NORTHRIDGE, CALIF.— Junior pitcher Ashley Murphy worked herself into and out of trouble on Friday for her second complete game of the season as the University of Hawai'i softball team took the first game of a three-game series against CSUN at Matador Diamond.
 
The Rainbow Wahine (3-4, 3-1) notched their third conference win of the season, keeping pace as one of the top four teams in the early going of the 2021 campaign. The Matadors (1-3, 1-3) dropped their home opener after losing two of three last week at Cal Poly.
 
Murphy showcased her ability to mix and match pitches all afternoon, as she kept the Matadors guessing. The Granada Hills, California native allowed six hits and five walks over her seven innings of work but notably forced 11 groundouts and three strikeouts. The complete game was the eighth of her career and moved her career record to .500 at 8-8.
 
The 'Bows never trailed on the day and started the game with a 1-0 advantage after a leadoff single by junior center fielder Brittnee Rossi followed by a sacrifice fly from the bat of junior shortstop Nawai Kaupe. CSUN answered two innings later in the bottom of the third to tie the game up at 1-1, recording the only blemish on Murphy's stat line.
 
UH regained the lead in the top fifth after freshman catcher Ka'ena Keliinoi scored on a passed ball, following a leadoff single. Hot-hitting freshman right fielder Maya Nakamura added another run in the frame by driving in Kaupe for a 3-1 lead.
 
The lead grew with two more insurance runs in the top of the seventh as senior left fielder Bree Soma slashed a triple down the right-field line driving in freshman first baseman Mya'Liah Bethea and Nakamura for a 5-1 advantage heading into the final half-inning.
 
Four players notched multi-hit games, including Keliinoi, Kaupe, Nakamura, and freshman designated player Jetta Nannen. As a result, the 'Bows recorded their first double-digit hit game of the season with 10 but left a season-high 13 runners on base.
 
The 'Bows and Matadors will go at it again tomorrow to close out the series with a doubleheader beginning at 10 a.m. HT (1 p.m. PT).