After being stifled again by Central Florida’s pitching staff, the University of Hawaii softball team bounced back Sunday afternoon to close the Bank of Hawaii Invitational with its second win over UTEP.

For the second straight day, UCF held the Rainbow Wahine to one hit, as the 19th-ranked Knights advanced to the tournament championship game with a 6-0 win.

UCF went on to claim the tournament title with a 4-2 win over No. 16 Washington in a game called after five innings due to an agreed-upon time limit to accommodate the Knights’ travel schedule.

UH then rolled past UTEP 9-2 in the third-place game to close the weekend at 9-7 overall with another tournament featuring a nationally ranked opponent coming up. After going 2-3 this week, the Wahine open the Pepsi Malihini Kipa Aloha Tournament on Thursday against No. 21 California. The tournament also includes San Jose State and Longwood.

"(The UTEP win) will give us confidence to bounce back Thursday and start a new tournament, so it really helped," UH shortstop Sarina Jaramillo said after going 3-for-4 with two RBIs against the Miners.

The Wahine began the day with a 9 a.m. semifinal against UCF. Knights starter Shelby Turnier, who struck out 13 in a one-hit shutout of UH on Saturday, posted nine more strikeouts over five innings in the rematch. Jamie Ujvari had five strikeouts in two innings of relief.

UCF, the designated home team, scored five runs on two-out hits starting with Jessica Ujvari’s solo home run in the bottom of the first inning off of UH starter Kanani Aina Cabrales.

Linnea Goodman added a two-out RBI triple in the second and drove in another run in with a single in the fourth. UCF put two runners on in the fifth and Farrah Suliivan drove in both with a single, again with two out.

The Wahine waited through two games, then jumped ahead of UTEP with two runs in the bottom of the first. Keiki Carlos drove in UH’s first run and Jaramillo singled in pinch runner Sarah McAndrew with two out.

The Wahine added two runs in the second on Heather Morales’ bases-loaded double off the right-field fence. Lindsey Willmon drove in two more in the fifth with a double to right center and Ulu Matagiese and Jaramillo delivered RBI singles in UH’s three-run rally in the sixth.

"We made the adjustment early of moving up and into the plate, so we could see the ball early and try to be a little more aggressive," UH coach Bob Coolen said. "We changed our warm-up and worked on the outside pitch a lot and I think we got more right-field hits than we’ve had."

UH starter Brittany Hitchcock gave up two runs on six hits and struck out two over 4 2/3 innings and picked up the win. Aina Cabrales threw 2 1/3 innings of shutout relief to earn her first save of the season.

At Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium

Kanani Aina Cabrales, Heather Morales (3) and Kayla Wartner, Rachel Lack (3). Shelby Turnier, Jaime Ujvari (6) and Kayln Cenal. W–Turnier. L–Aina Cabrales.

Leading hitters–UCF: Linnea Goodman, 2-4, 3B, 2 RBIs; Jessica Ujvari, 2-3, HR; Samantha McCloskey, 2-2, 2B; Cenal, 2B; Farrah Sullivan, 2 RBIs.

Erika Harrawood, Danielle Pearson (5) and Kaitlin Ryder. Brittany Hitchcock, Kanani Aina Cabrales (5) and Kayla Wartner. W–Hitchcock. L–Harrawood. Sv–Aina Cabrales.

Leading hitters–UTEP: Kiki Pepi, RBI; Kawehiokalani Netane, 2-3; Pearson, 2-3, 2B, RBI. Hawaii: Lindsey Willmon, 2-4, 2B, 2 RBIs; Keiki Carlos, 2-3, RBI; Heather Morales, 2-4, 2B, 2 RBIs; Ulu Matagiese, 2-3, 2B, RBI; Sarina Jaramillo, 3-4, 2 RBI.

Sunday’s other scores
Washington 8, UTEP 3
Championship — UCF 4, Washington 2, 5 innings (time limit)
All-tournament team
Kalyn Cenal, UCF
Courtney Gano, Washington
Kelli Suguro, Washington
Taylor Van Zee, Washington
Ali Aguilar, Washington
Ashley Eldridge, UTEP
Linnea Goodman, UCF
Tahla Wade, UTEP
Casey Stangel, Washington
Sarina Jaramillo, Hawaii
Most valuable player — Van Zee
Most valuable pitcher–Mackenzie Audas, UCF