DAVIS, Calif.—The University of Hawai'i softball team (9-11, 1-1 Big West) split Friday's doubleheader to open Big West action on Friday afternoon. Hawai'i won the opener, 5-0 behind the pitching of Hanna Pitts and timely hitting of Jamie McGaughey as the Rainbow Wahine capitalized on UCD's four errors at La Rue Field in Davis, Calif.. The second game of the doubleheader was a pitcher's duel through the first six innings between UH's Taryn Irimata and  UC Davis' Ashley Sawai. The Aggies rallied for the walk-off win in the bottom of the seventh  to defeat UH, 2-1.
 
Hawai'i 5, UC Davis 0
UH starting pitcher Hanna Pitts improved her overall record to 4-3 as she recorded a three-hit, complete-game shutout over UC Davis to open the series. fired a three-hit, complete game shutout to open the series. Pitts retired 11-straight batters between the first and  fourth innings and faced just five batters over the minimum. Pitts spaced three hits with a walk and three strikeouts.
 
The Rainbow Wahne erupted for four runs in the top of the third. The speedy Rhea Furtado led off chopping a single to second. Carys Murakami then hit a grounder to second, but two errors off the fielder's choice to second allowied Furtado to sprint to third and Murakami to hustle into second. Maycen Gibbs looped a single to shallow left to score Furtado from third and advance Murakami to third. After Gibbs stole second, Jamie McGaughey barreled an opposite-field single to rightfield to drive in both Murakami and Gibbs. Later with two outs, Maya Ichimura earned her first career RBI after lacing a single to right to drive in pinch runner Kennedy Thompson from second as UH took a 4-0 lead.
 
In the top of the seventh, UH extended its lead to 5-0 on a two-out, RBI-double by McGaughey that drove in Gibbs from second.
 
UC Davis' starting pitcher, Caroline Grimes (6-7, 0-1 BW) suffered a complete game loss, allowing five runs on nine hits with a walk and eight strikeouts. Only two of UH's runs were earned.
 
UC Davis 2, Hawai'i 1
The Aggies started the game with no outs and runners on second and third. UCD's Marley Panziera hits a grounder to second and Murakami fired home to cut down the lead runner at the plate. But on the play, UH catcher Bailey Nagasako threw to third but a muffed throw allowed Gia Felice to score for the early 1-0 lead.
 
The Aggies would hold that lead until the fifth when Hawai'i pinch-hitter Millie Fidge drilled a double to the right-centerfield gap that scored Kayara Tuiloma all the way from first to knot the score at 1-1.
 
But in the seventh, a UCD double, a beaned batter and a walk loaded the bases full of Aggies with one out. Pinch hitter Kayla Macias then pulled a hit down the third baseline to drive in Vanessa Calvillo for the walkoff winning run to end the game, 2-1.
 
UH's Taryn Irimata (2-7, 0-1 BW) threw a complete game in the loss. At one point, she retired eight-straight Aggies between the third and sixth innings. In 6.1 innings she allowed two runs on six hits with three walks and four strikeouts.
 
UC Davis' Ashley Sawai threw the first six innings but did not figure in the decision. She allowed one run on five hits with a strikeout. Grimes threw the final inning in relief with a wal and two strikeouts and earned the win to improve to 7-7 overall.
 
Hawai'i and UC Davis will square off in the rubber game of the three game series on Saturday, March 7 at 10:00 a.m. HT at La Rue Field in Davis, Calif..