Box Score WAIPIO, HI – After falling in Game 3, 8-0 in five innings, the Swords rallied for a come-from-behind win to salvage a game from the 4-game series against first place Grand Canyon, winning 6-5.
In Game 1, the Antelopes jumped out quickly with three straight base hits to open the first inning. Claire Zampini singled home Kayla Henry to open the scoring. Two batters later, Kailey Regester brought Zampini home on an RB Isingle to make it 2-0 Lopes. An error by CUH brought home another run and it was 3-0 GCU before the Swords got an at bat.
That's all GCU starter Stephanie Pesquiera needed as she allowed only two base hits in her four innings of work, although the Swords were able to put some pressure on her with runners in scoring position twice in the game. CUH's
Brett Aspel (Redondo Beach, Calif./ Redondo Union) took the loss to drop her to 3-7 on the season, while Pesquiera improved to 10-3.
In the second game, the Antelopes again jumped out to a 3-0 lead with two runs in the first and one in the second.
The score remained 3-0 until the fourth when the Swords' bats made its presence felt. Chaminade loaded the bases against starter Kiki Sepulveda, then
Samantha Ford (Honolulu, HI/Word of Life) delivered the big blow with a bases-clearing triple to center to the tie the game at 3.
Ashley Phelps (Torrance, Calif./South) continued the hit parade with a bloop double down the right field line, bringing Ford home to give the Swords the lead, 4-3. Two batters later,
Rayna Strom-Okimoto (Aiea, HI/Aiea) brought Phelps home on a double to right center.
Grand Canyon would rally in the top of the sixth, tying the game at 5 with a Lauren Regester RBI single and Kailey Regester's fielder's choice brought home Zampini.
The Swords answered in the bottom of the frame when Ford and Phelps reached on infield singles. Ford then reached third on a throwing error to first by the catcher and
Shannan Hokama (Torrance, Calif./South) brought the go-ahead run with a sacrifice fly to left, scoring Ford.
CUH hurler
Kaitlyn Watanabe would finish her complete game by retiring the Lopes in order in the top of the seventh to improve to 4-5 on the season. Pesquiera took the loss, falling to 10-4.
The split against the first place Antelopes brought CUH to 7-13 on the season, 3-7 in the Pac West, while Grand Canyon is now 22-7 and 10-2.
Chaminade faces BYU-Hawai'i in a Pac West doubleheader on Saturday, with first pitch scheduled for 10 a.m. HST.
