TURLOCK, Calif. – The Chaminade University softball team wrapped up the 2017 Tournament of Champions presented by the City of Turlock by dropping both games in Sunday's final day. The Silverswords fell to nationally-ranked Humboldt State, 9-2, at the Turlock Regional Sports Complex then lost to host Stanislaus State, 8-0 in six innings at the Warrior Field.
Coco Stewart, who began the recent road trip in a horrific slump, went 3-for-7 combined with hits in both games, giving her eight knocks in her last 11 outings. Freshman outfielder
Maureen Hutchinson saw her 11-game hitting streak come to an end against Stanislaus State.
Game 1 vs. No. 2 Humboldt State
The Jacks, ranked No. 2 in the country and last year's national runners-up, struck in the top of the first by plating a pair of runs.
But the 'Swords, who faced their second straight top-10 opponent, responded in the bottom half of the frame.
Jenn Betian led off by getting plunked then
Ashlyn Yagin got her first career triple as the three-bagger scored Betian.
Rainelle Matsuoka then followed with her RBI double to right center, tying the game at 2.
HSU then took the lead in the fourth on an RBI sacrifice bunt followed by a throwing error which allowed Amber Orchard to round the bases to put the Jacks up 4-2.
Humboldt State added five runs in the sixth to put the game away.
Luana Moreno took the loss to fall to 4-13, allowing 12 hits with four strikeouts and no walks. Yagin and Matsuoka each had two hits in the contest while Hutchinson's single in the fourth extended her hitting streak to 11 games.
Jasmine Hill went the distance for Humboldt State (25-5), tossing her first complete game of the season to improve to 2-0 on the year. Five Jacks had two hits with Kelly Sonnemann driving in two.
Game 2 vs. Stanislaus State
The Warriors scored a single run in the bottom of the first then added three more in the third off starter
Kali Kitsinis. Stanislaus State tacked on two more in the fourth with Nicolette Vizcaino's RBI single made it 6-0, ending the freshman's afternoon.
Kayla Higuchi, making her first pitching appearance in the TOC, managed to put out the fire without any more damage done.
Higuchi managed a scoreless fifth but the Warriors, looking to end the game early, got an RBI sacrifice fly to make it 7-0, then Ruby Quilarte got safely on base via an RBI fielder's choice which ended the game via the run rule.
Kitsinis took the loss for the Silverswords while Erichsen and Stewart both went 2-for-3 at the plate with Betian getting Chaminade's other hit. Stewart is hitting .333 (12-for-36) in her last 11 games after starting the season in a 5-for-60 slump.
Meanwhile Hutchinson, looking to extend her hitting streak, nearly had a hit in the second when her sinking fly ball fell in front of Stan State centerfielder Cassidy Duke. However, Stewart got hung up between first and second and was thrown out at second, resulting as the play being a fielder's choice.
Hutchinson had two more chances but hit into a double play in the fourth and a comebacker to the pitcher in the sixth. Her 0-for-3 day ended her hitting streak at 11 games, the second-longest by a 'Sword since Anu Yamaguchi hit in 12 straight in 2012.
Kylie Ragsdale picked up the win for the Warriors who improved to 17-21.
The Silverswords (6-28) will remain in Northern California to resume their Pacific West Conference slate, starting Monday at Dominican University of California.
