Box Score

HONOLULU—The University of Hawai'i softball team's offense came alive late to down Fullerton College, 6-1 on the final day of the rain-shortened Fall Preseason Classic Tournament. Starter Brianna Lopez earned the win, while Maya Nakamura drilled a three-run double to open the flood gates on Sunday afternoon at the Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium.
 
Hawai'i broke a scoreless game in the fifth. UH loaded the bases with one out. Both Jordyn Nielsen and and Cierra Yamamoto were plunked and then Xiao Gin drew a walk to juice the bases. Maya Nakamura then drilled a bases clearing double down t was he third base line deep into the leftfield corner. Ka'ena Keliinoi followed with a sharp single to the left-centerfield gap to allow Nakamura to score from second. After five complete innings, UH led 4-0.
 
Fullerton College scratched out a run, scoring on a passed ball in the top of the sixth to trail 4-1.
 
The Rainbow Wahine added two runs in the sixth. Kayla Tierney laced a single through the rightside of the infield and lefty-hitter Cierra Yamamoto ripped a triple down the first base line to drive in Tierney. Gin then lifted a sacrifice fly to left to score Yamamoto.
 
Nakamura led the UH offense going 2-for-3 with a double and a triple and three RBI. Keliinoi and Izabella Martinez also went 2-for-3 with Keliinoi adding an RBI and Martinez hitting a double.
 
Lopez started the game striking out the first five batters she faced. She earned the win firing 5.2 innings. She fanned a total of eight Hornets with no walks while allowing one run on four hits. Malia Williams got the last out of the sixth inning on a strike out. Chloe Borges got two outs to start the seventh with a strikeout and Key-annah Campbell-Pua struck out the last batter to end the game.
 
The Fall Preseason Classic concludes their games for 2022. The Rainbow Wahine will open the 2023 season from Feb. 10-12 hosting the Paradise Classic. Competing in the tournament will be St. Mary's (CA) and Utah Tech.