A sour Saturday for the starters of the Hawaii softball team caused the Rainbow Wahine to drop a Big West series for the first time this season.

Ace Brianna Lopez and No. 2 starter Key-annah Campbell-Pua were chased in the first inning of their respective starts as Cal State Northridge swept a doubleheader, 8-5 and 11-1, at Matador Diamond, with the latter game lasting just five mercy-shortened innings.

CSUN (12-14, 4-2 Big West) took the series 2-1 after UH (20-12, 3-3) won handily in the opener Friday.

UH dropped into a tie for fifth place after two conference series.

The surprise was the ineffectiveness of the two Wahine starters, who combined to record just a single out.

Campbell-Pua, a freshman who already has a collegiate no-hitter to her name, faced four batters in the first game of the day, giving up two hits – including a three-run homer to Kaylee Escutia – and two walks before exiting without recording an out.

Millie Fidge came on in relief and lasted 3 2/3 innings before being chased herself in the fourth. McKenna Kostyszyn finished off the game with 2 1/3 scoreless innings of relief. UH made up three runs across the fifth and sixth with a homer by Ka‘ena Keliinoi and a double by Xiao Gin, but could not fully close the gap.

Campbell-Pua dropped to 8-4 with the loss.

Lopez, an All-BWC first-teamer who came into the game with a 10-4 record, got the win in Friday’s 12-3 victory in five innings. But she gave up six combined walks and hits over three innings in that one and those struggles continued into Saturday’s nightcap.

Lopez recorded just one out in being charged with three hits, one walk and three earned runs as part of a nightmare nine-run first inning for the Matadors. UH committed four errors in the inning for the bulk of the damage. Chloe Borges went the remaining 3 2/3.

CSUN’s Lauryn Carranco (1-4) picked up her first win of the season in holding UH to four singles in 4 1/3 innings.

UH returns to Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium this week to face UC San Diego (13-15, 3-1) on Friday and Saturday.

Brian McInnis covers the state's sports scene for Spectrum News Hawaii. He can be reached at brian.mcinnis@charter.com.