SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif.—The University of Hawai'i softball team (23-13, 6-4 Big West) opened its three-game conference series at Cal Poly with a 4-2 win. Hawai'i starting pitcher
Brianna Lopez earned the complete game win while the offense recorded 10 hits for the sixth time this season on Friday at Bob Janssen Field.
Lopez (12-6, 4-3 BW) earned the complete game win, allowing two runs on seven hits with five strikeouts and three walks. It was her 11
th complete game in 20 appearances and 19 starts
San Luis Obispo-native, UH shortstop Xiao Gin belted her first collegiate home run while going 2-4 at the plate and making a high-light reel play on defense to help lead the Rainbow Wahine to their third-straight win.
In the top of the third, Gin ripped her solo home run over the rightfield fence to give UH an early 1-0 lead.
The Mustangs answered right back in the bottom of the third, scoring a pair of runs on a two out, two-RBI double by Kai Barrett allowing Cal Poly to leapfrog into the lead at 2-1.
UH see-sawed back in front in the top of the fourth. With two outs and runners at the corners,
Cira Bartolotti fake bunted, but the ball popped off the catcher's glove for a passed ball allowing pinch-runner
Piper Neri to score from third and
Maycen Gibbs to coast into second. Bartlolotti then looped a single into right to score Gibbs from second as UH re-took the lead, 3-2.
Hawai'i rallied with two outs in the fifth to extend their lead to 4-2.
Maya Nakamura and
Haley Johnson picked up back-to-back singles to start the rally.
Izabella Martinez followed with an opposite-field, RBI-single through the leftside of the infield. On the play, Nakamura raced around third and slid across the plate just in front of the tag. Cal Poly then lifted starting pitcher Sophia Ramuno for Paige Maier. Cal Poly leftfielder Kieara Blanchard tracked down a deep fly ball at the wall in leftield foul territory off
Mya'Liah Bethea's bat to end the inning.
The 'Bows had a scoring opportunity thwarted in the sixth. UH loaded the bases with one out, but Cal Poly got a flyout to center and a groundout to short to end the inning. In the seventh, UH had runners at first and second and no outs, but were unable to move them.
Cal Poly starter Ramuno took the loss, dropping her record to 6-9. She allowed four runs on seven hits in the first 4-2/3 innings with no walks and three strikeouts. Maier shutout UH for the final 2-1/3 innings, giving up three hits with two walks and a strikeout.
Hawai'i and Cal Poly will conclude the three-game conference series with a Saturday doubleheader beginning at 11:00 A.M. HT at Bob Janssen Field.
