Hawaii freshman Brittany Hitchcock held Long Beach State to three hits and turned in her fourth shutout of the season in the Rainbow Wahine softball team’s 3-0 win in the first game of Saturday’s Big West doubleheader.

But Long Beach State hit three home runs and held off a UH comeback in an 8-5 win in the finale to claim the series win. Darian Tautalafua went 3-for-4 with two homers and drove in four runs and LBSU sophomore Christina Clermont struck out a career-high 15 for the 49ers (18-22, 5-4 Big West).

In Saturday’s first game, Hitchcock struck out six and walked two and UH (24-18, 5-4 Big West) snapped a six-game losing streak against LBSU  going into the deciding game of the series at Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium.

LBSU right-hander Christian Carbajal’s change up kept UH off balance for much of the game, but the Rainbow Wahine scratched out two runs in the third and the 49ers were shut out for the second time this season.

LBSU threatened with one out the top of the third when LT Torres walked and Shayna Kimbrough doubled to center. But Hitchcock got a pop up to shortstop and a line out to third to escape.

Kayla Wartner singled to lead off the bottom of the inning and Heather Morales followed with a sacrifice bunt. The throw to first hit Morales and Wartner advanced to third on the error.

Leisha Li’ili’i then lined a single into right field to score Wartner. With runners on second and third and two out, Lindsey Willmon hit a sharp grounder to third and UH’s Chenoa Au was tagged out by Tautalafua. But Sarah McAndrew scored before the out was recorded to give UH a 2-0 lead.

Li’ili’i singled again in the fifth and moved up on a wild pitch. Rachel Lack’s fly ball into left center fell in for a double to bring Li’ili’i around from second with UH’s third run.

Hitchcock gave up a lead off single in the top of the seventh, but retired the next three batters and improved to 11-6.

Long Beach State jumped ahead in the series finale on back-to-back home runs by Tautalafua and Julia Lombardi in the top of the second.

With two out in the top of the third, Haley Tobler lifted a fly ball down the left field line that hit off Lack’s glove as she dove toward foul territory. Home plate umpire Mark Craver ruled it a fair ball, giving Tobler a double. Lauren Lombardi followed with a single through the left side of the infield to extend LBSU’s lead to 4-0 and Hitchcock returned in relief of starter Kanani Aina Cabrales.

Morales singled to lead off the bottom of the fourth and Li’ili’i launched a towering home run to center to cut LBSU’s lead to 4-2.

LBSU answered in the fifth when Tautalafua doubled down the third base line to score Tobler from second. Julia Lombardi then reached on an infield single to drive in her sister, Lauren, and give LBSU a 6-2 lead.

Morales and Li’ili’i singled to lead off the bottom of the sixth and Lack came up with one out.

She worked the count full before hitting her second home run of the series on the 10th pitch of the at-bat to cut LBSU’s lead to 6-5.

But Tautalafua struck again in the top of the seventh with a drive to right center that hit the top of the fence and bounced over for a two-run homer.

UH brought the tying run to the plate with two out in the bottom of the seventh, but Clermont ended the game with her 15th strikeout.