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Hawaii sophomore Haley Johnson’s two-run triple in the bottom of the sixth inning powered the Rainbow Wahine softball team to a 2-1 season-opening win over Utah Tech in the Paradise Classic on Friday at Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium. UH won the second game over Saint Mary’s 5-3.
Utah Tech’s Kate Dolinski held UH to three hits through five innings before Maya Nakamura led off the bottom of the sixth with an infield single to shortstop and Dallas Millwood lined a double off the center-field fence. After a groundout, Johnson drilled a shot down the first-base line and into the right-field corner to score both runners.
Utah Tech put the tying run on with one out in the seventh, but UH shortstop Xiao Gin turned a game-ending double play to give sophomore left-hander Brianna Lopez a complete-game victory. Lopez gave up one unearned run on four hits, walked four and struck out three.
The Rainbow Wahine hit three home runs to complete a sweep of opening night.
Senior Rachel Sabourin launched a pinch-hit three-run blast to center for the first homer of her career and Mya’Liah Bethea made it back-to-back shots to give UH a 4-1 lead in the bottom of the fourth. Catcher Izabella Martinez’s drive to center in the fifth inning carried over the fence for her first career homer.
Saint Mary’s scratched out a run in the sixth and loaded the bases with two out in the seventh. But UH center fielder Cira Bartolotti tracked down a flyball in the left-center gap to give freshman right-hander Key-annah Campbell-Pua a complete-game victory in her collegiate debut. Campbell-Pua struck out three and walked one in a seven-hit performance.
The three-day Paradise Classic continues today with UH facing Utah Tech at 3:30 p.m. and Saint Mary’s at 5:30.
