Leisha Li’ili’i drove in fellow senior Kayla Wartner with the go-ahead run in the top of the seventh inning and the University of Hawaii softball team knocked off Big West leader Cal State Northridge 4-3 to open a three-game series on Friday in Northridge, Calif.

After Li’ili’i delivered the tie-breaking single, Rainbow Wahine freshman Brittany Hitchcock retired CSUN in order in the bottom of the seventh to earn a complete-game victory and UH (28-21, 9-7 Big West) slowed CSUN’s charge toward the conference championship.

With the loss, CSUN’s magic number remained at one to clinch a tie for the Big West title and two to claim its first outright crown since 1998. The series concludes with a doubleheader on Saturday starting at 10 a.m. Hawaii time at Matador Diamond.

Hitchcock (15-7) gave up six hits to the Big West’s most productive offense, struck out one and walked three. She weathered a three-run Matadors rally in the bottom of the fourth, escaped a bases-loaded jam in the sixth and shut down CSUN (39-12, 14-2) in the seventh to finish off her 12th complete game of the season.

"Brittany kept pitching real well," UH coach Bob Coolen said. "She was getting a little bummed out on the mound because we kept making mistakes behind her. … They got the tying in the next inning and the winning run in the last inning. That was a credit to them for not giving up."

UH trailed 3-2 going into the sixth inning and Matadors starter Brianna Elder got two quick outs before Rachel Lack drew a walk. Lindsey Willmon singled and Ulu Matagiese worked another walk to load the bases. Elder then hit Tayana Mata to bring in Lack with the tying run.

After Hitchcock left the bases loaded in the bottom of the sixth, Wartner walked to lead off the seventh and advanced on Heather Morales’ sacrifice bunt. 

"That’s what we’ve been doing and I think they were surprised because they never really came up and played us tight to get the runner at second," Coolen said.

Li’ili’i then singled to center off of CSUN reliever Jordan Sauceda (2-2) and Wartner slid around the tag at the plate.

"We gave (Li’ili’i) a hit-and-run again with a runner on second and she extended to the ball," Coolen said.

Brittany Hitchcock and Kayla Wartner. Brianna Elder, Jordan Sauceda (6) and Katie Hooper. 

W–Hitchcock. L–Sauceda.

Leading hitters–Hawaii: Wartner, 2B, RBI; Leisha Li’ili’i, 2-4, RBI; Tayana Mata, RBI. CSUN: Sauceda, 2-3; Hooper, 2-4, 2B; Maylynn Mitchell, RBI; Taylor Nate, RBI.

Friday

Hawaii 4, CSUN 3

Saturday

CSU Fullerton at UC Davis (DH), 9 a.m.

UC Riverside at UC S.Barbara (DH), 9 a.m.

Long Beach State at Cal Poly (DH), 9 a.m.

Hawaii at CSUN (DH), 10 a.m.

Sunday

Cal State Fullerton at UC Davis, 9 a.m.

UC Riverside at UC Santa Barbara, 9 a.m.

Long Beach State at Cal Poly, 9 a.m.