FULLERTON, Calif. — University of Hawai'i softball pitcher
Taryn Irimata fired a complete-game shutout, while the Hawai'i offense struck early and never looked back against third-seeded UC Santa Barbara in the Big West Championship on Thursday at Anderson Family Field. With the win, the second-seeded Rainbow Wahine (30-18) advanced in the winner's bracket to take on top-seeded Cal State Fullerton on Friday.
Irimata (13-8) was the story of the afternoon, navigating through heavy traffic to keep UC Santa Barbara off the scoreboard. Despite allowing nine hits, the sophomore right-hander struck out four and walked only one in a gritty 116-pitch performance. The Gauchos stranded 10 runners on base in the contest.
Hawai'i wasted no time providing run support in the bottom of the first inning. Carys Murakami ignited the rally with a leadoff double and later scored on an RBI double ripped down the left-field line by Millie Fidge.
The Rainbow Wahine doubled their advantage in the second. After Kayara Tuiloma and Rhea Furtado drew walks, Murakami delivered a clutch two-out single to right-center to drive in Tuiloma for a 2-0 lead.
UC Santa Barbara threatened repeatedly, putting two runners on in the second, fourth, fifth, and seventh innings, but Irimata and the UH defense consistently induced flyouts or fielder's choices to escape damage.
UCSB starting pitcher Sophia Clark (10-8) took the loss for the Gauchos, allowing two runs on eight hits over 5.2 innings of work. Reliever Malaya Johnson came into the game with two runners in scoring position in the bottom of the sixth and got a strikeout to end the rally and the inning.
Murakami led the Hawai'i hit parade, going 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored. Fidge also finished with two hits as the Rainbow Wahine outlasted the Gauchos in a pitcher's duel that took just under two hours to complete.
With the win, UH extended its win streak to 10—its longest since the 2013 squad won 13 straight. The win also marked the 25th time that UH has recorded at least 30 wins in a season.
The Rainbow Wahine advance to take on top-seeded Cal State Fullerton on Friday, May 8, at 10:00 a.m. HT at Anderson Family Field in Fullerton, Calif.
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