HONOLULU--The University of Hawai'i softball team (19-17, 11- 6 Big West) swept a doubleheader against Cal State Bakersfield on Friday night. Hawai'i held off the Roadrunners 10-8 in the opener, then powered past CSUB, 14-0 to notch their fourth conference series win this season. The first game started after a two-and-a-half hour rain delay, and in the second game the two teams endured about an hour long rain delay in the bottom of the fourth at the Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium
Game 1: Hawai'i 10, Cal State Bakersfield 8
The Rainbow Wahine secured a high-scoring 10-8 victory over Cal State Bakersfield (8-31, 6-10 BW)
. Hawai'i jumped out to an early lead in the first inning when Jamie McGaughey blasted a line-shot, two-run home run to centerfield, scoring Maycen Gibbs.
Although Bakersfield rallied to take a 4-2 lead in the top of the fourth inning, the Rainbow Wahine responded immediately with a four-run burst in the bottom half. The rally was highlighted by RBI hits from Kolbi Kochi, Carys Murakami, and an RBI- triple by Gibbs.
The Roadrunners cut the deficit to one in the sixth, but Hawai'i broke the game open in the bottom of the frame with another four-run surge. McGaughey provided the cushion UH needed, hitting a bases-clearing double to left-center that drove in Rhea Furtado, Murakami, and Keely Kai.
The 'Runners mounted a final charge in the seventh inning, scoring three runs on two hits and two fielder's choices, but the comeback fell short as the Rainbow Wahine closed out the 10-8 win.
Hannah Pitts earned the victory in the circle, improving her record to 9-4, while Cedes Saldana took the loss for the Roadrunners.
Game 2: Hawai'i 14, Cal State Bakersfield 0 (5 innings)
In the second game of the doubleheader, UH won 14–0 in five innings to win the series. Starting pitcher Taryn Irimata fired a one-hit, complete-game shutout, tying her UH career high with seven strikeouts. The Rainbow Wahine offense backed her with an explosive 15-hit attack, including two massive seven-run innings.
The scoring surge began in the second inning when Kayara Tuiloma opened the floodgates with an RBI single. Shortly after, Gibbs padded the lead with a two-run, inside-the-park home run to right field. McGaughey capped the frame with a two-run homer to left, giving Hawai'i a commanding 7–0 lead.
After an hour rain delay, Hawai'i doubled their score in the fourth inning, taking advantage of multiple Bakersfield miscues. Ellyanna Cinzori and Kochi each contributed RBI singles to extend the lead. The inning was further broken open by a series of fielding errors that allowed Abby Sasaki, Rhea Furtado, and Nevaeh Telles to score. Telles added a two-run single during the rally, while Cierra Yamamoto reached on an error that brought home the final run of the night. Hawai'i's defense remained flawless throughout the contest, comfortably closing out the run-rule victory in the fifth inning.
The series finale will be played on Saturday, April 11th at 2:00 p.m. HT at the Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium.
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