Box Score TURLOCK, CA – The Chaminade softball team opened the prestigious Tournament of Champions Presented by Mizuno with a thrilling 7-6, come-from-behind, win against San Francisco State, the first of two games played by the Silverswords on Friday.
Letisha Vaba (Stockton, CA) played the role of hero, delivering a clutch 2-out walk-off single to the right centerfield gap, bringing home
Chelsea Camello (Hilo, HI/Waiakea) and
Elia Lizarraga (Torrance, CA/Narbonne) to win the game.
The Swords improved to 19-14 on the season and have won 13 of their last 14 games. The Gators, who are 6-1 against teams ranked in the NCAA Division II Top 25 this season, fell to 14-22, extending an 11-game losing streak.
The Gators struck first in the top of the second inning on a pair of back-to-back 2-out singles. An error brought home the runner from third as the Gators jumped out to a 1-0 lead.
The Sword responded in the bottom half of the frame as
Tumamaopavaiai Enos (Pahoa, HI/Pahoa) led off with a double to left and was pinch-run for by
Brianne Hornos (Lihue, HI/Kaua'i).
Elia Lizarraga (Torrance, CA/Narbonne) moved Hornos over to third on a sacrifice bunt. Two batters later with runners on the corners and two outs,
Ashley Phelps (Torrance, CA/South) delivered a double down the right field line, bringing Hornos to the plate to tie the game at 1. Then
Shannan Hokama (Torrance, CA/South) hit an infield single, bringing home
Letisha Vaba (Stockton, CA) to give the Swords a 2-1 lead.
Kori Berinobis (Kaneohe, HI/Castle) would give CUH a 3-1 lead when she doubled to left, bringing Phelps home.
Chaminade had a chance to plate more runs, putting runners at second and third with one out in the third, as Vaba lifted a fly ball to center, but
Aja Keyes (Kaneohe, HI/Lutheran), who was at third base, was called out for leaving the bag early for an inning-ending double play.
SFSU got to within a run in the fifth, as an Ashley Huff lead-off walk, followed by back-to-back errors, put her at third base. Courtney Gravel brought Huff home on a groundout to first, cutting the Swords' lead to 3-2.
The Swords replied in their half of the fifth, when Enos blasted her third homer of the season, a 2-run run shot to center, putting Chaminade up, 5-2.
However, the Gators pulled to within a run in the top of the sixth when pinch-hitter Marisa Andrade hit a 2-run single to center field, cutting the deficit to 5-4.
The Gators, however, took the lead in the top of the seventh. A lead-off single by Gaby Reta, an infield error, followed by a sacrifice bunt, put runners at second and third with one out. Lucy Fernandez tied the game at 5 with an RBI sacrifice fly to left, bringing Reta home. After a walk, Kelsey Murakami gave San Francisco State a 6-5 lead on a single to right, bringing home Courtney Gravel.
But the Swords, who have manufactured several come-from-behind wins this season, would work more magic in the seventh. Down to their last out, Enos was hit by a pitch and replaced by Camello on the base paths. Lizarraga walked, moving Camello to second. Vaba then took the first pitch she saw, placing it into the right center gap for the walk-off winner.
CUH starter
Brett Aspel (Redondo Beach, CA/Redondo Union) earned the win, improving to 11-8 on the season. Emily Gibson (3-11) took the loss for the Gators. Aspel pitched the complete game win, scattering nine hits, allowing only two earned runs, walking two and striking out one.
Enos went 3-for-3 with a homer with two RBIs and a run scored. Berinobis was 2-for-4 with an RBI and a stolen base.
