SAN RAFAEL, Calif. – The Chaminade University softball team ended their two-week long road trip by being swept by Dominican, 12-4 in six innings, followed by a 6-5, eight inning setback Tuesday at Penguin Field.
Coco Stewart hit a two-run homer in Game 1 while
Nicole Erichsen continued to rake, belting a two-run jack in the second game.
The losses dropped the Silverswords to 7-31 overall and 6-16 in the Pacific West Conference. The Penguins improved to 8-23 and 6-12.
Game 1Dominican struck first, plating two runs after two innings. In perhaps in a microcosm of the season, the Silverswords appeared to have gotten on the board in the top of the second as Erichsen crushed a Kelsey Goodner pitch to deep right-center. DUC rightfielder Alyssa Lanza slammed into the fence, but somehow, managed to reach over and take away a potential two-run homer from Erichsen.
However, Chaminade remained undaunted and rallied in the fourth.
Aja Keyes and
Jenn Betian opened with back-to-back walks.
Shannan Hokama then replaced Betian on the base paths on a force-out. After a passed ball moved both Keyes and Hokama up a base,
Theresa Capllonch hit a liner that landed just inside the left field line to score both runners and tie the game at 2.
Dominican then took a 3-2 lead in the fourth, then in the top of the fifth,
Elia Lizarraga drew a lead-off walk. Stewart then hammered a no-doubter to left to put Chaminade ahead, 4-3, her third long ball of the season.
But the lead was short-lived as starter
Brett Aspel surrendered back-to-back walks in the bottom-half of the fifth which led to a Catlyn Cavender RBI double and Ashlyn Moriarty's go-ahead RBI groundout to give the Penguins a 5-3 advantage.
Dominican put an exclamation point in the sixth 10 batters stepped up to the plate against reliever
Luana Moreno. Six runs came across to score, including the game-winner by Kayla Rodriguez whose RBI double ended the contest via the run-rule.
Chaminade was held to three hits in the game while Dominican had 15. Aspel suffered the loss to fall to 3-11 while Goodner evened her record to 1-1, going the distance with four strikeouts.
Game 2The 'Swords had to play catch-up again as the Penguins plated a run in the second and four more in the third off starter
Kaitlyn Watanabe to grab a 5-0 lead.
Chaminade made it a game in the top of the fourth as back-to-back one-out walks to Erichsen and Betian led to Hokama's RBI double to left which scored Erichsen. The 'Swords caught a break later in the frame as Goodner, playing first base in the second game, mishandled a clean throw from shortstop which allowed Betian and Hokama to cross the plate, cutting the deficit to 5-3.
Then in the fifth, the 'Swords had the equalizer.
Ashley Phelps singled to open the frame and two outs later, Erichsen smashed a deep fly ball down the left field line. Unlike the first game where the sophomore infielder was robbed of a long ball, this time the ball cleared the fence, caroming off the foul pole for a game-tying two-run homer, Erichsen's second dinger of the season.
Meanwhile, Aspel, who replaced starter
Kaitlyn Watanabe with two outs in the bottom of the third, kept the Penguins at bay. The senior retired 11 of the first 12 batters she faced and at one point sat down 10 straight. She walked a batter in the seventh to end the streak, but Keyes' unassisted double-play on a line drive ended the frame to end the game to extra innings.
The 'Swords had the makings of a good start in the eight, but DUC's Tori Johnson made a spectacular running catch just shy of the left field fence on Hokama's deep fly.
Then in bottom of the eight, Aspel's hitless streak ended at 4 2/3 innings on Moriarty's single up the middle. An infield single and error loaded the bases with one out, which led to Sarah McKenzie's roller to shortstop. Betian made the scoop and fired home, but Moriarty was ruled to have beaten the throw to the plate, giving the Penguins the win.
Aspel was the hard-luck loser, falling to 3-12. The only two hits she surrendered were in the eight while she struck out four. Katelyn Harden (5-9) got the win.
Phelps and Hokama each had two hits for the 'Swords. Moriarty and Tayler Munoz led Dominican with three.
The Silverswords return home and will face intercity rival, Hawai'i Pacific University, at Patsy T. Mink Central O'ahu Regional Park in a four-game series beginning Saturday at 12 p.m., the final home games of the season for the 'Swords. Live streaming audio coverage will be on GoSwords.com.
