BELMONT, Calif. – The Chaminade University softball team opened a four-game series against Notre Dame de Namur, splitting the opening doubleheader Tuesday at Notre Dame High School.
The Silverswords plated six runs in the 10
th inning of the first game for the 8-2 win then dropped the nightcap, 6-1.
Coco Stewart collected three hits in the twin bill including the go-ahead two-run double in extra innings in the first game.
Chaminade is 4-22 and 2-14 in the Pacific West Conference while NDNU is 7-12 and 7-9.
Game 1
Chaminade struck right away when
Nicole Erichsen's single brought home
Rainelle Matsuoka in the first inning.
The Argos tied it with a run in the first and took the lead with a lead-off homer in the second before Erichsen delivered again, this time with a sacrifice fly with the bases loaded in the third, tying the game at 2.
Despite both teams having ample scoring opportunities in subsequent innings, the 'Swords finally broke through in the 10
th. Stewart, mired in a season-long 6-for-62 slump, came through with her biggest hit of the year on a bases-loaded double to drive in Erichsen and
Kiana Ulufale, her first extra base hit of 2017 which put Chaminade ahead, 4-2.
Maureen Hutchinson followed Stewart's knock with a two-run single then two batters later,
Jenn Betian added insurance with her third homer of the season, a two-run blast to put the finishing touches on the game.
Luana Moreno got her second consecutive win to improve to 2-10, tossing a career-high 10 innings with six strikeouts. She also scattered eight hits, issued no walks and allowed just one earned run as her ERA dipped to 3.69. She also got out of several jams in the late innings including in the bottom of the seventh with the winning run at third and one out. Moreno got a strikeout and pop up to end the threat.
Matsuoka went 3-for-5 for the Silverswords while Stewart, Erichsen and Betian each collect a pair as Chaminade had a season-high 11 hits.
Erin Powers absorbed the loss for the Argos to fall to 2-6. She allowed seven runs and walked six.
Game 2
Kali Kitsinis got the start but for the second straight outing was touched up for four runs in the opening inning.
The 'Swords got a run back in the third when
Alisen Endsley alertly went from first to third on
Ashlyn Yagin's sacrifice bunt then scored on a throwing error by Haley Stahl to cut the deficit to 4-1.
The Argos tacked on two more runs in the fifth for the game's final margin.
Kitsinis fell to 0-8, allowing six runs on nine hits. Erichsen, Stewart, Moreno and Ulufale each had single hits for the 'Swords while Stewart
Audrey Vicory got the win for the Argos to improve to 4-4, tossing a four-hitter.
The Silverswords and Argos will tangle again in the second doubleheader Wednesday.
