WAIPAHU, O'ahu, Hawai'i – The Chaminade University softball team concluded their four-game series against Dixie State by dropping their second doubleheader in as many days, 1-0 and 11-0, Tuesday at Patsy T. Mink Central O'ahu Regional Park.
The Silverswords fell to 2-18 on the year and 0-10 in the Pacific West Conference.
The Trailblazers, who dropped one spot to 13th in the NFCA Coaches Poll released earlier in the day, improved to 24-5 and 10-2. The twin bill also marked the final appearance for Dixie State at CORP Field as the school will be leaving for the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference in 2018-19.
Game 1
Chaminade's
Luana Moreno and Dixie State's Brooklyn Beardshear were engaged in a pitcher's duel throughout the contest with Moreno allowing only three hits through four innings.
But DSU broke through in the fifth on Janessa Bassett's two-out RBI single. The run was aided when a throwing error from the outfield back into the infield allowed Shelby Yung to take second after leading off with a single.
But Moreno did not allow DSU's potent bats to do any more damage, wriggling out of a jam in the sixth despite a leadoff double.
The 'Swords had several chances to plate runs including in the fourth when they loaded the bases with one out but couldn't push a run across. Chaminade also had another opportunity in the fifth.
Kayla Higuchi, who made her first appearance in left field, hit a hopper towards second that was knocked down, giving the sophomore her first career base hit, allowing
Maureen Hutchinson to get into scoring position at second. However,
Rainelle Matsuoka, who returned to the lineup after missing three games due to injury, was robbed of the potential game-tying RBI when her scalding liner was snared by a diving DSU third baseman Dani Bartholf to end the inning.
Moreno was again the victim of hard luck, falling to 0-8 with the only run of the game being unearned as her ERA dropped to 4.09. She scattered seven hits while walking one.
However, she and her batterymate,
Kiana Ulufale, managed to accomplish a feat no other opposing battery accomplished this season – throwing out Bassett attempting to steal which came in the first inning. Bassett was 24-of-24 in stolen base attempts coming into the day.
Beardshear got the win to improve to 11-1 while Bassett was 3-for-4 at the dish.
Game 2
The Trailblazers got after Chaminade starter
Kali Kitsinis early and often, tacking on three runs in the second and four more in the third for a 7-0 lead. Higuchi was summoned from the bullpen and got an inning-ending pop up to end the third.
Dixie State, the PacWest's top batting team, plated two runs in the fourth and fifth innings for an 11-0 advantage as the 'Swords were unable to plate the necessary runs to prevent the run-rule in the fifth.
Kitsinis was tagged with the loss in falling to 0-6, allowing seven runs on seven hits in her 2 2/3 innings of work. Higuchi tossed 2 1/3 frames, allowing four runs on five knocks. Hutchinson and
Kaitlin Kim got the only hits for the Silverswords.
Alexis Barkwell got the win to improve to 3-0. Arista Honey was the only player in the game with multi-hits, going 2-for-4 with two RBI.
The Silverswords will end their 22-game season-opening home stand next Monday when they host California Baptist at CORP Field with first pitch scheduled for 4:30 p.m. Live streaming audio coverage will available on GoSwords.com.
