HONOLULU--The University of Hawai'i softball team opened the 2020 season by overwhelming Northern Colorado, 11-2 which ended in five innings via the mercy rule. Sophomore pitcher Isabella Dino kept the Bears at bay to earn her first win of the season. Hawai'i started the game on fires, batting around the order and scoring nine runs in the first inning alone on Thursday night at the Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium. Brittnee Rossi, Ka'ena Keliinoi, and Angelique Ramos all had two hits apiece to lead the Rainbow Wahine on the first day of the Paradise Classic tournament. 

Dino earned a complete-game win, throwing 5.0 innings allowing two runs on four hits with a walk and four strikeouts. 

Northern Colorado struck first posting a run in the first inning. With two outs and runners at the corners, an errant throw on a double-steal attempt sailed into centerfie allowing Mady Young to score from third.

Hawai'i then batted around the order and erupted for nine runs in the bottom of the first. UNC's defense got two early outs to start the inning with a walk in between to Keliinoi. Callee Heen then drew another walk to put runners at first and second. Sammie Ofoia then drilled a single to right-centerfield to drive in Keliinoi from second. Rookie Maya Nakamura then drove an opposite-field triple down the rightfield line to drive in Heen and Ofoia, who scored from first. Mikaela Gandia-Mak kept things going with another walk then Angelique Ramos ripped the second, opposite-field triple of the inning down the rightfield line to score both Nakamura and Gandia-Mak. Bree Soma added an RBI-single to drive in Nakamura. Later after batting around and a UNC pitching change, the Rainbow Wahine went on to load the bases. A throwing error on a grounder to third by Nawai Kaupe cleared the bases to increase their lead to 9-1.

Ramos picked up her second extra-base hit to lead off the third inning with a double. Later, Rossi laced a single the right-side of the infield to score pinch-runner Haylee Clay from second. Hawai'i went on the load the bases and Heen was walked for the second time in the game, this time forcing home a run to extend UH's lead to 11-1.

Northern Colorado tried to mount a rally in the top of the fifth to stay alive. The Bears scored one run  on an RBI single by Paola Villegas that drove in Young. But that was all the Bears would get as Dino ended the game with a strikeout.

Hawai'i continues pool play in the Paradise Classic on Day Two of the three-day tournament on Friday. UH will take on Iowa State at 5:00 p.m. followed by Memphis at approximately 7:00 p.m. All games will be played at the Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium.