Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 RIVERSIDE, Calif. – The Chaminade University softball team faced perhaps their toughest challenge in the 2014 season, taking on Pacific West Conference-leading California Baptist on Saturday.
Despite a 10.5-game lead by CBU over Chaminade in the PacWest standings and streaks by both teams going in opposite directions, the Silverswords demonstrated grit at John C. Funk Stadium.
California Baptist, ranked second in the nation according to the NFCA Coaches Poll, rallied to win Game 1, 8-2, then hung on to win the second, 3-1.
The Silverswords (7-19 overall, 6-16 PacWest) saw their losing streak extended to 11 games, the longest since 2008. The Lancers (32-7, 19-5) have now won 12 straight.
Junior catcher
Ashley Phelps went 4-for-7 with an RBI in the twinbill, raising her batting average to .373 on the year. She also picked off a runner in Game 2, giving her four on the season.
"I'm proud of our team," Silverswords head coach
Kent Yamaguchi said. "They went head to head with a really good CBU team. We had our chances to win."
Game 1
The Silverswords got started in the second inning on
Ciana Russ' lead-off double. Two batters later,
Kristiann Endow walked then Lancers' pitcher Belinda Renne mishandled
Kaleen Terayama's comebacker.
Sierra Mendiola drew a bases-loaded walk, allowing Russ to trot home for the game's first run. Phelps then doubled down the left field line to drive in Endow, but Terayama was thrown out at the plate trying to score on the play. However, the 'Swords held a 2-0 lead.
The Lancers got Chaminade starter
Brett Aspel in some trouble in the third with a lead-off double and a single to put runners at the corners with no outs. The 'Swords then benefited from heads-up defense when shortstop
Jenn Betian snagged Marshean August's liner, then fired to first baseman
Aja Keyes for a double play. CBU managed to tie the game at 2 on RBI hits from Krista Mann and Savannah Miller.
CBU then took its first lead of the game in the fourth on Rachel Meyer's two-out solo homer. The Lancers tacked on another run in the frame on an error and managed to load the bases but Aspel got Miller to fly out to left to end the inning with the Lancers up, 4-2.
CBU loaded the bases with one out, prompting
Marisella Rodriguez to get the call from the bullpen. But the Lancers still added on two more runs in the frame, both charged to Aspel, taking a 6-2 advantage.
Meanwhile, Renne (20-3) shut the door on the Silverswords after allowing the two runs in the second, retiring 16 of the last 17 batters she faced. She allowed singles by Phelps in the fourth and another to
Sierra Mendiola in the seventh. Renne surrendered four hits and three walks with six strikeouts. Clutch hitting proved to be key for CBU as all eight runs came with two outs.
Aspel (3-11) was tagged with the loss, allowing six runs, five earned, on eight hits in 4.1 innings with three walks and a strikeout.
Phelps got two of the three hits for Chaminade in Game 1.
Game 2
The Lancers took a 2-0 lead in the first inning off Kailey Willingham's two-run single.
The 'Swords closed the gap to 2-1 in the fourth on
Aja Keyes' double to right center which brought home
Samantha Ford.
CUH starter
Kaitlyn Watanabe encountered trouble in fifth when the Lancers' loaded the bases with a pair of hits and a walk with two outs. Cheslea Camello was summoned from the pen and extinguished the fire, getting August to fly out to left, leaving the deficit at one run.
In the fifth, a Mendiola walk and a Phelps single put runners at first and second, but the 'Swords were unable to bring the tying run across. Then in the bottom of the fifth, Krista Mann led off with a solo homer to left center, making it 3-1.
The Silverswords mounted a major threat in the sixth as Ford and Keyes led off the inning with back-to-back singles.
Theresa Capllonch then delivered a one-bagger to center, but Ford was held at third. With the bases loaded and one out, Mendiola popped out to second, but Keyes was doubled off, ending the inning.
CBU starter Kayla Hatch then retired the 'Swords in order in the seventh to end the game.
Hatch (12-3) allowed one run, scattering six hits with two walks. Lancers' second baseman Jacque Lopez was 3-for-3 while Willingham went 2-for-3 with two RBI. Similarly to Game 1, two of the Lancers' runs came with two outs.
Watanabe (3-5) took the loss, lasting 3.2 innings, allowing two runs on six hits with a pair of walks and a strikeout. Camello allowed two hits in her 2.1 innings of work with a run allowed.
Phelps and Keyes each had two hits for the Silverswords.
The Silverswords continue their road trip when they face second-place Dixie State in a four-game series, starting Monday at 3 p.m. MDT.
