The University of Hawai'i softball team set a record last night.

Now it is hoping to make its mark.

The 23rd-ranked Rainbow Wahine are 24-6 following last night's 6-2 victory over No. 25 California in the Bank Of Hawai'i Invitational. Earlier yesterday, Liberty rallied for three runs in the sixth to beat the Rainbows, 4-3.

Against California, Kate Robinson hit a three-run homer and pitched a five-hit complete game.

Robinson's drive was the Rainbows' school-record 43rd home run of the season — they hit 42 in 58 games last year — and made it 4-2 in the third inning.

It also helped the Rainbows regain their focus.

Before the home run "everyone was talking about the record on the bench," UH coach Bob Coolen said. "I'm like, 'Just get rid of it. We don't need to go there.' Those are things you discuss at the end of the year, not during the middle of the year. We're not chasing anything. We're not trying to set this record or that record. We're trying to make the WAC championship, win it and make the NCAAs."

Those goals appear to be attainable, in part to Robinson, who has emerged as a power hitter and effective starting pitcher.

Robinson, who bats fifth in the lineup, makes it difficult for opponents to pitch around cleanup hitter Tyleen Tausaga.

"Kate is in a zone," Coolen said.

In the third, Tanisha Milca was hit by a pitch and, two outs later, Tausaga reached on a ground single to deep short. Robinson then smashed a 3-2 pitch off a light pole in left-center.

"I swung hard and made good contact," Robinson said.

Robinson's pitching took care of the rest. Mixing dropballs and risers to the inside part of the strike zone, Robinson struck out six and walked none. She had only one three-ball count.

"I felt good," said Robinson, a junior from Kamehameha Schools. "All of my pitches were working."

Robinson also has developed a strong working relationship with catcher Katie Grimes. UH rotated three catchers until about two weeks ago, when Coolen allowed each starting pitcher to choose a battery mate.

"I threw to her a couple of times early in the season," Robinson said of Grimes. "Bob asked me who I felt comfortable throwing to. She's the one."

Coolen empowers his catchers to make the pitch selections. Except for the third inning, Grimes had mapped out an effective strategy.

"(Robinson's) best pitch is her dropball," Grimes said. "She's always consistent with it. Her riseball is really good, too. That's mainly what we worked with. We also went with a couple of screwballs and a couple of curves."

Robinson also benefitted from an alert defense. The Rainbows turned two double plays, one initiated when second baseman Alana Powers caught a line drive. First baseman Tausaga also caught a liner while positioned six feet in front of the bag, and third baseman Clare Warwick had an acrobatic grab. In the seventh, a hard grounder ricocheted off Robinson's glove to Power, who threw out the batter.

"Everything worked out good," Robinson said.

Reach Stephen Tsai at stsai@honoluluadvertiser.com.