HONOLULU – The Chaminade University softball team concluded the fall Kama'aina Tournament with a split double-header at the University of Hawai'i-Manoa's Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium on Saturday.
The Silverswords lost both games, falling to Hawai'i-Hilo, 15-0, in the first, then to host Hawai'i-Manoa, 16-1, in the nightcap. The exhibition games were played for each team's self-evaluations as all four schools in the tournament gear for the spring championship seasons and featured unlimited substitutions and no run-rule.
Game 1 (UH-Hilo 15, Chaminade 0)The Vulcans were able to string together three big innings to beat the Swords in the opening morning game. All three of Chaminade's hits were singles, two coming in the fourth inning as the Swords looked to mount a scoring threat.
Ashley Phelps and
Shannan Hokama led off the inning with back-to-back singles, but Chaminade left them stranded.
In the sixth, an error allowed
Elia Lizarraga to get to second base, followed by an
Aja Keyes walk, but again, both were left on base.
Starter
Kaitlyn Watanabe was charged with the loss, lasting 4 2/3 innings on four runs and six hits with a walk and two strikeouts.
Game 2 (UH-Manoa 16, Chaminade 1)Although the Silverswords found themselves outgunned in the afternoon feature game by the Rainbow Wahine, one of the top home run hitting teams in the Division I ranks, the Swords managed to piece together five hits, the most by any of UH's opponent in the tournament.
The Swords most productive inning came in top of the third.
Jenn Betian led off with a walk then stole second.
Sierra Mendiola then hit a deep fly ball to right center which bounced off the fence. Betian, meanwhile, had to hold up to see if the ball was going to be caught, but it ended up bouncing off the fence as Betian could only advance to third while Mendiola raced to second. Lizarraga then got the Swords on the board, slapping a two-out single to left field to bring home Betian. Lizarraga's RBI was significant as the hit was the only run allowed by UH in the tournament.
Chaminade mounted another scoring threat in the fifth as Betian reached on an error, followed by a
Kristiann Endow single to left. Mendiola's groundout moved them up a base with one out, but both were left stranded to end the inning.
Keyes and
Ciana Russ were the other two Silverswords who got hits off Hawai'i pitching.
Watanabe, in a relief role, was able to bounce back after shaky second and third innings by retiring the side in order in the fourth. Meanwhile,
Marisella Rodriguez was also able to induce a 1-2-3 sixth inning.
The tournament also wrapped up Chaminade's fall non-championship exhibition schedule. The Swords will open their 2015 spring championship season in early February against Gustavus Adolphus. The rest of the spring schedule will be released later this month.
