inning, Heen picked up her third RBI of the game, driving a double to the right-centerfield gap to score Lopez.
 
In the fifth inning, UH tacked on two more runs to seal the mercy-rule win. Rossi led off with a double to rightfield. Mikaela Gandia-Mak followed with a walk. Jennifer Iseri then moved both runners into scoring position with a groundout to second. Rossi scored on a wild pitch and then Sissy Pantastico laced a single through the leftside of the infield to drive in Gandia-Mak to seal the win.
 
Georgia State starter Emily Soles suffered the loss giving up five runs on four hits with four walks and four strikeouts. The Panthers used two ther pitchers to finish the game.
 
The Hawai'i Paradise Classic continues with five games on tap for Friday, Feb. 8 starting at 9:00 a.m. at the Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium.