WAIPIO, O'ahu, Hawai'i – Amid windy and chilly conditions at Patsy T. Mink Central O'ahu Regional Park on Friday, the Chaminade University softball team ran smack dab into hot California Baptist pitching and bats in a Pacific West Conference doubleheader loss.
The Lancers' Loie Kesterson tossed a no-hitter in their 8-0 five inning win in Game 1. CBU, ranked 20
th in the latest NFCA Coaches Top 25 Poll, then opened up the bats in the second game, most of the damage done in a 13-run third inning, highlighted by Taylor Castro's grand-slam homer in its 19-2 win.
The Silverswords fell to 2-12 overall and 1-5 in the PacWest while the Lancers improved to 18-4 and 7-1 in the conference.
Game 1It was a welcome back to the 50
th State for Kesterson, who previously pitched for Division I Hawai'i-Manoa, whose campus is less than a mile away from Chaminade's. The junior, who departed the Rainbow Wahine with a career-record of 14-18 and 4.44 ERA in two seasons at UH, was untouchable against the 'Swords, allowing only a second-inning walk, needing only 56 pitches.
Ashley DeVaere and Jacque Lopez each had three hits for the Lancers with DeVaere driving in three.
Kesterson improved to 10-2 while Chaminade starter
Kaitlyn Watanabe was saddled with the loss to fall to 0-4.
Game 2CBU scored twice in the first inning with the help of back-to-back Chaminade errors, then blew the game open in their 13-run third inning, which saw them send 18 batters to the plate on 12 hits, highlighted by Taylor's grand-slam.
The Silverswords finally found some offense in the bottom of the third as Ashely Phelps was safe after starter Kayla Hatch's throw pulled first baseman Ali Subia off the bag. After a
Shannan Hokama sacrifice bunt,
Aja Keyes then hit a blooper down the right field line, but the ball bounced past Castro and rolled into the corner, allowing Phelps to score and Keyes to motor into third for her first triple of the season.
In the fifth and despite needing 11 runs to keep the game from being run-ruled, Chaminade showed signs of life. Freshman utility player
Racquel Misioka notched her first career base hit bouncing a Belinda Renne offering up the middle to lead off the frame. A throwing error on Subia toward second base kept all hands safe.
Kylie Nishino then singled to right to load the bases for her first base hit of the season, and two batters later,
Elia Lizarraga brought Misioka home on her groundout to second.
The 'Swords managed to scratch out five hits in Game 2 as Lizarraga and
Coco Stewart also managed base knocks.
In all, Castro piled up six RBI in Game 2 for CBU while DeVaere added three more hits to give her six total on the night. Krista Mann, a Preseason All-PacWest pick, went 3-for-3 with four RBI in Game 2.
Hatch got the win to improve to 7-2 while
Marisella Rodriguez, making her first start of the season for Chaminade, took the loss (0-1).
The 'Swords and Lancers will face each other again on Saturday starting at 12 p.m. at CORP Field to wrap up their four-game series. Live streaming audio of the game will be available on GoSwords.com.
