HONOLULU—The University of Hawai'i softball team (19-10 2-1 BW) swept Saturday's series ending, doubleheader to win the first Big West series of the season over UC Santa Barbara (14-10, 1-2 BW), 2-1. In the first game of the day, the Rainbow Wahine came from behind to erase an early four-run deficit, outscoring the Gauchos 9-1 in the last three innings for a 9-5 win that evened the series 1-1. In Game 2, Brianna Lopea and the 'Bows shut out UCSB, 5-0 to seal the sweep on Saturday afternoon at the Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium. UH's offensive power surge was highlighted by a combined five home runs in the two games.
DH Game 1: Hawai'i 9, UC Santa Barbara 5
Hawai'i came back from four runs down to even the series with a 9-5 win over UCSB to open Saturday's doubleheader. Seven of UH's nine runs were fueled by home runs by
Ka'ena Keliinoi, Rachel "Bueller" Sabourin, and
Chloe Borges.
UH pitcher Key-Annah Campbell-Pua started and closed the game with a brief appearance by reliever Millie Fidge. Campbell-Pua gave up four runs on nine hits with two walks and four strikeouts in seven innings. Fidge allowed a run on two hits and was unable to record an out.
Hawai'i found themselves down quickly as UCSB started out on fire racking up three runs on five hits to start the game.
In the bottom of the third, the Rainbow Wahine tried to rally loading the bases with two outs, but a flyout to shallow left ended the rally.
In the next half inning, Bella Fuentes led off the fourth with a solo homer to left to extend the Gauchos' lead to 4-0.
Hawai'i rallied on two outs, exploding for five runs in the bottom of the fourth to vault into the lead, 5-4. With two outs and two runners on, Xiao Gin hit a looper to shallow center that went in and out of the centerfielder's glove for an error allowing
Cira Bartolotti to score from third.
Ka'ena Keliinoi then tied the score with a three-run home run to center to knot things up at 4-4. It was Keliinoi' s third homer of the season and seventh of her career. UH's
Izabella Martinez then drilled an RBI single right up the middle to score Nakamura from second to take the lead, 5-4.
UH's Fidge entered the game to pitch in the fifth, but Ashley Donaldson led the inning off with a solo home run to even the score at 5-5. After another UCSB single, Campbell-Pua re-entered in the circle and threw the rest of the game.
UCSB reliever Ilona Sullivan got the final out in the fourth. But couldn't get out of the fifth, as the 'Bows broke the tie with a pair of two run home runs off Sullivan which prompted the Gauchos' starter Malaya Johnson re-entered and closed the game. For UH, Rachel Sabourin blasted an opposite field "Bueler Bomb" to drive in Bethea. It was her sixth home run of the year. After Bartolotti drew a walk,
Chloe Borges hit a line drive home run over the left-centerfield fence for her second round-tripper of the weekend and the third of her career.
In the sixth, UCSB loaded the bases with one out, but Campbell-Pua got a full count, strike out looking and then a foul pop out to Bethea at first to thwart the Gaucho rally.
The Gauchos' Johnson threw 5-2/3 innings, allowing five runs on nine hits with four walks and two strikeouts. Sullivan gave up four runs on three hits with three walks and was able to record an out.
DH Game 2: Hawai'i 5, UC Santa Barbara 0
The series finale was a pitcher's duel through the first five innings with UH's
Brianna Lopez and UCSB's Camryn Snyder. Lopez fired a complete game, three-hit shutout to improve to 9-4 overall and 1-1 in conference play. She issued four walks but struck out seven—including three of the last four outs.
On offense, UH's power surge continued into the series finale with all four of their hits going for extra bases—a Keliinoi double, a triple by
Cierra Yamamoto and home runs by Martinez and Bartolotti.
In the third, with runners at first and second and two outs, UH's Keliinoi ripped a double to the right-centerfeld gap to drive in Bartolotti from second to give UH an early 1-0 lead.
Bartolotti launched a solo home run to start the fifth to give UH a 2-0 lead. It was her second home run of the season and third of her career.
The Gauchos loaded the bases with twou outs in the top of the sixth, But Lopez's fifth strike out of the game snuffed out the rally.
In the bottom of the sixth, UH extending UH's lead to 5-0 as Martinez smacked a three-run home run to drive in both Nakamura and Borges. For Martinez, it was her fourth home run of the season and career.
UCSB's Snyder allowed five runs on four hits in five-plus innings pitched. She had three walks and three strikeouts. Ava Bradford threw the final inning.
Hawai'i now hits the road to face CSUN in a three-game Big West series. The series opens with a single game on Friday, March 24 at 12:00 P.M. HT followed by a Saturday doubleheader on March 25. First serve for the DH is at 10:00 A.M. HT.
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