WAIPAHU, O'ahu, Hawai'i – The Chaminade University softball team returned to Patsy T. Mink Central O'ahu Regional Park for the first time in nearly a month and swept BYU-Hawai'i, 5-2 and 5-0, Friday.
Amber Manuel went 3-for-3 at the plate in the Silverswords' Game 1 win and drove in all five runs including a three-run homer in the fifth inning.
Keani Passi also made her power known, belting a first inning grand slam in the nightcap while
Chelsea Camello had perhaps the finest game of her career, tossing a one-hit shutout.
Chaminade improved to 11-29 overall and 6-18 in the Pacific West Conference. The Seasiders fell to 9-23 and 5-17.
Game 1The Silverswords opened the home half of the first when
Jenn Betian was plunked and
Coco Stewart followed with a single to left. One out later with runners at the corners, Manuel hit a bleeder that just got over the head of the Seasiders' second baseman into shallow right field to plate Betian.
The 'Swords then got a heads up play in the top of the second. After Sarah Captain led off with a single, Liz Talataina was out at first on sacrifice bunt as Captain got to second. But the Seasider tried to take third base and was thrown out as
Kaleen Terayama made a perfect throw from first for the second out.
The Siders tied it in the third but the 'Swords responded in their half of the frame. Betian was hit a second time to lead off the inning then scored when Manuel doubled to the left field corner, giving Chaminade a 2-1 lead.
The Silverswords then put the explanation mark in the fifth. After Stewart and
Rainelle Matsuoka led off with back-to-back singles, Manuel took Chelsie Lambert Childs' pitch over the fence in center for a three-run homer. Manuel's second dinger of the season gave the 'Swords a 5-1 advantage.
BYUH got a run in the sixth to close to within 5-2 then loaded the bases in the seventh. But
Luana Moreno got Talataina to hit a soft liner to Matsuoka at shortstop to finish the game.
Moreno scattered 10 hits to improve to 7-13 on the season. Along with Manuels' 3-for-3 game, Stewart went 2-for-4. Manuel's five RBI is also a career-high.
Lambert Childs took the loss to fall to 5-5 while Captain was 4-for-4 at the plate.
Game 2Chaminade wasted no time again. Betian was plunked for the third time in the twin bill to start the game, increasing her conference HBP lead to 20. Stewart then hit a two-bagger into the left field corner, allowing Betian to scamper home all the way from first. After Matsuoka walked, Manuel's fly ball to shallow right was dropped by the second baseman which loaded the bases.
That set the stage for Passi who crushed Meghan Wantz's pitch to dead center for a grand slam increasing Chaminade's lead to 5-0. It was Passi's seventh homer of the season and first career slam. It was also the third granny hit by 'Swords sluggers this season after having only one in the seven years entering 2016. The homer also increased the team's school-record total to 23.
It would be all the offense Chaminade needed as Camello handcuffed the Seasider bats. The senior from Kailua-Kona did not allow a runner to get to second base and surrendered only a Brittany Vasquez hard ground ball comebacker up the middle.
Camello retired 11 of the final 13 batters she faced en-route to a one-hit shutout, her second complete-game doughnut against the Seasiders this season. Camello (4-13) has tossed 12 straight scoreless innings against BYUH this year. It was also the first complete-game, one-hitter by a Chaminade starter since prior to 2008.
Stewart went 2-for-3 at the plate for the 'Swords, giving her four hits in the twin bill. Passi's four RBI gave her 23 on the year, just one behind Matsuoka's team-leading 24. Matsuoka's second-inning single also extended her hitting streak to eight games.
Wantz took the loss to fall to 3-13.
The Silverswords return to action Friday when they host Hawai'i-Hilo at Central O'ahu Regional Park starting at 4:30 p.m. Live streaming audio coverage will be on GoSwords.com.
