HONOLULU—University of Hawai'i head coach Panita Thanatharn recorded her first win at the helm of the Rainbow Wahine softball program. Hawai'i edged out Seattle U, 2-1 to open the 2026 Bank of Hawai'i Paradise Classic on Thursday.  Junior shortstop Milan Ah Yat drove in two runs in the first inning and that was all that  sophomore transfer pitcher Taryn Irimata needed to earn her first complete game win donning the Green and White at Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium.

Irimata (1-0) allowed just one run on three hits with three walks and two strikeouts in the victory. After starting the game issuing a couple of early walks in the first, Irimata retired eight of the last 10 batters faced and started a game-ending double play that she started by snagging a line drive and throwing to first to double up the runner.
 
Hawai'i (1-0) scored a pair of runs to start the game. In the bottom of the first, Cierra Yamamoto drew a one-out walk to get things started. Jamie McGaughey followed with a solid single to left which pushed Yamamoto to third and McGaughey hustled into second on the throw to third. With both runners in scoring position, Milan Ah Yat promptly drilled a single down the left field line that scored both Yamamoto and pinch-runner Rhea Furtado for an early 2-0 lead that held up for the game.
 
The Redhawks got on the board with a Mia Powell RBI-double that scored Abbie Fales all the way from first in the fourth.
 
The win snapped UH's seven-game losing streak against Seattle U.
 
Seattle U's Avari Morris (0-1) also fired a complete game in the loss. She allowed two runs on four hits with two walks and four strikeouts.
 
The Bank of Hawai'i Paradise Classic continues on Friday. Hawai'i will play a doubleheader starting with North Dakota at 3:00 p.m. followed by Pacific at 5:30 p.n. HT at the Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium.