Long Beach State had the last word on Hawaii in the first Big West series of 2025.

The Beach swept a Saturday doubleheader from the Rainbow Wahine, 8-3 and 9-1, to take the three-game series 2-1 after UH surprised the preseason Big West favorites at Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium on Friday night.

UH (15-10, 1-2 BWC) next takes on Cal State Northridge in Northridge, Calif., Friday and Saturday at 10 a.m. Hawaii time both days. The Matadors (10-12, 3-0) swept Cal Poly over the weekend.

Bob Coolen’s No. 2 starter Macy Brandl (6-4) lasted six innings in the first game Saturday but yielded seven runs (six earned) on eight hits in the process.

Wahine ace Addison Kostrencich (8-5), who was victorious against her former program on Friday, was unable to replicate it and exited after just 1 2/3 innings thrown in the final game of the series.

Millie Fidge made two relief appearances on the day.

First baseman Jamie McGaughey went 3-for-3 in Saturday’s first game, including her team-best sixth home run of the season in the first inning to tie the game at 2-2. Kiyara-Leigh Tuiloma added an RBI single in the second and UH claimed a temporary 3-2 lead.

Makayla Medellin got to Brandl with a two-run shot in the fifth and the Beach poured it on with four runs in the top of the seventh.

LBSU (11-9, 2-1) four-hit the Wahine behind a complete game from Kate Barnett in the series finale. Selena Perez hit home runs in the second and fourth innings and Medellin’s bases-clearing double in the sixth pushed the game to mercy rule territory.

UH’s only score was on Milan Ah Yat’s bases-loaded walk in the fifth.

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