Hawaii drops Big West softball opener

A slow start offensively proved costly for the Rainbow Wahine softball team in its Big West opener, as UH fell to UC Santa Barbara 5-2 at Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium on Friday.

Gauchos pitcher Camryn Snyder allowed just three Hawaii baserunners through the first four innings, two coming via walks and one on a fielder’s choice. Meanwhile, the Gauchos (14-8, 1-0 Big West) were able to scratch out four runs in the first five innings as Hawaii starter Brianna Lopez was tagged for seven hits and four runs.

Hawaii (17-10, 0-1) got on the board in the fifth, as Mya’Liah Bethea blasted a solo home run off Snyder to right center. In the seventh, Chloe Borges hit another solo shot off Snyder, but Hawaii could not muster any sustained offense against Snyder, who earned the win by scattering four hits with seven strikeouts in a complete game.

Hawaii will face the Gauchos again today in a doubleheader, with the first game starting at 2 p.m.

USC throttles Hawaii in water polo

The fifth-ranked Rainbow Wahine water polo team was handed a blowout loss against the second-ranked USC Trojans, falling 16-7 on Friday at the Duke Kahanamoku Aquatic Complex.

The Trojans (18-1) scored the first two goals of the game before Hawaii’s Alba Bonamusa Boix got Hawaii on the board just before the first period ended. After Hawaii (13-3) evened the score early in the second, the Trojans scored four more goals to stake a 6-3 lead at the half. Olivia Kistler scored a goal for Hawaii in the second.

In the second half, the Trojans took control, pouring in 10 goals to pull away from the Rainbow Wahine. Bayley Weber and Mireia Guiral each scored a pair of goals in the second half for the Trojans, who had eight players score in the half.

Weber and Tilly Kearns each finished with three goals for the Trojans, with Grace Tehaney and Guiral each adding two. Bia Mantellato Dias had three goals for the Rainbow Wahine, with Kistler adding two. Bonamusa Boix and Lucia Gomez de la Puente each had a goal.