The University of Hawai’i softball team continued its strong start to the season by winning both games in a doubleheader on Friday during the Bank of Hawai’i Paradise Classic. The Rainbow Wahine first secured a 4-2 victory over North Dakota, followed by a 6-2 win against Pacific.
In the opening game, senior transfer pitcher Hannah Pitts earned her first complete-game win for Hawai’i. She allowed two runs on three hits with no walks and struck out five batters, facing just 24 opponents and recording 13 flyouts. North Dakota took an early lead in the fourth inning with a sacrifice fly from Katelyn Neumeyer that brought Brooklyn Morris home.
Hawai’i responded in the bottom of the fourth inning, scoring four runs. Jamie McGaughey walked to start the rally, and Maycen Gibbs singled up the middle. After another walk loaded the bases, Ellyanna Cinzori hit a single through the right side to score Kennedy Thompson and Gibbs. Abby Sasaki then added an RBI single, followed by Kolbi Kochi’s pinch-hit RBI single that extended UH’s lead to 4-1.
North Dakota narrowed the gap in the seventh with a solo home run by Camryn Lasota but could not close further. Unity Nelson pitched a complete game for North Dakota but took the loss after allowing four runs on five hits.
In their second matchup of the day against Pacific, Hawai’i fell behind early as Ave Risati drove in Olivia Silvestre for Pacific’s first run. The Rainbow Wahine regained control when Maycen Gibbs hit a two-run home run after Maddie Murakami reached base on a single.
Pacific tied it up at 2-2 with an RBI single from Peyton Cliff before Hawai’i broke open the game in the fifth inning. Rhea Furtado reached second base on an error and scored on Kolbi Kochi’s sacrifice fly. Following another single from Gibbs, Jamie McGaughey hit her first home run of the season—a two-run shot—giving UH more breathing room. Milan Ah Yat later scored on a wild pitch to make it 6-2.
Pitcher Macy Brandl started for Hawai’i and went two-plus innings, giving up two runs on three hits. Senior reliever Millie Fidge entered in relief and threw five shutout innings while striking out five batters.
Pacific’s Kaytee Dahlstrom was charged with five runs over six innings pitched and suffered her first loss of the season.
The Rainbow Wahine will conclude play at the Bank of Hawai’i Paradise Classic Saturday with games against Pacific at 12:30 p.m. HT and SeattleU at 3:00 p.m. HT.
