| Game 7: No. 1 seed Cal State Fullerton 6, No. 4 seed Hawai'i 4 |
Championship Central |
Box Score |
CSF Presser | Interactive Bracket
FULLERTON, Calif. — No. 1 seed Cal State Fullerton Titans used a late offensive push to defeat No. 2 seed Hawai'i Rainbow Wahine, 6-4, in Game 7 of the 2026 Big West Softball Championship at Anderson Family Field on the campus of Cal State Fullerton. The Titans overcame an early 4-2 deficit by scoring two runs in the fifth inning before plating the decisive pair in the bottom of the seventh.
CSF finished with nine hits, including two home runs, while the Rainbow Wahine were limited to five hits despite drawing six walks.
Colby McClinton powered the Titans’ offense with an unblemished performance (3-for-3), blasting two home runs and driving in four of CSF’s six runs. The sophomore opened the scoring with a two-run homer in the first inning before delivering the game-winning two-run shot in the seventh. Sarah Perez added a 2-for-4 outing with two runs scored and three assists defensively at shortstop. Alexia Lopez contributed an RBI single, while Ava Arce, Lulu Sanchez, and Kate Verhoef each added hits.
After allowing four runs over the first two innings, the Titans’ pitching staff settled in. Eva Hurtado struck out one across two innings before Trisha McCleskey shut the door in relief, tossing five scoreless innings while allowing just two hits and striking out two. McCleskey retired 10 of the final 12 batters faced to improve to 17-9 on the season.
Millie Fidge led Hawai’i offensively, going 2-for-4 with a double, a two-run home run, and two RBIs. Carys Murakami also recorded two hits and drove in a run, while Jamie McGaughey scored once and drew a walk. Keely Kai added a hit behind the plate, and Rhea Furtado scored once after drawing a walk. Hannah Pitts worked 6.2 innings in the circle, striking out five while throwing 102 pitches.
Cal State Fullerton improved to 39-13 overall and advanced to the championship final with an undefeated record in the winner’s bracket (2-0), while Hawai’i moved to 30-19 and awaited its next elimination game.
Gallery: (5-8-2026) 26 SB: No. 1 CSF vs No. 2 UH
| Game 8: No. 3 seed UC Santa Barbara 13, No. 5 seed Long Beach State 10 |
Championship Central |
Box Score |
LBSU Presser |
Interactive Bracket
No. 2 seed Hawai'i edged No. 3 seed UC Santa Barbara, 2-0, in Game 5 of the 2026 Big West Softball Championship behind a complete-game shutout from
Taryn Irimata at Anderson Family Field. Hawai'i scored once in the first inning and added an insurance run in the second before the pitching staff held off multiple Gaucho scoring threats.
Irimata was dominant in the circle, throwing all seven innings while allowing nine hits and striking out four. The sophomore stranded 10 runners and did not allow an extra-base hit after the fourth inning to secure the shutout victory.
Carys Murakami paced the Rainbow Wahine offense with two hits, including a double, and one RBI. Millie Fidge also recorded two hits and drove in a run, while Kayara Tuiloma scored once after reaching base in the second inning. Bailey Nagasako added a pinch-hit double late in the contest.
UC Santa Barbara totaled nine hits but was unable to push a run across. Dani Rauscher led the Gauchos with three hits, while Emily Carr and Giselle Mejia each added two-hit performances. Sophia Clark kept UCSB within striking distance, allowing just two runs across 5.2 innings in the circle.
Hawai'i improved to 30-18 overall and advanced to Friday's winner's bracket semifinal against top-seeded CSF, while UCSB moved into the elimination bracket to continue the championship.
Gallery: (5-8-2026) 26 SB: No. 3 UCSB vs. No. 5 LBSU
| Game 9: No. 3 seed UC Santa Barbara 8, No. 2 seed Hawai'i 6 |
Championship Central |
Box Score |
UCSB Presser |
UH Presser |
Interactive Bracket
No. 3 seed UC Santa Barbara Gauchos survived a slugfest against No. 5 seed Long Beach State Beach, winning 13-10 in Game 8 of the 2026 Big West Softball Championship at Anderson Family Field.
The Gauchos erupted for seven runs in the opening inning and totaled 17 hits, including two home runs, two doubles, and 12 RBIs. LBSU answered with 12 hits and scored in six of the seven innings, but UCSB’s early offensive burst proved to be enough.
Ainsley Waddell delivered one of the top offensive performances of the tournament, going 2-for-4 with a three-run home run and five RBIs. Ella Myers added a 2-for-4 effort with a three-run homer and three RBIs, while Bella Fuentes finished 3-for-4 with a double, an RBI, and two runs scored. Dani Rauscher collected three hits and drove in a run from the leadoff spot, and Tehya Banks added two hits, an RBI, a stolen base, and four assists defensively. Delaina Ma’ae reached base three times with two hits and a walk, while Giselle Mejia scored three runs and added two hits.
Sophia Clark earned the win in relief, allowing three runs over four innings while striking out two. Malaya Johnson started in the circle, surrendering seven runs across three innings before handing the game over to Clark.
Long Beach State’s offense kept pressure on throughout the contest. Audree Mendoza launched a three-run home run and scored twice, while Avery Weisbrook went 2-for-4 with three runs scored and a double. Nina Sepulveda recorded three hits and an RBI, Lina Apodaca added two hits and an RBI, and Brooklyn Lee doubled and drove in a run. Miranda Gonzales provided a late spark with a pinch-hit solo home run in the seventh inning.
UC Santa Barbara improved to 30-25 overall and advanced in the elimination bracket, while Long Beach State concluded its season at 31-23.
Gallery: (5-8-2026) 26 SB: No. 3 UCSB vs No. 2 UH