HONOLULU—The University of Hawai'i softball team (9-15, 0-0 Big West) dropped its Wednesday night doubleheader to open the 2020 Bank of Hawaii Rainbow Wahine Classic. Hawai'i lost to Texas Tech, 5-0 in the opener, then could not hold off No. 19 Minnesota late for a 3-2 loss at the Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium.
 
Texas Tech 5, Hawai'i 0
 
The Red Raiders got on the scoreboard first, tacking on a run in the top of the first. Yvonne Whaley reached on a one out walk and later scored on a Karli Hamilton RBI-single to right for an early 1-0 lead.
 
Hawai'i tried to answer back in the bottom of the first. Ka'ena Keliinoi drove a one-out double past a diving leftfielder.  She moved to third on a groundout to second off the bat of Nawai Kaupe. Callee Heen was then walked to put runners at the corners. Heen stole second to put both runners into scoring position. Angelique Ramos  then drilled a line drive to the right-center gap, but Texas Tech's Heather Burton made a nice diving catch to prevent  any runs from scoring.
 
Texas Tech extended their lead to 2-0 on a solo home run to left by Shelby Henderson to left in the second inning.
 
The Red Raiders added two more runs on a two-run double with the bases loaded by Zoe Jones. But UH then turned a double play to end the inning. Kaupe snagged a line drive at short and flipped to second for the third out to escape further damage.
 
UH again put two runners on base in the bottom of the third. But again, Texas Tech escaped unscathed getting a strikeout to thwart the rally.
 
The opening game of the Rainbow Wahine Classic was delayed by about 45-minutes due to rain.

TTU loaded the bases with one out in the fourth. UH's shortstop Kaupe got the runner at home on the force, but the throw to first trying for the double play went awry which allowed the runner from second to score to extend their lead to 5-0.
 
Hawai'i's starter Ashley Murphy, suffered the loss, dropping her record to 4-6. She threw the first three innings, allowing five runs on five hits with three walks. Reliever Emily Klee came in and shut down the Red Raiders. She gave up two hits, but did threw three shutout innings,
 
For the game, Hawai'i had at least one runner on in every inning but the second—including two runners on in every inning but second and seventh. But the 'Bows were unable to punch through any runs on the scoreboard. 
 
Texas Tech's Erin Edmundson earned the win to improve to 10-4 on the season. She fired a seven innings shutout, spacing five hits with two walks and five strikeouts.
 
No. 19 Minnesota 3, Hawai'i 2
 
In the first inning, Hawai'i jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead on a two-run blast by Kaupe high over the leftfield fence. She tied Heen for the team lead with her seventh home run of the season.
 
Minnesota's Brooke Vander Heide drew a leadoff walk in the top of the fifth. She moved to second on a wild pitch. Vander Heide got to third on a groundout to second and then scored on an RBI single by Natalie DanHartong to cut their deficit in half.
 
In the top of the sixth, Minnesota tied the game at 2-2 on a solo home run by Katelyn Kemetmueller.
 
The Golden Gophers rallied to overtake the 'Bows in the top of the seventh. Minnesota lined three consecutive hits together—the last one being DanHartog's second RBI single of the game to drive in MaKenna Partain for what proved to be the winning run.
 
UH starter Isabella "Izzy" Dino fell to 4-5 overall. She threw the first 6.1 innings, allowing three runs on five hits with three walks and one strikeout. Klee came in to relieve her second game of the night in the seventh. She gave up a hit but got a flyout and a strikeout to get out of the seventh inning without further damage.
 
Minnesota's Amber Fiser earned the win in relief, throwing 4.0 innings. She gave up just one hit with no walks and six strikeouts. Starter Autumn Pease did not figure in the decision. She allowed two runs on five hits with two walks and three strikeouts.

The Rainbow Wahine continues the Bank of Hawaii Rainbow Wahine Classic. The 'Bows will take on Drexel on Thursday, March 12 at 6:00 p.m.