LONG BEACH, Calif.—The University of Hawai'i softball team (19-17, 13-8 Big West) split Saturday's doubleheader at Long Beach State. The Rainbow Wahine fell in the first game, 7-1 but in the second game, the 'Bows scored six runs in the sixth for a thrilling, come-from-behind, 6-5 win. Senior pitcher Ashley Murphy suffered the loss in the first game, but made a gutsy relief appearance to earn the win in the second game, while freshman pitcher Brianna Lopez re-entered the game in the seventh to close the game and earn the save for UH's first win at the LBSU Softball Complex since 2016. On the day, senior shortstop Nawai Kaupe went 3-for-7 with a pair of home runs to lead the UH offense.
 
DH Game 1: Long Beach State 7, Hawai'i 1
The Beach rallied on two outs to post a run in the first on an RBI-single by Rebekah Durazo which drove in Ashleigh Inae from second.
 
In the third, the Beach's Naomi Hernandez reached and hustled to second on a UH throwing error. Inae drilled a double to left to score Hernandez for an early 2-0 lead.
 
Hawai'i's Nawai Kaupe then cut the 'Bows' deficit in half by launching her team-leading 10th home run of the season in the top of the fourth. It marked her 23rd home run of her UH career.
 
Relief pitcher Cira Bartolotti started the fourth inning but promptly walked her first two batters. Chloe Borges then entered in the circle and was able to get three outs, but allowed a run on an RBI ground out with runners at second and third.
 
In the sixth, Long Beach State rallied for four runs on three hits, highlighted by a two-run triple by Sara Olson. In the inning, UH starter Ashley Murphy re-entered the game with one out and a runner on third.
 
Murphy took the loss, dropping her record to 3-4. She threw a combined three-and-two-thirds innings allowing two runs on three hits with a walk. Bartolotti was unable to record an out and issued two walks in a brief appearance. Borges lasted two-and-a-third innings, giving up four runs on five hits with a walk.
 
Long Beach State's Fernandez earned the win to improve to 7-4 overall. She allowed one run on two hits with two walks and seven strikeouts.
 
DH Game 2: Hawai'i 6, Long Beach State 5
Hawai'i's offense kicked into high-gear in the sixth with timely, clutch hits to score all six runs in the sixth, while Murphy made a solid relief appearance to earn the win, and Brianna Lopez re-entered the game in the bottom of the seventh to earn the save in the come-from-behind victory.
 
The Beach was able to break a scoreless game in the fourth inning. With two runners in scoring position, a sacrifice fly by Justine Briones drove in Jacqueline Bickar for the 1-0 lead.
 
In the fifth, Long Beach State erupted for four runs to take a 5-0 lead. Olson scored from second as a result of a fielding error on the first baseman on a sac bunt. The Beach loaded the bases for Durazo who smacked a bases clearing double to left. UH's Murphy then entered the game in relief of Lopez. Murphy came in and snuffed out the rally getting a strikeout and two fly outs to stop the Beach from doing further damage.
 
Hawai'i's bats came alive in the top of the sixth. With one out, Kaupe ripped a solo home run--her second of the doubleheader--for her 24th career round-tripper to open the flood gates. The Rainbow Wahine went on to load the bases for designated player Haley Johnson who laced a single thru second to score both Maya Nakamura and Ka'ena Keliinoi. UH loaded the bases again and this time Dallas Millwood smacked a bases clearing, opposite-field double to left-center, driving in Rachel Sabourin, Johnson and Izabella Martinez. Long Beach State then lifted starter Samantha Fowler and inserted reliever  Mo Quinlan in the circle. Quinlan hit Rossi with a pitch as UH batted around the order, but got two groundouts to end the inning.
 
In the bottom of the seventh, the Beach had their 3, 4, 5 hitters due up. Murphy gave up a leadoff single to Inae. UH then re-entered Lopez in the circle who closed the game. She got the first out on a sac bunt from Sabourin to Nakamura covering first as Inae moved to second. A flyout to right pushed Inae to third. Then Lopez got one of the biggest strikeouts of her career, as Bickar watched the third strike cross the plate giving UH the 6-5 win.
 
UH's Murphy earned the win to even her record at 4-4 with a gutsy relief appearance. She shut down the Beach and allowed just one hit with two strikeouts. Lopez started and finished the game, earning the save. She re-entered the game in the seventh with a runner on first and a one run lead. She got three outs on the three batters she faced, ending the win with a strikeout looking. For the game, Lopez threw five innings, allowing five runs on seven hits with three walks and seven strikeouts.  

Fowler threw 5.1 innings allowing six runs on four hits with five walks and three strikeouts. Quinlan threw the final 1.2 innings. She did not allow a hit or a run and had a walk and a strikeout. 

The Hawai'i win snapped a six-game losing streak to Long Beach State dating back to last season. 
 
Hawai'i returns home to host its final home series of the season against league-leader Cal State Fullerton. A single game will be played on Friday, March 6 at 6:00 p.m. followed by a Saturday doubleheader on March 7 beginning at 2:00 p.m.. Saturday will also be Senior Day for five Rainbow Wahine—Kaeli Bush, Mikaela Gandia-Mak, Nawai Kaupe, Ashley Murphy, and Brittnee Rossi.