HONOLULU—The University of Hawai'i softball team (8-2) split its Sunday doubleheader to conclude the four-day Spring Fling Tournament. Hawai'i fell to Cal State Bakersfield, 7-2 in the opener, but rallied back to win the tournament finale vs. Utah State as Milan Ah Yat blasted a two-run, walkoff home run to defeat Utah Tech, 8-6 in extra innings on Sunday afternoon at the Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium. It was Power in Pink day at the ballpark in recognition of breast cancer awareness.
 
 
Cal State Bakersfield 7, Hawai'i 2
Cal State Bakersfield was powered by three home runs that pushed the Roadrunners past the Rainbow Wahine 7-2.
 
The Roadrunner posted one run to start the game on an RBI-double by Hannah Garcia that drove in Kaia Johnson.
 
Hawai'i started the second inning with a walk to Jamie McGaughey and a bunt single by Milan Ah Yat. But then CSUB retired the next three batters to snuff out the possible rally.  
 
CSUB hit two-run homers in both the third and fourth innings to extend their lead to 5-0.
 
Hawai'i got one run back in the bottom of the fourth on a sacrifice fly by Millie Fidge that drove in McGaughey from third.
 
Chloe Borges led off the sixth inning with a solo blast over the leftfield fence that cut UH's deficit to 5-2.
 
The Roadrunners' Maalia Cherry extended their lead to 7-2 on a two-run homer that just went over the centerfield fence.
 
Hawai'i's Addison Kostrencich suffered the loss, dropping her record to 3-2. She threw the first 3-2/3 innings, allowing five runs on seven hits with a walk and a strikeout. Fidge threw the final 3-13 innings, allowing two runs on one hit with three walks and three stikeouts.
 
Cal State Bakersfield's Maya Ramirez earned the win to improve to 1-2. She allowed one run on five hits with a walk and a strikeout. Bailee Bustos threw three innings in relief. She allowed a run on two hits with two walks and a strikeout.
 
 
Utah Tech 6, Hawai'i 4
Hawai'i loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the first. Borges came to the plate and drilled a single up the middle to score both Izabella Martinez and Carys Murakami for a quick 2-0 lead.
 
The Trailblazers erupted for five runs in the third. C Eldredge drove in the first run on an RBI-single to left. Later, with the bases loaded, B Howley hit a double to the centerfield fence to score two and the third run scored on an errant throw back into the infield.
 
Martinez led off the third with a single up the middle. After a strikeout, Liliana Thomas reached on a throwing error on the pitcher off a comebacker that allowed Martinez to score and Thomas to scoot all the way to third. Borges followed by ripping an RBI-single up the middle to drive in Thomas to cut their deficit to 5-4.
 
The Trailblazers extended their lead in the top of the fourth to 6-4 on an RBI-single by Carly Eldredge that scored Maka Sonognini.
 
Hawai'i's Kayara-Leigh Tuiloma tied the game at 6-6 with a two-run bomb hit over the right-centerfield fence. It marked Tuiloma's second career home run.  
With International Tie-Breaker rules in place for the tournament, Borges and the UH defense held Utah Tech from scoring in the top of the eighth.
 
In the bottom of the eighth, pinch runner Keely Kai was placed at second for Milan Ah Yat. With a 1-2 count, Ah Yat launched a walkoff, two-run home run over the leftfield wall to propel Hawai'i past Utah Tech, 8-6.
 
Borges earned the win throwing 4-1/3 shutout innings in relief. She gave up four this with a walk and a strikeout. Macy Brandl threw the first 3-2/3 innings allowing six runs on five hits with three walks and two strikeouts.
 
Utah Tech reliever Sauren Garton took the loss in the final 1-2/3 innings. She gave up two runs on two hits with a walk and a strikeout. Starter Cemryn Pickett did not get an out in her appearance, but gave up two runs with two outs. Riley Price threw the middle 5-1/3 innings, giving up four runs on seven hits with five strikeouts.
 
This was the second time this week that UH defeated Utah Tech by a walkoff. On Friday night, Fidge hit a two-run single down the leftfield line in the seventh for a 3-2 victory.
  
The Rainbow Wahine embark on their first roadtrip of the season this week. UH will first take on Cal Baptist on Wednesday, Feb. 19 at 1:00 p.m. HT. The 'Bows will then begin play in the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic in Cathedral City, Calif. at the Field of Dreams Complex. UH will play a doubleheader on Friday, Feb. 21 against BYU and Nevada at 1:00 p.m. and 6:00- p.m. HT respectively. UH will then face Saint Mary's on Saturday, Feb. 22 at 5:30 p.m. HT. UH ends the tourney with two games on Sunday, Feb. 23 against LMU at 9:30 a.m. HT and San Diego State at 11:30 a.m. HT.