HILO, Hawai'i – The Chaminade University softball team opened their season-ending 10-game stretch against Hawai'i opponents Saturday, taking on Hawai'i Hilo at Vulcans Softball Field.
The Silverswords couldn't protect leads in both games against the Vulcans, losing 4-3 and 12-6.
Chaminade second baseman
Jenn Betian reached base five times in the twin bill including getting beaned on four occasions, tying her school-record of 25 set last season. The senior, who is the NCAA active career leader in hit-by-pitches in all levels, has 66 in her career. It also moved her past Central Oklahoma's Brittany Weaver into second all-time in Division II history.
Alisen Endsley,
Coco Stewart and
Kiana Ulufale had three hits each for the 'Swords in the doubleheader.
Game 1
Chaminade struck first in the second inning. After back-to-back one-out singles by Endsley and Stewart, Ulufale followed with a three-run homer to left to put the 'Swords up 3-0. Ulufale's blast was her fourth of the season and her team-leading 16
th RBIs on the year.
CUH starter
Luana Moreno handcuffed the Vulcan bats to four hits through the first five innings. But UH Hilo caught fire in the bottom of the sixth. Kristina Menjivar's solo homer was the spark, following two more singles. Brinell Kalekini, who had a walk-off homer last week against Hawai'i Pacific University, did it again, this time, powering the go-ahead three-run shot to put the Vulcans up 4-3. UHH sent seven batters to the plate in the sixth and got six hits including the two homers.
The 'Swords managed to get the tying run on board in the seventh as Betian was plunked for the third time in the game but was stranded at second.
Endsley was the only Silversword with multi-hits, going 2-for-3 at the dish. Meanwhile Moreno took the loss to fall to 4-16, allowing four runs while allowing eight hits and a walk.
Leah Gonzales came out of the pen to steal the win, improving to 7-5, tossing 2 2/3 scoreless innings. Kalekini was 2-for-3 to lead the UHH batters.
Game 2
As in the first game, the 'Swords cashed in a pair of runners to open the scoring, this time in the first inning. Betian was hit to lead off the game – her fourth HBP of the double-dip – followed by
Ashlyn Yagin's walk. After a wild pitch moved both runners up, Endsley's grounder was misplayed at second base, allowing both runners to score, putting Chaminade up 2-0.
Like the opener, the Vulcans rallied. This time, however, they didn't bother waiting until the late innings, plating seven runs in the third including the go-ahead two-run single from Bailey Gaspar which helped to chase starter
Kali Kitsinis. Reliever
Kayla Higuchi fared no better, allowing a grand slam to Danielle Pulido later in the frame.
The 'Swords got three runs back in the fourth.
Kayla Henmi drew a bases-loaded walk with no outs to force in a run. Gonzales was again summoned from the pen, relieving starter Danielle Wilson, and got two force plays at home but
Rainelle Matsuoka delivered a clutch two-out single off Gonzales to cut the deficit to 7-5.
Chaminade again threatened in the fifth, loading the bases with no outs but could only muster an RBI ground-out from Henmi to close to within a run.
The Vulcans, playing their final home game of the season, then got two runs in the bottom of the fifth and three in the sixth to put the game away and send their seniors off happy.
The 'Swords managed nine hits in the nightcap with Matsuoka, Stewart and Ulufale each getting two apiece while Matsuoka and Henmi both had two RBI. Meanwhile Betian, who came into the day with 62 career HBPs and needed just one to tie Weaver for second all-time, now trails only Sarah Wittenburg of Texas Women's University who was hit 95 times from 2012-15.
Kitsinis was tagged with the loss while Gonzales pitched her second victory of the day out of the pen.
Pulido and Gaspar each drove in four for UH Hilo.
The 'Swords fell to 6-34 overall and 3-21 in the Pacific West Conference. The Vulcans are 21-19 and 12-12.
The Silverswords return to action on O'ahu next Saturday when they face HPU at Howard Okita Field in Kaneohe.
