SAN DIEGO, Calif.—The University of Hawai'i softball team (20-18, 12-6 Big West) suffered a narrow 4-3 defeat to San Diego (17-24) in a nine-inning, non-conference contest on Thursday at the Reggie Smith Softball Field. The nine inning game was the longest of the season for both teams. For UH, it was the longest game since defeating Cal State Fullerton, 2-1, in 10 innings on May 3, 2023.
After three scoreless innings to start the game, Hawai'i took a 2-1 lead in the fourth when Maycen Gibbs hit a two-run home run to left field. San Diego tied the game in the fifth, but the 'Bows briefly reclaimed the lead in the sixth inning as Gibbs reached on an error and later scored on a groundout hit by Milan Ah Yat to put the Rainbow Wahine ahead, 3-2.
The lead was short-lived, as San Diego's Michelle Delgado tied the game with a solo home run in the bottom of the sixth. Following two scoreless frames that sent the game into the ninth, the Toreros clinched the walk-off victory when Kaitlyn Wynia reached on a fielder's choice to short that scored pinch runner Seleny Chavez from third.
Gibbs led the Hawai'i offense, going 3-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored. On the mound, UH pitcher Millie Fidge started the game, striking out four and allowing one earned run over four innings. Macy Brandl provided two innings of relief before Maryn Macneil took the loss, pitching the final 2.1 innings.
San Diego's Charlie Johnson pitched the full nine innings to earn the win to improve to 8-10 on the season.
For the Toreros, the win snapped their seven-game losing streak, while the Hawai'i loss snapped a three-game win streak.
The Rainbow Wahine have a quick turnaround as they open their three-game conference series at UC San Diego with a single game on Friday, April 17 at 2:00 p.m. HT. On Saturday, the two teams square off in a doubleheader starting at 9:00 a.m. HT at the Triton Softball Field.
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