KANEOHE, Hawaii -- Sophomore Alyssa Flores delivered a two-out, game-winning RBI in the eighth inning as the visiting Coyotes upset No. 8-ranked and defending NCAA champion Hawaii Pacific in the opening round of the NCAA West 2 Regional on Friday afternoon.

The Coyotes, now 33-22, will play Sonoma State at 2 p.m. PDT Saturday. The Seawolves defeated Dixie (Utah) State 3-2 in eight innings.

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The extra-inning victory left head coach Tacy Duncan exhilirated.

"We believed in each other and to play so well after a three-week break is unbelievable,'' Duncan said. "That was a concern going in. You can go right down the line with key people stepping up. Britney Butler, Cassidy Lee and Alyssa Flores. People were pulling for each other and we never gave up.''

Butler gave the Coyotes the early lead when she ripped a two-run home run in the fourth inning off HPU ace Britni Patton (23-3). After Felicia Cervantes led off the inning with a ground out, senior Priscilla Curiel reached base on a single through the left side. That brought up Butler, who delivered the big shot to left center.

"Britney is a prime example of not giving up and not hanging your head,'' Duncan said. "She had the bases loaded in the first inning and popped out to end the inning. But she didn't give up. And the next time she gets up to bat, she gets the job done with a two-run shot.''

HPU got one run back in the fourth and tied the game at 2-2 in the fifth.

CSUSB threatened in the sixth when they had bases loaded with one out. But Courtney Wilhelms' fielder's choice on a home to second earned a force out and Stefanie Pace lined out to left to end the threat.

HPU also had a solid threat in the sixth, but an inning-ending double play on a fly out to center fielder Jacquelyn Holtzclaw ended the inning when she gunned out the runner at first, who left early.

The game went into extra innings and Flores brought in the run. Cervantes led off the inning with a walk, but Curiel struck out and Butler fouled out to first. That brought up Wilhelms, who singled through the left side, pushing Cervantes to second.

That brought up Flores, who hammered a single to center to score Cervantes.

Earlier in the game, Flores was 0-for-2 at the plate and Duncan pinch-hit for her in the sixth with Pace.

But she brought back Flores and she delivered with the big hit.

"Good things happen when you keep your head in the game and believe in the team,'' Duncan said. "Alyssa got another chance and she made the most of it. She didn't pout when I pinch-hit for her. She kept her head in the game, got another shot and made it happen.''

Senior LHP Cassidy Lee (15-8) was outstanding in her start for the Coyotes. The Burnaby, British Columbia, native threw seven innings, struck out four batters and walked just one.

"Cassidy played with tremendous leadership today,'' Duncan said. "She dodged trouble and really showed a lot of composure on the mound. They had a runner at third in the eighth.''

But Lee forced the game-ending play on a ground out to 2B Butler to end the game.