HONOLULU—The University of Hawai'i softball team (16-15, 10-6 Big West) defeated CSU Bakersfield (8-28, 3-13 BWC), 10-3 on Friday night. With the game tied at 3-3, the Rainbow Wahine erupted for five runs in the fifth and two more in the sixth to pull away from the Roadrunners at the Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium.
 
Rookie pitcher Brianna Lopez improved to 10-6 overall and 7-3 in the Big West with her 14^th complete game of the season. She tossed seven innings allowing three runs on seven hits with two walks and five strikeouts.
 
On offense, the 'Bows racked up the 10 runs on 12 hits and were led by Brittnee Rossi, Nawai Kaupe, Ka'ena Keliinoi and Haley Johnson who all had two hits apiece and accounted for eight of UH's 12 hits and six RBI.
 
The Rainbow Wahine got on the scoreboard early, posting three runs in the first. Rossi led off with an opposite field single to left and quickly came around to score off a Keliinoi double that was lined off the left-centerfield fence. Maya Nakamura then hit a sharp grounder through the shortstop's legs for an error that allowed Keliinoi to score from second. Haley Johnson then looped a single to left to put runners at first and second. Izabella Martinez followed with a chopper to second that was ruled a fielding error which allowed Nakamura to scoot home for the 3-0 lead.
 
The first six Roadrunners were retired in order, but in the top of the third CSU Bakersfield rallied with two outs to score a pair of runs off two RBI-singles up the middle to trim their deficit to one run, 3-2.
 
In the fourth, CSUB threatened to score again, loading the bases with just one out. But Lopez got a strikeout looking and a groundout to second ended the rally and the inning.
 
With runners at the corners and no outs, Lopez got the first out on a strikeout. But Samantha Martinez then put down a squeeze bunt to score Cieanna Curran from third. On the play, the throw home sailed past the catcher for an error that allowed the runners to advance to second and third. UH settled down to get a ground out to third and a lineout to short to end the inning.
 
In the bottom of the fifth, UH responded by tallying five runs. Johnson led off with a single and Martinez drew a walk to put runners at first and second. Dallas Millwood then hit a grounder to second, but on the play, the second baseman tried to tag the runner but the two collided and the ball squirted free which allowed pinch-runner Piper Neri to come around to score from second, leaving runners safe at first and second. Mya'Liah Bethean then tried to bunt but popped it up and it landed in the middle of the pitcher, first baseman and catcher for a hit to load the bases. After a line out, Rossi whacked a long single off the centerfield wall to drive in pinch-runners Kaeli Bush and Rachel Sabourin. Kaupe followed by drilling a double off the left-centerfield fence to drive in two more, Bethea and Rossi to give UH an 8-3 lead.
 
Hawai'i loaded the bases in the sixth three different times. Johnson scored on a wild pitch and Kaupe battled at the plate, eventually drawing a walk to force Martinez across the plate to extend Hawai'i's lead to 10-3.
 
CSUB's Reina Castillo took the loss, allowing eight runs on nine hits with a walk in four-and-a-third innings pitched. Kaycie Kennedy threw the final inning-and-two-thirds giving up two runs on three hits with four walks.
 
The two teams will square off again in a Saturday doubleheader beginning at 2:00 p.m. at the Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium. It's "Youth League Day" at the ballpark and youth teams who have registered will start the day at 11:45 a.m. with an meet and greet session with the Rainbow Wahine and later join them on the field for the National Anthem and Hawai'i Pono'ī.