CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif.—The University of Hawai'i softball team (5-9) fell to Saint Mary's (CA) to close out its collegiate competition, 4-2 on Day 3 of the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic on Saturday night. Hawai'i concluded their tourney with a 9-1 exhibition loss to Team Japan at the Big Leagues Field of Dreams Sport Park in Cathedral City, Calif..
 
Saint Mary's (CA) 4, Hawai'i 2
Saint Mary's Braxton Brown launched a two-run home run in the first to take an early 2-0 lead. In the third, the Gaels tacked on two more runs on an RBI groundout and a double-steal with runners at the corners.
 
UH tried to rally in the fourth, as they loaded the bases with no outs, but came away empty as SMC escaped unscathed.
 
Hawai'i loaded the bases again in the sixth, and was able to get one run across on a Kolbi Kochi fielder's choice to short that allowed Briana Maio-Silva to score from third. The Bows added another run in the seventh as Kayara Tuilooma scored on a wild pitch to cut their deficit to 4-2. But that would be the closest UH would get.
 
For Hawai'i, Taryn Irimata (2-5) threw the first 2.2 innings and took the loss. She allowed four runs on four hits with a walk and a strikeout. Hannah Pitts shut down the Gaels for the last 3.1 innings. She did not allow a run on four hits with a strikeout.
 
The Gaels' starter Mia Nishikawa earned the win to improve to 2-0. She threw 5.0 innings allowing one run on four hits with two walks and two strikeouts. Odhi Vasquez earned the save, throwing the final two innings. She gave up one run on one hit with a strikeout.
 
 
Team Japan 9, Hawai'i 1 (6 innings)
Box Score
In UH's final game of the Mary Nutter, Hawai'i faced the No. 1 ranked team in the world, Team Japan in an exhibition game.
 
Japan put up one run in the first on a sacrifice fly.
 
The 'Bows knotted the score at 1-1 on a Larissa Goshi RBI-single through the 5-6 hole to drive in Bailey Nagasako. It was just the second run Japan has given up thus far in the tournament.
 
Japan however, then pulled away, scored three runs in both the second and third. Japan scored two more in the fifth to end the game via mercy rule, 9-1. Japan has now outscored their opponents in the tourney, 49-2.
 
The Rainbow Wahine went 0-5 in the Mary Nutter and will look to snap its six-game losing streak this coming week as they return to host the OUTRIGGER Classic from Feb. 26-28. The tourney will feature Mercyhurst and Portland State.