HONOLULU — A pivotal series against rival Long Beach State started with promise for the Hawaii softball team. It ended in disaster.

UH claimed Friday’s three-game series opener, 7-3, keeping it within striking distance of the top of the Big West standings approaching the end of the regular season. Then the Rainbow Wahine took a two-run lead in Saturday’s first game of a doubleheader at Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium, highlighted by Maycen Gibbs’ first career home run.

Notably, ace Brianna Lopez had yielded only two walks and no hits through five innings.

That changed with a crack of the bat by LBSU leadoff hitter Sara Olson. Her solo homer kicked off a six-run Beach inning that chased Lopez and resulted in a 6-2 loss for the Rainbow Wahine.

UH had about a half hour to shake that off between games, but Saturday’s nightcap started off foul for the Wahine and never got better. LBSU put together two four-run innings, the second and the fifth, to get to starter Key-annah Campbell-Pua and beat UH 8-0 in a mercy-shortened five-inning game. Eryka Gonzales tossed the four-hit shutout for LBSU.

The Wahine (29-18, 12-9 Big West) began the day just a game back from the Beach for second place. They finished it three games back from LBSU (25-21, 15-6) and five behind leader Cal State Fullerton (30-16, 17-4) with six games to play — including next week at CSUF.

“We have to sweep (next Friday and Saturday),” Bob Coolen told Spectrum Sports. “Last year we swept Fullerton, but I’m sure they circled us coming into town for both of those dates. They’re big, red circles on that calendar saying ‘here comes Hawaii.’”

Campbell-Pua (11-6) and Lopez (15-9) had their regular roles switched this week because Lopez was feeling under the weather during the week.

Coolen said the team would adjust its practice routine at the start of the week due to the HHSAA softball tournament at RWSS before it leaves for the mainland on Wednesday.

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