The University of Hawai‘i softball team was eliminated from the Big West tournament with a pair of losses on Friday.
After winning its final 12 Big West regular season games, the Rainbow Wahine earned the No. 2 seed and first-round bye in the conference tournament. In its tournament opener on Thursday, UH defeated UC Santa Barbara 2-0 as Big West Pitcher of the Year Taryn Irimata tossed a shutout, scattering nine hits and four strikeouts with one walk.
On Friday, the 'Bows opened the day with top seed and host Cal State Fullerton in the winner's bracket matchup. Despite taking a 4-2 lead in the fifth inning on a two-run Millie Fidge, the Rainbow Wahine were devastated by Cal State Fullerton second baseman Colby McClinton, a Kamehameha alumna and Kaneohe native.
McClinton hit a two-run home run to tie the game in the fifth, as well as a walk-off home run in the bottom of the seventh to clinch a 6-4 victory for the Titans.
The Rainbow Wahine ran out of gas in the elimination game, falling 8-6 to UC Santa Barbara. The Gauchos scored three runs in the in the third and had another pair of runs in the fourth before holding off a late Rainbow Wahine rally.
Hawai‘i's season ends at 30-20 overall, while UC Santa Barbara and Cal State Fullerton will battle for the conference title on Saturday.
UH's elimination in the conference tournament marks its final set of games in the Big West Conference. In the summer, the vast majority of Hawai‘i's athletic teams will join the Mountain West Conference.
"Tough one," first-year UH head coach Panita Thanatharn said after the game. "Like I told the girls, I like their battle, I like their fight. Just wasn't our day, and that starts at the top with me, but I'm proud of our team, and kudos to Santa Barbara. They're a good team, and just proud of my players."
Added pitcher Hannah Pitts, who tossed three shutout innings against UC Santa Barbara: "I would say we were one or two pitches away and one or two hits away from every game we've played this season. So, it's super disappointing to walk away not being on that side of the ball, but also understanding that our team is so good and we're such a family, it's OK that we didn't finish on that side. We still have each other, win or lose."
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Christian Shimabuku can be reached at christian@alohastatedaily.com.
