SAN LEANDRO, Calif. – The Chaminade University softball team ventured outside of O'ahu for the first time this season, opening their two-week long road trip with a sweep of Holy Names University Friday at Thrasher Park, winning both games by identical 4-3 scores.
The Silverswords (5-19 overall, 4-10 Pacific West Conference) scored three times in the fifth inning, got the eventual deciding run in the sixth, then held on for the Game 1 win, which snapped a seven-game skid. The Hawks fell to 3-25 overall and 2-12 in the PacWest.
The 'Swords then got a career-high four RBI from third baseman
Coco Stewart in the nightcap, including her go-ahead three-run home run in the sixth.
It was Chaminade's first sweep since Feb. 2014 and first road sweep since April 2013.
Game 1'Swords starter
Brett Aspel was cruising through early, retiring nine of the first 11 batters she faced. But in the fourth, she got into trouble, allowing a lead-off double to Marissa Romero, which led to Karolanne Tipton's RBI single to give the Hawks a 1-0 lead.
The 'Swords replied in the top of the fifth. After
Ashley Phelps reached on a groundout,
Elia Lizarraga got on board with infield single to shortstop, leading to
Aja Keyes' double to right-center to plate Phelps with the tying run. After a walk to
Amber Manuel to load the bases,
Jenn Betian brought Lizarraga home on a force out at second, but Tipton's throw to first to complete the potential inning-ending double play was errant, allowing Keyes to trot home to give Chaminade a 3-1 lead.
Holy Names threatened in the home half of the fifth, putting a runner at third, but Aspel worked out of the jam with an acrobatic snag of a line comebacker to end the inning.
In the top of the sixth, Phelps singled to second base for her third hit of the game. The 'Swords took advantage of a Hawks' inning-extending error as then Manuel singled to right to give them a 4-1 lead.
However, Apsel's day ended in the bottom of the sixth on Danielle Santoro's homer to lead off the inning, cutting Chaminade's lead to 4-2.
Kaitlyn Watanabe was summoned from the bullpen and extinguished the fire as Ariana Marquez was caught in a rundown which ended the inning.
The Hawks added a run in the seventh to cut the Silverswords' lead to 4-3 and had the tying run at second, but Watanabe got Romero to fly out to right to end the game and their losing streak.
Aspel struck out four, allowed six hits with no walks to improve her record to 3-5. Vanessa Pulido took the loss to fall to 1-12, surrendering nine hits and five walks. Watanabe got the save, her first since 2013.
Phelps went 3-for-4 with two runs while Lizarraga was 2-for-4 with a run while Keyes, Manuel and Betian each delivered an RBI. The 'Swords top of the lineup (1-4) went 7-for-15 and accounted all four runs.
Lyveana Ilayan and Tipton each had two hits for the Hawks.
Game 2Despite Chaminade getting the lead-off runner on board in each of the first three innings, the Silverswords couldn't push a run across, stranding a pair in scoring position. Meanwhile, HNU took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second on Samantha Moffat's two-run double.
The 'Swords finally broke through in the fourth as Manuel and Betian opened the frame with back-to-back singles. After
Shannan Hokama's ground out to move both runners, Stewart singled up the middle to bring home Manuel, cutting the deficit to 2-1.
But the Hawks got the run back in the bottom of the fourth on Hailey McGuigan's two-out RBI single to make it 3-1.
Then in the sixth, Chaminade got singles from Manuel and Hokama. The Silverswords finally got the big hit that had eluded them most of the season when Stewart drove Tipton's pitch to center for the go-ahead three-run blast, giving the 'Swords a 4-3 lead. It was Stewart's first homer of the season and the second in her career.
"It was a full count and I got a pitch right down the middle," Stewart said. "I didn't even think and I just swung just as hard as I could. I'm glad I finally got one."
'Swords starter
Luana Moreno retired the final six batters to give the 'Swords the sweep. The redshirt freshman improved to 2-6 while scattering seven hits in going the distance. She struck out three and did not issue a walk. Tipton (2-11) took the loss.
Betian was 3-for-4 while Stewart went 2-for-2 with a sacrifice bunt. Manuel also had two hits, extending her hit streak to nine games.
Tipton and Moffat each had a pair of hits for Holy Names.
The four-game series between the 'Swords and Hawks wraps with a doubleheader Saturday at Thrasher Park in San Leandro.
