Hawaii softball coach Bob Coolen stuck with a hot lineup and Heather Morales remained on fire at the plate to send the Rainbow Wahine to their first win over a Pac-12 opponent this season.

Morales launched a three-run home run in the bottom of the first inning and pitcher Brittany Hitchcock protected the lead with a complete-game effort in UH’s 4-1 victory over Oregon State on Friday in the Outrigger Resorts Spring Fling Tournament at Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium.

After hitting a grand slam in UH’s comeback win against Longwood on Thursday, Morales drove a pitch over the left-field fence to give Hitchcock an early lead. That would be more than enough, as UH ran its winning streak to five while snapping an eight-game Oregon State run.

"It’s a matter of confidence and everybody right now has a sense of confidence and they’re passing it down to one another," Morales said.

The Rainbow Wahine (14-8) had gone 0-3 against the Pac-12 entering the tournament, with losses against UCLA, Washington and California. Their first scheduled meeting with Oregon State this week was canceled due to rain on Wednesday with the Beavers (18-6) leading 3-0 in the third inning. 

This time UH jumped ahead and Hitchcock worked out of trouble in the first three innings, surrendering one run while stranding seven OSU runners. She held the Beavers to just one hit over the last four innings and finished with six strikeouts and two walks. It was her third complete game of the season.

"That’s what I had in mind, to try to feed off yesterday’s win and continue to go out there like I was yesterday and confident in my pitches and just let it fly," said Hitchcock, who threw 41/3 innings of relief against Longwood.

Coolen also built on Thursday’s win by staying with the lineup that sparked UH’s rally from a seven-run deficit. Jordan Burton, who had played sparingly before igniting the Wahine offense with two hits off the bench in the comeback, stayed in the leadoff spot in her first start of the season. Kristina Akiona, who drove in the winning run, also returned to the starting lineup at third base.

Burton reached base in three of her four plate appearances and scored on Morales’ fourth homer of the season.

Morales’ blast gave her eight RBIs in a span of three plate appearances. She walked and singled later in the game.

"She’s on fire," Coolen said of the sophomore. "She’s a lot more positive, putting her in the No. 4 hole has really elevated her game."

Kapolei graduate Mikela Manewa went 2-for-3 in the leadoff spot and drove in Oregon State’s run with a single in the top of the second. 

But Hitchcock remained in control from there to improve to 6-3.

Beverly Miller and Hannah Akamine. Brittany Hitchcock and Kayla Wartner. W–Hitchcock. L–Miller.

Leading hitters–Oregon State: Mikela Manewa, 2-3, RBI; Lovie Lopez, 2-3, 2B. Hawaii: Wartner, 2-4, RBI; Heather Morales, 2-2, HR, 3 RBIs; Ulu Matagiese, 2-3. 

Friday

Utah 3, Longwood 2

East Carolina 4, Utah 0

Saturday 

East Carolina vs. Longwood, noon

East Carolina vs. Oregon State, 2 p.m.

Utah vs. Hawaii, 4 p.m.

Sunday 

Utah vs. Hawaii, noon

East Carolina vs. Hawaii, 2 p.m.