NORTHRIDGE, Calif.—The University of Hawai'i softball team (26-16, 12-8 Big West) fell at CSUN, 10-5 on Wednesday afternoon at the Matador Diamond. Today's game was the make-up game for the March 14th match-up that was rained out in Northridge. With the loss, the Matadors took the series, 2-1 and see-saws in front of the Rainbow Wahine in the Big West standings. CSUN moves into third with a 13-8 record as Hawai'i drops to fourth with a 12-8 record. The top six advance to the inaugural Big West Championship in Fullerton, Calif. 
 
CSUN erupted for three runs in the second. Jerzie Liana led off the second with a solo home run and Gizelle Vargas Sandoval followed with a single and then a throwing error by the pitcher off a sacrifice bunt allowed both runners to score for the 3-0 lead.
 
UH's Izabella Martinez led off the third with her second home run in as many weeks. Her opposite-field blast to leftfield was her second of the season and 11th of her career. Carys Murakami followed with a single and two outs later, Liliana Thomas got a single to third to put runners at first and second for Ellyanna Cinzori, who came through with her second double of the game driving in Murakami from second to cut UH's deficit to 3-2.
 
Hawai'i knotted the score at 3-3 on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Murakami that drove in Chloe Borges who led the frame off with a single.
 
The Matadors see-sawed back into the lead, 4-3 scoring on a two-out error to left that allowed Kaylee Escutia to score from third unearned.
 
In the fifth, CSUN extended their lead to 7-3 on Escutia's three-run home run to center.
 
CSUN tacked on three more runs off an RBI triple, a sac fly and a solo home run in the sixth. UH was able to end the inning on a Thomas-to-Murakami-to-Jamie McGaughey groundout double play but the Matdors led 10-3 going into the final frame.
 
Hawai'i did not go down without a fight, scoring a pair of runs in the seventh. Murakami led off with a single and Milan Ah Yat followed with an RBI double to the right-center gap to drive in Murakami from first. McGaughey followed with a single to right to push pinch-runner Kennedy Thompson to third. Thomas drew a walk to load the bases with no outs. Cinzori whacked a single up the middle to score Thompson for UH's fifth run. For Cinzori, it marked a career-high three hits in a game. But two huge strikeouts by Isabella Alonso and a ground out to first ended the game.
 
UH starter Macy Brandl suffered the loss dropping her record to 13-6 overall. She allowed seven runs (four earned) on six hits with a walk and two strikeouts in 4.2 innings pitched. Addison Kostrencich gave up two runs on three hits and got one out to end the fifth inning but was unable to get an out in the sixth. Millie Fidge got the final three outs, but gave up one run on one hit with a walk.
 
CSUN's Lauryn Carranco earned the win to improve to 12-8 overall. She gave up three runs on seven hits with two walks and three strikeouts in 4.0 innings pitched. Alonso earned her first save of the season, tossing the final three innings. She gave up two runs on five hits with a walk and five strikeouts.
 
Hawai'i will head up the coast to San Luis Obispo for a pair of doubleheaders. Hawai'i will first take on UC Santa Barbara to make up last Friday's rainout in Honolulu on Friday, April 25th at 10:00 a.m. HT just prior to their series opener against Cal Poly (8-33, 3-18 Big West) at 2:00 p.m. HT at the Bob Janssen Field. The Rainbow Wahine will then conclude their final regular season roadtrip with a doubleheader vs. the Mustangs at 11:00 a.m. HT on Saturday, April 26th.