Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 AZUSA, Calif. – For the second consecutive day, the Chaminade University softball team found themselves on the wrong end of a Pacific West Conference doubleheader sweep at Azusa Pacific.
The Cougars (26-11 overall, 14-8 PacWest) swept the Silverswords on Thursday, 21-0 in five innings, and 6-3, as Chaminade (7-17, 6-14) saw its losing streak extended to nine games, the program's longest in four years.
Samantha Ford and
Sierra Mendiola had two hits in the twinbill for Chaminade.
Game 1
APU wasted no time in their half of the first inning, scoring two runs, as the first four Cougars singled off Silverswords' starter
Marisella Rodriguez, who made her first career start. The redshirt freshman from Pearl City was pulled for
Brett Aspel after the first four batters, without recording an out. Aspel managed to retire the first two batters she faced, but her pitching counterpart, Narissa Garcia, doubled to drive in a run, followed by a two-run homer by Renae Chappelle. After the dust settled in the first, APU had plated six runs.
The Cougars continued their hitting attack in the second, getting three runs off Aspel as
Kaitlyn Watanabe was summoned from the bullpen. APU continued to add crooked numbers with two runs in the third, then chased Watanabe from the circle with a 10-run fourth inning, all with one out.
Chelsea Camello relieved Watanabe and put out the fire, recording the final two outs of the inning.
The only scoring threat by the 'Swords came in their half of the fourth when Ford ended Garcia's no-hit bid with a one-out double to left. She would make it to third, but was stranded there.
Garcia (9-4) struck out eight in her complete game effort, allowing only three base runners. Rodriguez (0-1) took the loss. The Silverswords also hurt themselves with four errors.
Madison Hernandez and Jessica Melcher each had four RBI for the Cougars, who pounded out 20 hits, the most allowed by the 'Swords this season. Ford and Mendiola got the only hits of the game for Chaminade, while
Jenn Betian was the only other Silversword to get on base via a walk.
The Game 1 loss was the most runs allowed by the 'Swords since Hawai'i Pacific put up 21 in April 2010 and was the largest margin of defeat since April 2007 when the Sea Warriors beat them by 23.
Game 2
Unlike the first game, the Silverswords got to work right away on APU starter Destinee Levesque.
Elia Lizarraga drew a one-out walk in the top of the first, followed by back-to-back singles from Ford and
Aja Keyes to load the bases. Betian's sacrifice fly to right plated Lizarraga, putting Chaminade up 1-0, the first lead for the 'Swords in the series.
But the lead was short-lived as Janelle Eccles hit a two-out, two-run single to left center off Camello in the bottom of the first to give APU a 2-1 lead. The sophomore from Hilo, Hawai'i making her first start of the year, got out of a jam with runners at first and second, getting Garcia to hit a slow roller to second baseman
Kristiann Endow for the final out of the frame.
The Cougars added a run in the third, then chased Camello from the circle in the fourth when Nicki Sprague made it 5-1 on a two-out, two-run double to the left center gap. Madison Hernandez then greeted Camello's replacement, Rodriguez, with an RBI single to left, making it 6-1.
The 'Swords finally got to Levesque in the fifth as
Nicole Erichsen led off with a single up the middle. Endow then drove in Erichsen, getting only her second extra base hit of the season as she tripled off the right field wall. Mendiola followed with a single to left, driving in Endow for the second run, making it 6-3, the sophomore's first RBI of the season.
Ashley Phelps made it four consecutive base knocks with a single to right, chasing Levesque from the game, in favor of Cougars' ace, Carly Xepoleas, with Silverswords at first and second with no out and the tying run at the plate. The freshman lefty then got a lineout, pop up and ground out to quell the Silverswords' threat, preserving the Cougars' lead.
Xepoleas would shut the door on Chaminade the rest of the way, retiring all nine batters she faced, earning her fourth save of the season. Levesque (8-4) got the win, striking out six, allowing seven hits with a walk. Sprague went 3-for-3 with three runs and two RBI.
Despite being charged with the loss, five of the six runs Camello (1-2) allowed were unearned, lowering her ERA to 3.57. Seven 'Swords got one hit each with Betian, Endow and Mendiola getting RBIs.
Chaminade also committed eight total errors in the four-game series. In contrast, Azusa Pacific made only two.
Things don't get any easier for the Silverswords as they visit California Baptist on Saturday for a two-game series starting at 12 p.m. PDT. The Lancers moved up one spot to No. 2 in the latest NFCA Coaches Top 25 Poll released Wednesday.
