Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 ST. GEORGE, Utah – The Chaminade University softball team can't wait to get out of Southern Utah soon enough. A day after being mercy-ruled twice and outscored 25-1 in Monday's doubleheader at Dixie State, the Silverswords experienced much of the same Tuesday, getting run-ruled in both ends of their Pacific West Conference twinbill, 8-0 in six innings and 16-0 in five, at Karl Brooks Field.
The Silverswords fell to 7-23 overall and 6-20 in the PacWest. The sweep by the Red Storm (31-8, 19-5) also moved them into a first place tie with No. 2 California Baptist atop the conference standings.
Ashley Phelps,
Elia Lizarraga,
Samantha Ford,
Ciana Russ and
Sierra Mendiola each had two hits during the doubleheader for Chaminade.
Game 1
The Red Storm got on the board in the bottom of the first on Marla Reiter's two-out RBI double for a 1-0 lead.
Dixie State added three runs in the third, two on Sheila Gelter's double to left center, and two more in the fourth, taking a 6-0 lead.
Meanwhile Chaminade had ample chances to get on the scoreboard. The Silverswords got a pair of singles from Phelps and Ford in the first, but were unable to bring them across. In the third, Phelps' got her second hit of the game and advanced to second, but was again stranded at second.
In the fifth, an error by the second baseman Nicole Chavez allowed Mendiola to get on board safely, followed by a walk to Phelps. Aryn Feickert then uncorked a wild pitch, moving both runners in scoring position with one out. But Feickert got a ground-out and pop up to end the threat.
After plating another run in the bottom of the fifth, the Red Storm had a chance to end the game through the run-rule, but left fielder Mendiola threw a perfect dart to Phelps at the plate to nab Brittany Budge trying to score on Nicole Chavez's single to extend the game.
But Dixie State would end it in the sixth on pinch-hitter Brooklyn Beardshear's double to left center as DSU run-ruled Chaminade for the third straight meeting.
Feickhert (15-6) went the distance, allowing four hits, a walk while striking out seven. Chavez had three hits while Marla Reiter and Gelter had two RBI each. Four of DSU's runs came with two outs.
Kaitlyn Watanabe (3-6) took the loss, allowing eight runs, seven earned, on 13 hits on three walks. Phelps reached safely in all three trips to the plate, going 2-for-2 with a walk. The 'Swords also stranded four runners in scoring position.
Game 2
The 'Swords threatened in the top of the first on Lizarraga's infield single off DSU hurler Michelle Duncan, who helped pitch a combined no-hitter on Monday. Ford followed with another infield single as Chavez's throwing error allowed Lizarraga to move to third, but Ford was nabbed at second trying to advance a base. A pop up ended the inning.
Chaminade would get another chance in the second as Russ lead off with a single to left, the first time the Silverswords got a ball to the outfield against Duncan. Catcher
Coco Stewart then moved her to second on a sac bunt, but Duncan got a strikeout and a groundout to strand another runner in scoring position.
The Red Storm then landed several punches in their half of the second as they put up a crooked number. Three Silversword errors, a double, a wild pitch and a walk would lead to three runs for the home team. The situation unglued even more as three more runs scored with still no out in the inning. Not even a pitching change would slow down as the Red Storm as four more came across.
Marisella Rodriguez finally got the Silverswords back into the dugout with a force out and a pair of strikeouts.
When the dust settled, 10 DSU runs had crossed the plate in the second inning alone that saw 14 batters get step up the plate. Much of the damage was also self-inflicted by Chaminade with four errors and two wild pitches in the inning.
The 'Swords tried to punch back in the third as Mendiola singled to open the frame. Two batters later, Lizarraga would get an infield single to move Mendiola to third. But much as how the series has gone, Duncan got Ford to line out to first for an inning-ending double play as the Red Storm quelled another Silverswords' scoring threat.
Duncan, the PacWest's ERA leader at 1.80 coming into the game, improved to 8-1, allowing no runs on five hits and no walks.
Aspel (3-14) took the loss, allowing 10 runs, seven unearned, on seven hits with two walks in only one inning pitched.
DSU had 15 hits in the game and 53 in all during the series while hitting six homers. Chaminade committed five errors in Game 2 and of its 14 hits in the series, only one went for extra bases.
The 'Swords will return to California for the prestigious Tournament of Champions Presented by the Turlock Convention and Visitors Bureau which starts Friday in Turlock, Calif. Among the Silverswords' opponents during pool-play are nationally-ranked foes in No. 19 UC San Diego and 16th-ranked Cal State Monterey Bay.
Chaminade plays three times on Friday, opening against Northwest Nazarene (8-21) on Friday at 9 a.m. PDT, followed by UCSD (22-6) at 11 a.m. PDT and San Francisco State (10-25) at 6 p.m. PDT. The 'Swords have experienced success in Turlock the last two years, finishing as Bronze Bracket champions in 2012 and playing in the Gold (Championship) Bracket last year.
