BAKERSFIELD, Calif.—The University of Hawai'i softball team (28-16, 11-7 Big West) held off CSU Bakersfield (7-34, 2-16 BW) to split Saturday's doubleheader en route to winning their fifth Big West series of the season. The Roadrunners rallied from three-runs down to defeat the Rainbow Wahine, 8-5 in the DH opener. But the 'Bows bounced back and held off CSUB late for a 3-2 win in the series finale\\\\\ on Saturday at the Roadrunner Softball Complex.
 
For the doubleheader, UH's offense was led by Maya Nakamura who went a combined 5-for-8 at the plate with three RBI and three runs scored. In the second game, leadoff batter Xiao Gin went 3-for-4 and scored two of UH's three runs—including what proved to be the winning run in the fifth inning.
 
CSU Bakersfield 8, Hawai'i 5
The Roadrunners snapped their 13-game losing streak and for the first time ever defeated Hawai'i in nine tries. CSUB's starter Reina Castillo went the distance, allowing five runs on 10 hits.
 
In the loss, Maya Nakamura went 3-for-4 at the plate with a home run, two RBI and two runs scored to lead Hawai'i.
 
The Rainbow Wahine got off to a good start as Nakamura launched a solo home run with two outs in the first inning. It marked Nakamura's fourth round-tripper of the season and 14th of her career.
 
In the bottom of the second, CSU Bakersfield tied the score at 1-1. With a runner at second, the Mya'Liah Bethea snared a line drive at first and tried to double off the runner at two, but the throw sailed into left-centerfield allowing the runner to score.
 
The Rainbow Wahine posted three runs in the top of the third. Haley Johnson drilled a two-run double to centerfield to score Ka'ena Keliinoi and Nakamura. Later Bethea laced the inning's second RBI-double to drive in Johnson to give UH a 4-1 lead.
 
The Roadrunners then erupted for four runs to leapfrog into the lead, 5-4. CSUB loaded the bases with no outs. After a fielder's choice from third to home erased the lead runner, Karissa Munsey drove in two runs with a single to right. After another walk, UH starter Key-Annah Campbell-Pua was relieved by McKenna Kostyszyn. UH recorded the second out with a fielder's choice from shortstop to home. But back-to-back singles drove in the tying and go-ahead runs.
 
CSU Bakersfield then rallied for an insurance run in the fourth on an RBI single by Munsay that scored Savanna Montoya.
 
Hawai'i 3, CSU Bakersfield 2
Hawai'i starter Brianna Lopez earned her second, complete game win of the series to improve to 15-8 overall and 7-5 in the Big West. She allowed two runs (one earned) on five hits with three walks and eight strikeouts. 
 
Hawai'i scored two in the first inning, striking first in the third straight game. Xiao Gin led off the game with a single up the middle and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt executed by Keliinoi. Nakamura followed with an RBI-single to drive in Gin for the first run. Later, with Nakamura at third, Izabella Martinez knocked in the run with a single up the middle that left UH with an early 2-0 lead.
 
In the bottom of the fourth, with two outs, Molina-Villa chopped a single to first. On the play, Bethea was unable to tag the batter-runner and the throw to first went into rightfield to allow the lead runner to score and cut the Roadrunners' deficit in half.
 
Hawai'i added a run in the fifth on a Haley Johnson RBI-infield single that drove in Gin for what proved to be the winning run as UH led 3-1.
 
The Roadrunners made things interesting in the bottom of the seventh. With two outs and a runner at first, CSUB's Montoya hit a single that pushed the lead runner to third. Munsey then drew a walk, but on the play ball four was a wild pitch that went to the backstop to allowed Kaia Johnson to score from third.  The next batter, CSUB's cleanup hitter, Shaylene Fuimaono drove a foul ball just a few feet left of the leftfield foul pole for her second strike. UH's Lopez then got Fuimaono on a check-swing K's at an outside offering that went down as Lopez's eighth strikeout of the game.
  
CSUB's Kirsten Martinez (0-8) suffered the loss in a complete game effort. She allowed three runs on eight hits with a walks and a strikeout.
 
The Rainbow Wahine return home to host a pivotal three-game conference series vs. Long Beach State. The series opens with a single game on Friday, April 28 at 6:00 p.m. HT. The series ends with a doubleheader on Saturday starting at 2:00 p.m. HT.