KANEOHE, O'ahu, Hawai'i – The Chaminade University softball team returned to action after a 10-day layoff, splitting a Pacific West Conference doubleheader Wednesday at Howard Okita Field.
The Silverswords took the first game, 4-2, scoring all their runs in the fifth inning.
In the nightcap, the Sharks scored the game's first seven runs then held on in the seventh inning for a 7-5 win.
The 'Swords' Game 1 win snapped a nine-game conference losing streak to their intercity rivals dating back to April 2015.
Game 1
Chaminade stranded runners in scoring position in the first two innings and spotted HPU a 1-0 lead in the second but finally capitalized in the fifth.
Maureen Hutchinson led off the frame with a single to left.
Jenn Betian was then plunked for a school-record 26
th time this season.
Ashlyn Yagin was also beaned, loading the bases with one out. Chaminade's next batter,
Rainelle Matsuoka then reached on an error by the catcher, allowing Hutchinson and Betian to score, giving the Silverswords a 2-1 lead.
Nicole Erichsen's sacrifice fly made it 3-1 then the 'Swords tacked on their fourth run of the inning on
Coco Stewart's single.
Meanwhile after allowing three knocks in the first frame, starter
Luana Moreno sat down 11-of-12 Sharks after the second inning, the only base runner reaching on an error and didn't surrender another hit until the fifth.
The Sharks threatened in the bottom of the seventh, cutting the deficit to 4-2 and brought the potential winning run to the plate. But Moreno got Sierra Dias to fly to left, ending the game.
Moreno went the distance, scattering seven hits while allowing two runs and striking out four to earn the win.
Emiliee Leonard took the loss for the Sharks to fall to 8-7.
Game 2
HPU scored twice on unearned runs in the first then again the second to take a 4-0 lead. The Sharks plated three more runs in the third when five of the first six batters of the inning reached. Starter
Kali Kitsinis lasted just 2 1/3 inning and was relieved by Moreno as the 'Swords trailed 7-0.
Chaminade got a run in the fourth on
Kiana Ulufale's RBI single then made even more noise in the sixth.
Erichsen led off the inning with a homer to left, her third big fly of the season, followed by
Alisen Endsley who scored on an error, cutting the deficit to 7-3.
Then in the seventh and the Sharks trying to close out the game, Betian led off with a double, followed by singles from Yagin and Matsuoka with Betian scoring on an error. Erichsen then drew a walk to load the bases where Endsley's sacrifice fly made it 7-5. That brought the potential go-ahead run to the plate but Ulufale's fly ball to the left-center gap was corralled by Kiana Wolfe to end the game.
Moreno was brilliant in relief, tossing 3 2/3 scoreless innings on just two hits. Kitsinis was tagged with the loss. Yagin, Matsuoka and Erichsen each had two hits in the nightcap. Endsley and Ulufale both extended their hitting streaks to six.
Alexis Morales improved to 5-1 on the season.
Chaminade is 7-35 and 4-22 in the PacWest after the twin bill split while HPU is 25-19 and 14-14.
The Silverswords will face BYU-Hawai'i on Friday at Sand Island Field. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. with live streaming audio coverage on GoSwords.com.
