HONOLULU – For the fifth straight series, the Chaminade University softball team managed a split of a doubleheader, this time against Rollins College of Florida.
The Silverswords (5-7) were two-hit in a 12-0, five-inning loss in the first game. But they rallied to win the second, 6-3, Tuesday at McKinley High School Field.
Kaleen Terayama helped key a six-run fifth inning with a bases-clearing triple while
Luana Moreno had another solid outing in the circle in the nightcap as the 'Swords snapped Rollins' eight-game winning streak.
Game 1Very little went right for Chaminade in the series opener as the Tars scored three times in the top of the first inning including Chelsea Reed's two-run home run.
Rollins (12-4-1) added seven more runs in the second to take a 10-0 lead as 11 batters came to the plate. Hannah Horwath had the inning's big blow with a three-run homer which chased starter
Chelsea Camello from the circle.
Kayla Higuchi pitched well in relief. After allowing a single to the first batter she faced, the freshman retired the next five batters before running into trouble in the fourth as four straight Tars reached base with one out, adding two runs in the process. But Higuchi managed to get out of a runners-on-first-and-second jam with a pair of fly outs.
The only hits the 'Swords could muster was a double by
Sierra Mendiola to lead off the third and
Keani Passi's single in the fourth.
Camello, who tossed her first career complete-game shutout on Saturday at BYU-Hawai'i, was hammered for 10 runs, all earned, on nine hits in only 1 2/3 innings with her record falling to 2-3. Higuchi allowed two runs in her 3 1/3 innings of relief, scattering four hits.
Rollins starter Niki Fogle got the win as she and reliever Brielle Morichetti allowed only one hit each. Four Tars had two hits and multi-RBIs.
Game 2The Tars took a 1-0 lead in the second inning off Moreno who proceeded to keep them off the scoreboard for the next three innings.
Meanwhile Fogle returned to the circle for Rollins with two outs in the third and retired the next four batters. Then in the fifth, Fogle, who baffled the 'Swords in Game 1, lost command of her pitches, walking lead-off batters,
Brianna Georgia and
Rainelle Matsuoka.
Ashlyn Yagin replaced Georgia on the base paths and the pinch-run situation paid off as
Jenn Betian singled to center, allowing Yagin to scamper home to tie the game at 1.
Two batters later,
Amber Manuel drew the third walk of the inning to load the bases then Fogle uncorked a wild pitch that allowed Matsuoka to score the go-ahead run. But Fogle continued to struggle finding the strike zone, walking Passi then Kianna Ulufale with the bases loaded to bring another run. Manuel was replaced by pinch-runner
Shannon Tagle at third, setting the stage for Terayama.
The senior infielder then belted a 1-1 pitch to the fence in right-center field to clear the bases for a three-run triple, her first career three-bagger. Terayama, who had one extra base hit in her first 65 games as a Silversword, now as two extra base hits in her last three games after doubling a run home on Saturday. The triple chased Fogle from the circle and was replaced by Grace Street who finally got Rollins out of the inning. Chaminade score those six runs on only two hits, aided by five walks in the frame.
The Tars answered with two runs in the sixth to close to 6-3. Then in the seventh, their first two batters got on, bringing the tying run to the plate but Moreno struck out Hali Marshall for the first out. She then got some help from Terayama as Hailee Keisling hit a liner to second but Terayama made a leaping grab to possibly save a run. Moreno then got Jule Kraz to fly out to center to end the game.
Moreno scattered six hits while walking four with four strikeouts for her fourth straight complete game, improving to 3-3. The sophomore is 3-1 in those four starts. Terayama had two hits, her first career multi-hit game. She also upped her batting average to a career-best .304 on the year.
Fogle took the loss to fall to 8-4, lasting 1 2/3 innings, allowing six runs on two hits and five walks. Street tossed a perfect 1 2/3 innings relief. Sid Masso had two hits in Game 2 for the Tars.
After playing in only six series over the last five weeks, the Silverswords will now ramp up the schedule with five playing dates in nine days as their conference action resumes. They face Notre Dame de Namur Saturday as they return to their home field of Patsy T. Mink Central O'ahu Regional Park for the first time in over a month. Live streaming audio coverage will be on GoSwords.com.
