WAIPAHU, O'ahu, Hawai'i – Amid warm, muggy and humid conditions at Patsy T. Mink Central O'ahu Regional Park, the Chaminade University softball team dropped their first of two doubleheaders against No. 12 Dixie State on Tuesday, 7-0 and 8-0 in five innings.
The Silverswords played valiantly in both games, quieting the potent Trailblazer bats early in Game 1 and in the middle of Game 2.
Freshman right fielder
Alisen Endsley went a combined 3-for-6 for Chaminade (2-16, 0-8 Pacific West Conference).
Game 1
Despite facing the nation's seventh-best and PacWest's top hitting team, 'Swords' starter
Luana Moreno didn't flinch, retiring the first six DSU batters before the Trailblazers scratched out two runs in the third, one being on a wild pitch.
Moreno then retired eight straight before the Trailblazers tacked on three more in the sixth and two more in the seventh.
Meanwhile, Chaminade managed to touch DSU starter Brooklyn Beardshear for seven hits. However, the 'Swords couldn't make her pay, stranding seven runners in scoring position including runners at second and third in the first and second innings and a bases-loaded situation in the seventh.
Moreno (0-8) went the distance for the 'Swords, scattering nine hits but didn't walk a batter. She also struck out six, giving her 13 Ks in her last 15 innings. Endsley had two hits for the 'Swords.
Beardshear improved to 10-1 with eight strikeouts while Dixie State's top of the lineup went 6-for-15, four RBI and four runs.
Game 2
The Trailblazers wasted no time, touching up CUH starter
Kali Kitsinis for five runs in the first inning and one more in the second. But the freshman hurler seemed to settle down, retiring eight straight before running into trouble in the fourth as two DSU runs chased her from the game after 3 2/3 innings.
Kayla Higuchi pitched effectively out of the pen, allowing only one hit in the 1 1/3 innings she tossed. She also K'd two, marking her first-ever multi-strikeout game.
The Chaminade bats, however, continued to struggle, stranding five more runners in scoring position.
Kitsinis (0-5) allowed nine hits and eight runs in taking the loss.
Kayla Henmi, Endsley and
Nicole Erichsen accounted for the 'Swords only hits. Meanwhile,
Jenn Betian was plunked three times in the twin bill, ending an eight-game HBP drought, giving last year's national leader in that category 10 on the season, tying her with DSU's Josey Hartman for the conference lead.
Moreno was also hit by a pitch, extending her team-leading reached-base streak to eight.
Dixie State's Alexandria Melendez tossed three innings to improve to 7-4. Janessa Bassett went 3-for-3 and also swiped three bags which gave her the PacWest lead in stolen bases with 24.
The Silverswords will wrap up their four-game series against the Trailblazers at CORP Field on Wednesday with first pitch of the twin bill scheduled for 4:30 p.m. Live streaming audio coverage will be on GoSwords.com.
