HONOLULU – The Chaminade University softball team ended their fall non-championship season with a pair of wins Sunday at the University of Hawai'i Kama'aina Fall Classic at UH Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium.
The Silverswords rallied from seven runs down in their first game to beat Fullerton College, 9-8, on a ninth-inning walk-off hit from
Malia Ka`akimaka (Ewa Beach, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Campbell), a day after losing to the Hornets 17-5. They finished the tournament with a 7-1 win over Antelope Valley.
After struggling to produce offense in the first three games on Friday and Saturday – two of which came against Division I host Hawai'i – the 'Swords' bats finally came to life in their fourth game of the tourney. Chaminade put together 13 hits against Fullerton then 11 against Antelope Valley.
Ashlyn Yagin (Ewa Beach, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Campbell) had four total hits on the day while
Madelyn Stockslager (Torrance, Calif./South) tossed 10 combined innings and allowing just one run.
The 'Swords finished 2-3 in the exhibition tournament.
Game 1 vs. Fullerton
The Hornets stung the 'Swords for seven runs in the top of the first but Matsuoka got Chaminade on the board with a solo homer in the bottom of the frame.
The 'Swords began methodically chipping away at the deficit, getting a two-run single from
Kiana Ulufale (Ewa Beach, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Campbell) in the third followed by a Yagin sacrifice fly and
Kayla Henmi's (Torrance, Calif./South) RBI hit in the fourth. Matsuoka brought home the third run in the inning with a blistering liner that skidded past the Hornets third baseman which rolled all the way into the corner for a triple that scored Henmi to bring Chaminade to 8-6.
The Silverswords completed the comeback in the sixth when freshman pinch hitter
Alexas Presto-Ahsing (Pearl City, O`ahu, Hawai`i) tied the game with a one-out, two-run double which tied the game at 8.
The game went into extra innings, putting the international tiebreaker into effect. After a scoreless eighth and top of the ninth, Ka'akimaka entered as a pinch-hitter and played the role of hero, ripping a pitch over the head of the drawn-in leftfielder to plate
Makena Kealoha (Corona, Calif./Norco) for the walk-off winner.
Chaminade's top of the order (Yagin, Henmi and Matsuoka) went 8 for 13 at the plate and four runs driven in. Matsuoka had three hits, finishing a double shy of the cycle, although she had a chance in the sixth but drew a walk. Yagin also had three hits in the game while Henmi had two.
Meanwhile starter
Michelle Sasaki (Kaneohe, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Kalaheo) survived the seven-run first-inning onslaught and settled down, scattering eight hits and just one more run in the next five innings. Although she surrendered all eight runs, none were earned. Stockslager relived her in the seventh and allowed just one hit and one walk in her three innings of relief which included international tiebreak runners in the eighth and ninth to pick up the win.
Jes Lopez took the loss for the Hornets.
Game 2 vs. Antelope Valley
After three scoreless innings, Chaminade put up a four-spot in the fourth with Ulufale,
Karyna Baldomino (Diamond Bar, Calif./Rowland),
Hailey Matsumura (Honolulu/Saint Francis) and Yagin each driving in one.
The 'Swords tacked on another run in the sixth courtesy of
Cheyne Obara (Pearl City, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Pearl City) then Baldomino drove in her second run of the game in the seventh on a double to right followed by Matsumura's RBI single to center.
Stockslager pitched seven solid frames, scattering five hits and allowing just one run which was unearned.
McKenzie Potter was charged with the loss.
The Silverswords are tentatively scheduled to open their season on Feb. 1 against Rollins College.
