WAIPIO, O'ahu, Hawai'i – The Chaminade University softball team ended their 2015 home slate on Easter Sunday, but dropped both games of a Pacific West Conference doubleheader at Patsy T. Mink Central O'ahu Regional Park to in-city rival Hawai'i Pacific, 5-2 and 8-5.
The Sharks (20-16 overall, 10-10 PacWest) took three games to win the weekend series.
Coco Stewart went 3-for-6 at the plate in the twin bill with three RBI for the Silverswords (8-34, 7-19).
Dorian Acierto and Kristen Caskey each had four hits for HPU in the doubleheader with Caskey driving in three.
Game 1HPU drew first blood in the second taking advantage of a pair of Chaminade miscues. An error later led to the game's first run on a double by Courtney Ahlo. The next batter, Toni Baysa, lifted a fly ball to medium right-center, but a miscommunication between fielders led to the ball dropping between them, allowing Baysa to motor to third for a two-run triple with the Sharks taking a 3-0 lead.
Despite the damage, starter
Brett Aspel kept the 'Swords in the game, tossing four scoreless innings. She also benefited from stellar defense behind her, getting inning-ending plays including
Ashley Phelps throwing out Caskey in a steal attempt in the third and a line-out double play from right fielder
Theresa Capllonch to first baseman
Aja Keyes in the fourth.
Meanwhile Caskey held Chaminade to only two hits in the first four innings before the 'Swords finally got to her in the fifth. Phelps and
Elia Lizarraga had back-to-back two-out singles then
Shannan Hokama laid down a perfectly executed bunt single. Sharks catcher Carolann Toyama's throw to get Hokama was thrown wide of first base. The ball then eluded right fielder Ahlo covering on the play as the ball rolled all the way into the right field corner, allowing Phelps and Lizarraga to score with Hokama motoring to third, cutting the deficit to 3-2. However, Hokama was left stranded at third.
HPU added two insurance runs in the top of the seventh as Caskey helped herself with a two-run, two-out single, making it 5-3.
Caskey (9-7) then retired the side in order in the bottom of the inning to secure the win.
Aspel was again the hard-luck loser as her record fell to 4-13. She struck out three in her complete game performance, with only two runs being earned. She also threw 155 pitches.
Phelps was 2-for-4 in the game for Chaminade. Acierto, Caskey and Nicole Viena each had two hits for HPU. All five of the Sharks' runs came with two out.
Game 2HPU took a 3-0 lead on Caskey's RBI single in the first inning and Sharae Esprecion's two-run homer in the third.
But Chaminade responded sending 10 batters to the plate in their half of the third. Hokama reached on an error, followed by a Keyes double and a
Nicole Erichsen walk to load the bases. Stewart promptly unloaded them, drilling HPU starter Paige Crawford's 0-1 pitch to deep right center that bounced off the fence for a bases-clearing double, tying the game at 3.
Jenn Betian followed with a double that landed just inside the left field line, scoring Stewart, giving the Silverswords a 4-3 lead to chase Crawford from the circle.
But the 'Swords weren't done as Capllonch greeted reliever Alexa McCoin with a bloop single to center.
Kristiann Endow, who made her return to the lineup after an injury sidelined her the previous 26 games, greeted the team that she began her collegiate career with by chopping a base hit through the hole on the left side, bringing home Betian to give Chaminade a 5-3 lead.
The Sharks got a run back in the next inning on a home run and rallied in the fifth, tying the game on Esprecion's RBI single. Then with two outs with Acierto at second and Caskey at first, McCoin hit a chopper to Betian. Acierto then stepped in front of the CUH shortstop and made a wild, spinning jump to avoid getting hit by the ball, which would've ended the inning if it did. But Betian couldn't come up with the ball which loaded the bases. The umpiring crew then determined that there was no obstruction on the play, allowing the inning to continue.
HPU took advantage as Chelsea Cramer singled to right, bringing home the go-ahead runs, giving it a 7-5 lead. The Sharks added an insurance run in the top of the sixth to make it 8-5.
Chaminade tried to rally in the sixth when Hokama laced an opposite field two-out double over the outstretched glove of left fielder Siena Santiago, but was stranded at second.
The 'Swords got another stellar defensive play in the seventh when Mari Kajiwara tried to stretch a single into a double, but Capllonch fired a dart to Betian at second, retiring Kajiwara and end the inning, giving Capllonch her third outfield assist of the night. However, McCoin retired the 'Swords in order in the home half of the seventh to secure the Sunday sweep.
McCoin got the win in relief, tossing 4 2/3 inning of scoreless, three-hit ball. Chaminade starter
Kaitlyn Watanabe scattered eight hits, allowing seven runs, five earned, in five innings with a pair of strikeouts. Aspel, in relief, tossed two innings, allowing four hits and a run.
Stewart and Capllonch each had two hits in Game 2 for Chaminade. Esprecion was 3-for-4 for HPU with three RBI while Santiago scored three runs and Cramer driving in three.
The game marked the final home contest for seniors Aspel, Capllonch, Endow, Hokama, Keyes, Lizarraga, Phelps and Watanabe. All six position players for the 'Swords had at least one base hit in the twin bill.
However, the season is not over the Silverswords with six games remaining on the schedule, all on the road. The 'Swords will face BYU-Hawai'i on Friday at BYUH Softball Field, starting at 1 p.m. The Silverswords will look to end an eight-game slide against the Seasiders in Laie.
