HONOLULU – Chaminade fans got to see an early preview of the 2014 softball team as the Silverswords took to the field for the first time in exhibition play at the Kama'aina Classic at the Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium on Friday.
Playing a doubleheader, the Swords - carrying a program-record 22 players on the roster with eight first-year players - lost to Division I power Hawai'i, 15-2, in the first game, but came back to down Pacific West Conference rival BYU-Hawai'i, 4-2, in their second.
In the opening game, the Swords, facing their neighbors right down Waialae Avenue, got tagged right off the bat as the Rainbow Wahine sent 11 batters to the plate in the first inning as UH opened up a 7-0 lead.
In the Chaminade second,
Aja Keyes led off with a single.
Kristiann Endow then grounded to third, but the third baseman's throw trying to get Keyes at second, sailed past the second baseman, traveling all the way to the right-center fence, allowing Keyes to score and Endow stopping at third. Two batters and two outs later,
Ashley Phelps got on board by an error, which brought home Endow, cutting the Rainbow Wahine lead to 7-2.
But that would be all for the Swords as UH pitchers Brittany Hancock and Loie Kesterson would hold CUH hitless the rest of the way.
Brett Aspel was tagged with the loss after allowing 11 runs (nine earned) in 2.1 innings.
Hawai'i, among the nation's leaders in home runs in Division I annually, powered out four, two by Sharla Kliebenstein.
But in Game 2, against a fellow Division II foe in BYUH, the Swords fared much better.
Shannan Hokama and
Elia Lizarraga opened the first inning with walks. Two outs later,
Theresa Capllonch (who played for Chaminade two seasons ago, transferred to UH-Manoa for school reasons last year, then returned to CUH this year), laced an RBI single to left, bringing Lizarraga home as Chaminade led, 1-0.
The Seasiders responded in their half of the first when Tiffany Smith singled and stole second. But the speedster was thrown out by Phelps trying to steal third. BYUH, however, would tie the game later in the inning on a bases-loaded fielding error.
In the third, Capllonch would deliver again, singling up the middle with two outs, driving home Jenn Betian, who was hit by a pitch earlier in the inning.
The Seasiders tied it in the fifth on Kaylyn Latu's bases loaded sacrifice fly off
Marisella Rodriguez. Aspel would be summoned from the bullpen to begin the BYUH sixth and produced a perfect inning.
Then in the top of the seventh, Capllonch led off with a walk, followed by Endow's bunt single to third.
Samantha Ford then moved up both runners on a sac bunt. Phelps took advantage with the RBI single to center, allowing Capllonch to score the go-ahead run, making it 3-2. Kaleen Terayama walked to load the bases, then two batters later, Lizarraga walked bringing in the second Swords' run of the inning.
Aspel then completed the task in the bottom of seventh with her second straight perfect inning to secure the win. The Seasiders' Keaga Hanny took the loss.
Capllonch, a career-.155 hitter at Chaminade, went 2-for-2 against the Seasiders with two RBIs. Endow, Phelps and Terayama each had a base hit for CUH.
Chaminade returns to Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium on Saturday for the finale of the Kama'aina Classic. The Swords face Hawai'i at noon, then concludes their non-championship season against BYUH at 2 p.m.
Chaminade-UH Box Score
Chaminade-BYUH Box Score
