LAS VEGAS, Nev.—The University of Hawai'i softball team (0-2) dropped their doubleheader on Friday to open the 2022 season in UNLV's Rebel Kickoff tournament. In their opener, the Rainbow Wahine were edged out by BYU, 2-1 with freshman pitcher Chloe Borges making her UH debut with a solid complete game effort in the loss. In the second game, UH fought hard starting the sixth with four consecutive hits to tie UNLV at 3-3 . But the Rebels rallied for two runs on no hits in the bottom of the sixth for the win.
 
BYU 2, Hawai'i 1
It was a battle of the pitching Chloe's, as UH's Chloe Borges faced off against BYU's Chloe Temples. Both pitchers tossed complete games while holding their opponents to four hits each. Temples earned the win, allowing one run while striking out 10. Borges showed her mettle on the mound, getting out of a bases loaded jam with one out in the bottom of the sixth. She allowed two runs with five walks and a strikeout.
 
Hawai'i got off to a great start as senior shortstop Nawai Kaupe launched UH's first home run of the season over the leftfield fence in the first inning. Unfortunately, that would be the only run Hawai'i would be able to score as BYU's Temples retired 10-straight batters spanning innings 1-4.
 
Hawai'i was able to get one runner in scoring position in the fifth as pinch runner Cira Bartolotti stole second with two outs. But a strikeout thwarted the opportunity. UH stranded two runners on base in the game while the Cougars left six.
 
BYU knotted the score at 1-1 on a Martha Epenesa solo shot in the fourth inning. The Cougars overtook the 'Bows in the sixth. With Marissa Chavez at second, Huntyr Ava popped out to short in foul territory. Chavez tagged and advanced to third, but on the play, an errant throw trying to get her at third bounced into the outfield, allowing Chavez to score the winning run.
 
UH will now play the second game of its opening day doubleheader against host UNLV at 2:30 p.m. HT.

UNLV 5, Hawai'i 3
The Rebels got on the scoreboard first as April Visser came through with a sacrifice fly to right that scored Maddie Schmidt for a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third.
 
UNLV extended their lead to 3-1 in the fifth, rallying with two outs and a runner on second. Alyssa Trejo kept the inning going with a walk and Denise Armendariz drove an RBI single to score Visser from second. Later. with the bases loaded, a comebacker to the pitcher allowed Trejo for the 3-0 lead.
 
After being held hitless through the first five innings, Hawai'i's bats came alive as they rallied for three runs. Sophomore second baseman Maya Nakamura led off with a chopper over the third baseman to break up the no-hitter bid of UNLV starter Jenny Bressler. Kaupe and Dallas Millwood followed with back-to-back singles. Millwood's single to left drove in Nakamura. After a pitching change, Gandia-Mak kept things going with UH's fourth-straight hit to score Kaupe. Haley Johnson grounded into a double play which allowed pinch-runner Kaeli Bush to score from third to tie the score at 3-3.
 
UH's Lopez started the bottom of the sixth beaning the batter and a walk. Ashley Murphy then came in as the reliever, but started her appearance issuing a pair of walks which loaded the bases and then pushed the go-ahead run across the plate. Murphy then settled down to strike out the final two batters of the frame now trailing, 5-3.
 
UH's freshman pitcher Brianna Lopez got the start but did not figure in the decision. She threw the first five plus innings, allowing three runs on seven hits with four walks and four strikeouts. Senior pitcher Ashley Murphy took the loss, throwing one inning. She gave up two runs on three walks and two strikeouts.
 
UNLV's Jenny Bressler threw the first five plus innings allowing all three runs in the sixth. She blanked the 'Bows for the first five innings before giving up three consecutive hits. She recorded five walks and seven strikeouts. Reliever Jasmine Martin held off the 'Bows for two innings giving up two hits with one strikeout.
 
The Rainbow Wahine will have the same schedule as Friday, taking on BYU at 9:30 a.m. HT and UNLV at 2:30 HT.