WAIPAHU, O'ahu, Hawai'i – The Chaminade University softball team opened their 2018 season by dropping a doubleheader to Simon Fraser Saturday at Patsy T. Mink Central O'ahu Regional Park.
The Clan took the first game 9-2 and completed the sweep with a 14-6 win in six innings.
Despite the losses, shortstop
Rainelle Matsuoka (Honolulu/Kaiser) had a big day at the plate, going 5-for-8 and five RBI combined. She went 3-for-4 with a homer in the second game, tying her career-high with four RBI.
Freshman
Kayla Russell (Honolulu/Kaiser) drove in runs in each game.
Chaminade is 0-2 while Simon Fraser from British Columbia, Canada, improved to 2-1.
Game 1:
The Silverswords broke a scoreless game in the third inning when Matsuoka dropped a single just inside the right field line to score
Kayla Henmi (Torrance, Calif./South).
SFU brought the tying run home in the fourth then took a 3-1 lead in the fifth, aided by two Chaminade errors.
After SFU added two more runs in the six, the 'Swords got one back on Russell's run-scoring sacrifice fly but it was all they could muster.
Freshman
Devan Dickson (Avondale, Ariz./Westview) got the nod as the opening game pitcher but suffered the loss. Despite allowing all nine runs, just three were earned.
SFU's Alia Stachoski got the win, tossing a four-hitter.
Game 2:
As they did in the first game, the 'Swords struck first in the nightcap courtesy of an RBI single by Russell in the first inning. But the Clan responded in the second with three runs.
Down 5-1, Game 2 starter
Madelyn Stockslager (Torrance, Calif./South) hit a bleeder up the middle which was knocked down by diving Clan shortstop Taylor Lundrigan. However her flip to catch pinch-runner
Kaitlyn Castillo (Makawao, Hawai'i/Kamehameha-Maui) at second was mishandled by the second baseman and dribbled into right-center. That allowed Matsuoka to scamper home for Chaminade's second run.
Then with runners on the corners in the fifth, Matsuoka launched her game-tying three-run blast over the fence in left-center. The homer was the 16
th of her career, tying her with Pua Reis for second in the school's all-time home run list.
However Simon Fraser put up a five-spot in the fifth and four more in the sixth to put the eight-run-rule in effect although Matsuoka delivered an RBI single to complete the scoring.
Stockslager took the loss, allowing 10 runs in 4 2/3 innings.
Kayla Higuchi (Aiea, Hawai'i/Aiea) tossed the final 1 1/3 frames.
The 'Swords managed seven hits off the Clan's second-game starter, Jessica Tate, chasing her in the fourth. But Stachoski was summoned from the bullpen and allowed just two hits in the final 2 1/3 innings to earn her second win of the day.
The Silverswords will face Central Washington (5-4) on Sunday at CORP. The Wildcats, favored to win their third straight Great Northwest Athletic Conference title, split their twin bill at Hawai'i Pacific on Saturday. First pitch is scheduled for 12 p.m. with live streaming audio coverage on GoSwords.com.
