HONOLULU----The University of Hawai'i softball team (17-10, 0-1 BW) fell to UC Santa Barbara (14-8 1-0 BW), 5-2 in the Big West opener on Friday night at the Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium.
 
In the top of the first, UCSB got their first two runners on with a walk and an infield. Both runners moved into scoring position on a come-backer for the first out. Later, leadoff hitter Madelyn McNally scored on a wild pitch for an early 1-0 lead.
 
In the third, the Gauchos loaded the bases with no outs. UH got a strikeout before a walk to Daryn Siegel force McNally home to go up, 2-0. Hawai'i escaped further damage.
 
With two outs in the fourth, Ashley Donaldson hit a single up the middle that drove in Lucy Mogan from second for a 3-0 lead. The Gauchos struck again with one out in the fifth, scoring a single run on an RBI-single by Alexa Sams that scored Siegel from second.
 
In the bottom of the fifth, UH's Mya'Liah Bethea led cranked her team- and conference-leading ninth home run of the season with a solo shot over the right-centerfield fence. The homer broke up UCSB's pitcher Camryn Snyder's no-hitter and shutout with one swing.
 
In the top of the sixth, UH reliever Milli Fidge entered the game and struck out the first two batters she faced. Cira Bartolotti then tracked down a ball hit to deep centerfield going into the wall to end the inning.
 
Hawai'i tried to rally in the bottom of the sixth as Xiao Gin and Ka'ena Keliinoi led the inning off with a pair of singles. Nakamura then ripped a shot that went between the third baseman's legs but ricocheted off her right foot straight to the shortstop who flipped back to the third baseman to cut down the lead runner. Haley Johnson then drew a one-out walk to load the bases, but the Gauchos escaped unscathed with a pop out to third and a strikeout to end the threat.
 
The Gauchos got the run back on an RBI double by Siegel which scored pinch runner Lauren Lewis for a 5-1 lead.
 
UH pinch hitter Chloe Borges led off the bottom of the seventh smashing a solo home run over the right-centerfield fence to cut their deficit to 5-2. It marched Borges first homer of the season and second of the sophomore's career.
 
UH starter Brianna Lopez suffered the loss, dropping her record to 8-4 overall and 0-1 in conference. She threw the first five innings, allowing four runs on seven hits with three walks and four strikeouts. Reliever Millie Fidge fired the final two innings, giving up a run on two hits with a walk and three strikeouts.
 
UCSB starter Camryn Snyder improved to 7-3 overall and 1-0 in the Big West with a complete game win. She allowed two runs on four hits with a couple of walks and seven strikeouts in seven innings of work.
 
The same two teams will square off in a doubleheader on Saturday, March 18 beginning at 2:00 p.m. HT.