LA JOLLA, Calif.—The University of Hawai'i softball team (13-11, 7-2 Big West) swept Saturday's doubleheader over UC San Diego (18-16, 6-3 BWC), 13-1 in five innings and 1-0 in eight innings at Triton Softball Field. For Hawai'i it's the first time that UH started the Big West season with three consecutive conference series wins since 2019. In Game 1 of the doubleheader, the Rainbow Wahine erupted for a 13-1 win for its second mercy-rule win of 2022. In the deciding game of the three-game set, UH survived a scoreless pitcher's dual between UH's Brianna Lopez and UCSD's Jada Cecil, winning in the eighth inning on a Dallas Millwood solo home run. After the two wins, UH remains atop the Big West standings, tied with Cal State Fullerton at 7-2.
 
GAME 1: Hawai'i 13, UC San Diego 1 (5 innings)
The Rainbow Wahine rebounded after being shutout in Game 1 on Friday to run-rule the Tritons to open doubleheader. Hawai'I's bats caught fire in the fourth and fifth inning as they tied their team season highs with 13 runs on 15 hits with 13 RBI. The 13 runs and 13 RBI matched the 'Bows season highs in UH's BWC opener at UC Santa Barbara (3/19/22-GM1). The 15 hits tied the team's best offensive output since amassing 15 at UNLV (2/12/22).
 
Hawai'i's starter, Ashley Murphy, earned her first complete game win since defeating CSUN on the road on 3/21/21. Murphy allowed one run while scattering four hits with a pair of walks and a strikeout. With the win, Murphy evened her record to 2-2 with her second-straight W for the senior.
 
After retiring the 'Bows in order in the top of the first, the Tritons posted a run off an RBI-fielder's choice hit by Bobbi Aguirre that allowing Keila Bosinger to score for the early 1-0 lead
 
In the second, the Tritons threatened to score again, putting runners at second and third with two outs, but Murphy got the batter to hit a foul fly out to Mya'Liah Bethea in left to thwart the rally..
 
After just one hit through the first three innings, Hawai'i brought 12 batters to the plate as they burst out for eight runs on eight hits in the fourth. Izabella Martinez led off with a chopper that bounded over the pitcher for a single. Maya Nakamura then laid down a sacrifice bunt, but the defense tried to get the lead runner at second unsuccessfully leaving both runners safe. UH's designated player Haley Johnson powered a triple to the left-centerfield gap to drive in both pinch-runner Kaeli Bush and Nakamura. Johnson's hit gave UH its first runs of the series and its first lead of the series, 2-1. The triple also snapped a string of 11-scoreless innings for the 'Bows dating back to the last game vs. CSUN last week. Ka'ena Keliinoi drilled the first pitch for a single to right that easily scored Johnson from third for a 3-1 lead. Later with two runners on, Mya'Liah Bethea laced a single up the middle to drive in Keliinoi. UCSD then brought in Shelby Thompson to relieve starter Gabby Williams. Pinch-hitter Casey Beaulac continued the hit barrage with a double to the right-centerfield gap past a diving centerfielder to knock both Mikaela Gandia Mak and Bethea across the plate to extend UH's lead to 6-1. Nakamura capped the scoring in the fourth with a double up the middle that scored both Martinez and Kaupe for an 8-1 lead.
 
Hawai'i kept blasting away in the fifth, adding five runs on six hits to take a commanding 13-1 lead. Keliinoi led off the frame with a double to left-center. Dallas Millwood executed a sacrifice bunt to push Keliinoi to third and Bethea followed by roping a two-run home run over the left-centerfield fence. It was Bethea's first round-tripper of the sophomore's career. Beaulac kept the offense rolling with her second double of the game and Martinez drove Beaulac home with a single though the middle of the infield. Johnson finished the hit parade with a 2-RBI single that scored both Kaupe and Martinez for what proved to be the final score of 13-1 lead.
 
Bethea led the UH offense, going 3-for-3 at the plate with two runs scored, three-RBI and a home run. A total of five Rainbow Wahine had two hits apiece—including Beaulac, Martinez, Nakamura, Johnson, and Keliinoi. Johnson came through with a triple that opened the flood gates in the fourth and had four RBI for the game. Five of UH's 13 hits went for extra-bases.
 
UC San Diego's Gabby Williams suffered the loss, dropping her record to 3-6. She started and later re-entered to close the game. She threwing a combined 3.2 innings, allowing six runs on six hits with a walk and seven strikeouts. She held UH to just one hit through the first three innings before the 'Bows their offensive overload. Shelby Thompson threw the middle inning and a third, allowing seven runs on nine hits with a walk and a strike out.
 
GAME 2: Hawai'i 1, UC San Diego 0 (8 innings)
The deciding game of the three-game series was basically a carbon copy of the series' opener with the Tritons' Jada Cecil and UH's Brianna Lopez locked in a pitching dual.
 
Hawai'i had a big scoring opportunity in the fifth, when Johnson led off the inning with her second triple of the day. She it it off the centerfield wall as the centerfielder lost the ball in flight. But the Tritons got the next three-straight outs on a pop out to third, a strikeout and a groundout back to the pitcher to stave off the 'Bows.
 
Nakamura led off the top of the seventh with a single up the middle. She stole second to move into scoring position, but was left stranded.
 
UC San Diego got a leadoff hit by Kelley Renner to start the home half of the seventh. After a flyout to left, Renner stole second and a groundout to second pushed her to third. But Lopez was able to freeze the batter with her sixth strikeout of the game to end the inning.
 
Dallas Millwood blasted a solo home run over the left-center field fence to start the eighth inning off with a bang. She put the first run of the game for either side on the scoreboard. Millwood who had been struggling at the plate, came through with a clutch homer—her third of the season and fourth of her career.
 
Lopez walked the leadoff batter to start the bottom of the eight. After a pop out and a strikeout, I Lavrov reached on a single, but on the following play, Lavrov ran into Nakamura who was trying to field a grounder to end the game on an interfenerence call.

Lopez earned the eight inning, complete game shutout in her longest outing of her career. She spaced six hits with two walks and seven strikeouts in eight innings. Lopez improves to 7-5 overall and 4-2 in the Big West. After her two starts this week, Lopez has lowered her ERA to 1.71 overall and 1.33 in conference.

UC San Diego's Cecil had another strong performance. She suffered the loss, just her secon of the year, dropping her record to 12-2 overall. She also threw eight innings. She allowed the one run while giving up four hits with a walk and 13 strikeouts. In her two starts against Hawai'i she racked up 29 strikeouts.
 
Hawai'i returns home to host a three-game Big West series next week against Cal Poly. The series had a schedule change. The two teams will square off with a doublehead on Friday, April 8 with first pitch slated to start at 4:00 p.m. followed by a single game on Saturday on April 9 starting at 6:00 p.m.