LAIE, O'ahu, Hawai'i – After playing only two games in 13 days to open the season, the Chaminade University softball team played their second doubleheader in three days, splitting a non-conference twin bill Monday at BYU-Hawai'i Softball Field.
The Silverswords dropped the first game, 3-1, but avoided a sweep with the 5-3 victory in the nightcap.
Freshman
Rainelle Matsuoka continued her impressive start of her collegiate career, homering twice in the Game 2.
Chaminade is 2-4 on the year while BYU-Hawai'i is 2-6.
Game 1The Silverswords struck in the first when
Coco Stewart's two-out pop-up fell between the shortstop and centerfielder, allowing
Jenn Betian to trot home from third.
Amber Manuel then singled to center, followed by
Keani Passi who walked to load the bases. But the 'Swords were unable to add on, leaving the bases loaded.
Kaleen Terayama led off the second inning with an infield single then two batters later, Betian was plunked. But for the second consecutive inning, Chaminade left a runner in scoring position.
That would be all the Silverswords could muster as BYUH hurler Meghan Wantz retired the final 16 batters she faced.
Meanwhile
Chelsea Camello had another solid game in the circle. After coming out of the bullpen in her first two appearances, the senior from Kailua-Kona on the Big Island made her first start since March 2014, allowing only two hits through four innings.
But in the fifth, Camello ran into trouble. With two outs, the Seasiders got a soft liner to left, a walk and an infield single, loading the bases. T. Anu Memea took her offering with a bouncer up the middle for the go-ahead two-run single, ending Camello's scoreless streak at 12 innings. Brittany Vasquez then added an insurance run with an RBI single to center.
Wantz improved to 2-2 as she held the 'Swords to only three hits.
Camello (1-1) was the hard-luck loser, going 4 2/3 innings, scattering six hits with two walks and a strikeout.
Luana Moreno tossed 1 1/3 perfect innings with a pair of strikeouts.
Game 2Matsuoka flexed her muscle immediately as she was moved to the lead-off spot. With the winds blowing out to right field, she took Wantz's second pitch of the game to right center for a lead-off homer.
In the second, Passi reached when the third baseman's throw bounced into foul territory, allowing the CUH centerfielder to get to second.
Kiana Ulufale made it 2-0, bringing Passi home on her liner to center for her first career RBI.
Matsuoka wasn't done. Leading off the third inning, she worked to a full count then launched her second dinger of the game at nearly the exact same spot she homered two innings prior, her team-leading third home run this season. The 'Swords managed to get runners in scoring position later in the frame but were unable to tack on.
BYUH countered with two runs in the bottom half of the third on Vasquez's sacrifice fly to left and Liz Talataina's solo homer to right center.
The Seasiders threatened in the fourth, putting runners on first and second with one out but Moreno, who drew the Game 2 start, induced Brandy Karl to line a comebacker straight back to her for an inning-ending double-play.
BYUH threatened again in the sixth as Makaela Williamson led off with a double. Chaminade then got a heads-up defensive play when the next batter, Roxane Dennis, hit a looper to center which dropped in front of Passi. Pinch runner Carissa Davis, who held up at second upon contact, then took off for third. Passi then fired a dart to Stewart who applied the tag at third for the first out. Moreno then got two fly balls to end the inning.
Chaminade added insurance runs in the seventh. Freshman pinch hitter
Shannon Tagle led off with a sharp single to center in her first career at-bat.
Racquel Misioka then hit a bouncer to third but the throw to get the force at second was dropped and Matusoka was then plunked to load the bases with no outs. After Tagle was forced out at home, Betian hit a grounder to Dennis at shortstop. Dennis fired home again for the force but the catcher muffed the throw as it sailed to the backstop, allowing Misioka and Matsuoka to trot home, putting the Silverswords up 5-2.
The Siders managed to squeak out a run with two outs but Moreno got a soft liner to Betian to end the game.
Moreno earned her first win this season as she went the distance, scattering 10 hits with two walks and a strikeout. The sophomore, who found success twice against BYUH last season, is 3-0 with a 2.19 ERA in her career against the Seasiders.
Matsuoka was 2-for-3 with two RBI and three runs scored. The Kaiser High School graduate is the first 'Sword with a multi-homer game since Rayna Strom-Okimoto did it against Cal State Dominguez Hills on April 6, 2013. Betian also tallied two hits.
Wantz also went the distance for BYUH as she pitched all 14 innings on the afternoon. She took the second game loss, allowing five runs, three earned while striking out seven. Tiffany Smith went 3-for-4 in Game 2.
After committing nine errors in their first four games, Chaminade went the entire afternoon without an error.
The Silverswords will face another non-conference tilt against a familiar PacWest foe Saturday when they play at Hawai'i Pacific University at Howard Okita Field in Kaneohe. First pitch of the doubleheader is slated for 10 a.m.
