WAIPAHU, O'ahu, Hawai'i – The Chaminade University softball team dropped both games of a non-conference doubleheader to Baldwin Wallace, 3-2 and 5-3 in eight innings, Thursday at Patsy T. Mink Central O'ahu Regional Park.
Rainelle Matsuoka homered in Game 1 while
Jenn Betian got her second multi-hit game of the season for the Silverswords who fell to 2-14.
The Yellowjackets from Berea, Ohio, improved to 4-4 on the season.
Game 1
Baldwin Wallace scored twice in the first inning off Chaminade starter
Kali Kitsinis, both unearned.
The 'Swords got a run back in the next half-inning as they executed a perfect double-steal between
Kayla Henmi and Betian, the latter scampering home for the team's first steal of home in recent memory.
The Yellowjackets tacked on a run in the second but Kitsinis settled down, allowing only two hits after the second inning, one being a bunt.
Chaminade got on the board in the bottom of the seventh when Matsuoka crushed a two-out Sam Mott pitch to dead-central for her fourth homer of the season.
Nicole Erichsen was then plunked with a full count to represent the tying run but the senior was left stranded at first.
Kitsinis (0-4) went the distance in her second straight start, scattering six hits and didn't allow a free pass. Only one of the three runs she allowed was earned as it lowered her ERA to 4.42. Matsuoka was 3-for-4 at the dish.
Mott got the complete game victory for Baldwin Wallace, striking out seven.
Game 2
The Yellowjackets tripled twice in the first inning to grab a 1-0 lead then added single runs in the fourth and fifth.
Chaminade plated a run in the fifth when Betian ripped an RBI single to center to score Henmi from second.
The Silverswords then demonstrated patience at the plate in the sixth as
Ashlyn Yagin and Henmi drew back-to-back bases-loaded walks to tie the game at 3.
But in extra innings, Baldwin Wallace plated two runs to take a 5-3 lead in the eighth. The 'Swords didn't have a response in the bottom of the inning, going down in order.
Mott tossed three innings in relief to pick up her second win of the day, improving her mark to 2-1. Sami Minor went 4-for-4 and drove in a pair.
Chaminade starter
Luana Moreno (0-7) threw all eight frames, allowing five runs, three earned, scattered 10 hits and tied her career-high with seven strikeouts. Of her 141 pitches, 114 were for strikes. Betian had two of the 'Swords' eight hits. However, the team's woes in the clutch continued as they stranded 11 in scoring position including a tailor-made situation in the bottom of the seventh, stranding
Kylie Nishino despite a lead-off double to left center, her first career extra-base hit.
The Silverswords return to Pacific West Conference action as they face 12
th-ranked Dixie State in a four-game series starting Tuesday at CORP Field. First pitch is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. with live streaming audio coverage on GoSwords.com.
