WAIPIO, O'ahu, Hawai'i – The Chaminade University softball team earned a doubleheader split against West Region foe Western Washington Saturday at Patsy T. Mink Central O'ahu Regional Park.
The Silverswords (1-3) rallied from an early 2-0 deficit, scoring two runs in the fifth inning and four in the sixth, capped by
Jenn Betian's two-run homer to give Chaminade a 7-2 Game 1 win.
The Vikings (1-1) evened the series in the second game as Makinlee Sellevold tossed a one-hit shutout in their 3-0 victory.
Game 1Making their season debut at the regular home field at CORP, things started ominously for the Silverswords as three of the first four Vikings got on board by errors, the last scoring an unearned run off starter
Brett Aspel. But the senior settled down, getting a strikeout and a grounder to end the inning, down only 1-0.
The Vikings took a 2-0 lead in the top of the third on Jordan Walley's RBI single, but the 'Swords got the run back in their half of the frame.
Aja Keyes roped a two-out double to the left-center gap, moving
Shannan Hokama, who singled earlier in the inning, to third. Betian then lined the first pitch she saw into center to drive in Hokama to make it 2-1.
WWU's Kali Patterson tripled to the right field corner to lead off the fourth, but Aspel worked out of trouble again, getting a pop-up, foul out, then a weak grounder to third to escape the inning without allowing a run.
In the fifth, Hokama led off the frame with a full-count walk. Keyes and Betian got back-to-back one-out singles, loading the bases for
Coco Stewart who moved everyone over one base on her RBI single to left, tying the game at 2.
Amber Manuel's sacrifice fly to right brought home Keyes with the go-ahead run.
The 'Swords weren't done. In the sixth with two outs,
Ashley Phelps and Keyes delivered back-to-back run-scoring base knocks, setting the stage for Betian. The sophomore shortstop then hammered a 2-1 pitch into left, a two-run shot, making it 7-2. It was also Betian's first career homer as a 'Sword, capping an 11-hit game for Chaminade.
Aspel went the distance, scattering eight hits, allowing two runs, one earned, with five strikeouts. The win evened her record to 1-1 on the season. Ison Aspen (0-1) took the loss for Western Washington.
Betian's jack capped off a 3-for-4, three RBI game while Keyes was 4-for-4 at the dish.
Game 2The Vikings got a pair of RBI singles from Mackenzie Hughes in the second and sixth innings, followed by another from Alexie Levin in the seventh.
Meanwhile, Sellevold was cruising in the circle. Phelps' single in Chaminade's second at-bat of the game was the only hit the Silverswords could muster. Sellevold retired 15 straight before
Sierra Mendiola drew a walk in the sixth. The only other base runner she allowed was in the seventh when she plunked pinch-hitter
Kaleen Terayama.
Sellevold (1-0) struck out four in getting the win.
Kaitlyn Watanabe fell to 1-1, allowing five hits, a walk and two earned runs with a pair of Ks.
The Silverswords return to action Monday when they face another in-region foe in Simon Fraser at CORP Field. First pitch of the twin-bill is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. with live streaming audio coverage on GoSwords.com.
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