SAN LUIS OBISPO, CALIF.— The University of Hawai'i softball team swept past Cal Poly in a road doubleheader Friday, solidifying a series win in terms of Big West Conference games.
 
The Rainbow Wahine (8-7, 7-4) have now won back-to-back conference road series after the 'Bows took 2-of-3 from CSUN two weeks ago. The Mustangs (8-13, 3-8) continue to have issues regarding UH as they've dropped eight straight in the all-time series.
 
Both squads will be back in action again tomorrow at Bob Janssen Field, with another doubleheader scheduled to start at noon HT.
 
Game 1
The bats were alive early for the 'Bows as they recorded their second game of the season, scoring double-digit runs in the 10-6 victory over the Mustangs.
 
UH scored two or more runs in the first four innings, jumping out to a 9-0 lead. Senior left fielder Bree Soma led the offensive output by slugging her second home run of the season in the top of the second. Soma worked a full count with sophomore Dallas Millwood sitting at second base. On the ninth pitch of the at-bat, the 'Aiea, O'ahu native sent the ball sailing over the right-field wall for a 4-0 UH advantage.
 
In the following inning, Soma came through again with an RBI single up the middle, driving in freshman second baseman Maya Nakamura, freshman designated player Mackenzie La Neve followed for another run after a throwing error to extend the lead to 6-0.
 
Even though UH led 9-1 heading into the bottom of the fifth, the Mustangs didn't roll over, putting up a five-spot in the inning, pulling within three runs at 9-6, chasing freshman starting pitcher Jetta Nannen from the game.
 
Senior pitcher Emily Klee came in to stall the efforts, pitching two and a third innings, allowing one run and three hits out of the pen leading to the eventual 10-6 final.
 
Behind Soma's 2-for-4 effort with three runs batted in, Nakamura and Millwood each added two runs batted in as well. Millwood also recorded her first career multi-hit game with the 'Bows, as she went 3-for-4. Nakamura continues to be a terror at the plate, going 2-for-3 with a walk and two runs scored. Joining Millwood with a three-hit day was junior centerfielder Brittnee Rossi as she went 3-for-5 with a double and a run batted in.
 
Nannen moved her record to 4-4 on the season with the victory, pitching four and a third innings, allowing five earned runs and just one extra-base hit of the nine given up. Of the seven innings pitched between Nannen and Klee, the Mustangs didn't strike out once.
 
Game 2 
The offensive momentum didn't stray into the second game of the day as both teams provided double-digit hits in the 11-9 win for the Rainbow Wahine and their third double-digit scoring game of the season.
 
After starting in a 1-0 hole, UH answered as Nakamura sent a screaming line drive down the left-field line, striking the foul pole for a solo shot, claiming her second home run of the season. Rossi added another run in the running for a 2-1 lead with a single to center knocking in Millwood.
 
UH continued to balloon its lead with four runs in the top of the third. Nakamura singled up the middle, driving in Angelique "Cheeks" Ramos, followed by another RBI single from junior right fielder Mikaela Gandia-Mak, scoring junior shortstop Nawai Kaupe. Rossi added another run at the end of the inning as she singled in Gandia-Mak for a 6-1 lead.
 
Cal Poly didn't go quietly, putting up a four-spot as well in the third, bringing the game back to a 6-5 UH lead. After a fielding error in the fourth, scoring a run for UH, Gandia-Mak and Soma added to the lead with singles to drive in two more runs for a 9-5 advantage.
 
The Mustangs stayed in it with a run in the fifth, but the sixth turned out to be another big inning and a decisive one for the 'Bows. Gandia-Mak picked up her third hit of the game with a double to left-center, scoring sophomore Haylee Clay for a 10-6 lead. Rossi added an insurance run with her second hit, sending Gandia-Mak across the plate.
 
A three-run homer by Cal Poly in the sixth made things a bit gut-wrenching, pulling it to an 11-9 UH lead but head coach Bob Coolen re-entered starting pitcher Ashley Murphy in the sixth after removing her in the third. Murphy shut down the comeback efforts, including a double play up the middle to end the game with Murphy snagging a line drive out of the air and doubling off the runner at first for the 11-9 victory.
 
Murphy picked up her third win of the season, improving her record to 3-2 after pitching in a total of four innings, allowing five runs but only two earned. The Mustangs picked up five hits off her, with one extra-base hit and only striking out once. Between the two games on the day, Cal Poly recorded just one strikeout.
 
Gandia-Mak, Rossi, and Nakamura each recorded multi-hit games and drove in two RBIs apiece. Nakamura is on a tear lately with three consecutive games of multiple hits. She has hit safely in eight games this season and leads the squad with a .372 batting average. Against Big West Conference, she's hitting a team-high .424.