WAIPAHU, O'ahu, Hawai'i – The Chaminade University softball team came from behind twice to sweep a doubleheader from the University of British Columbia, 7-5 and 5-4, Wednesday at Patsy T. Mink Central O'ahu Regional Park.
The Silverswords rallied from a run down in the first game then broke a 5-5 deadlock with two runs in the bottom of the sixth.
In the second game, Chaminade clawed back from a 3-0 deficit with a five-run sixth despite getting only one hit in the game to secure its first doubleheader sweep in nearly two years.
Rainelle Matsuoka (Honolulu/Kaiser) drove in the go-ahead runs in both games with an RBI double in Game 1 and a bases-loaded walk in the nightcap. Freshmen
Devan Dickson (Avondale, Ariz./Westview) and
Madelyn Stockslager (Torrance, Calif./South) picked up their first career wins with the latter setting a program-record for strikeouts.
The Silverswords improved to 2-3 on the season while the Thunderbirds, who made their season opener, are 0-2.
Game 1
After UBC got a first-inning run, the 'Swords counted in the second when a wild pitch brought home
Jackie Najera (Santa Ana, Calif./Segerstrom). Chaminade then took a 3-1 lead in the fourth on an RBI groundout from
Makena Kealoha (Corona, Calif./Norco) and a
Kayla Henmi (Torrance, Calif./South) run-scoring single.
But the T-Birds took the lead on a bases-clearing double from Emily Chorpita in the top of the fifth. However the 'Swords countered in the bottom of the frame on
Kiana Ulufale's (Ewa Beach, Hawai'i/Campbell) RBI sacrifice fly and a run from Dickson on a wild pitch that put Chaminade ahead, 5-4.
After the Thunderbirds again tied it at 5 in the sixth, the 'Swords got consecutive one-out base knocks from Henmi and
Ashlyn Yagin (Ewa Beach, Hawai'i/Campell). Matsuoka then provided the go-ahead run, doubling home Henmi to put them ahead 6-5. After a pitching change, Dickson collected her second hit of the game with an RBI to give the home team a two-run edge.
Kayla Higuchi (Aiea, Hawai'i/Aiea) was called to shut down the seventh and despite facing the tying run at second with one out, the junior got the final two outs to close the game.
Dickson improved to 1-1, scattering 11 hits in six innings while Higuchi earned her second career save. Chaminade's 1-4 hitters of Henmi, Yagin, Matsuoka and Dickson was 9-of-16, four runs and three RBI.
Zoe Gillis suffered the loss to start the season 0-1.
Game 2
After four scoreless frames, British Columbia broke through with two runs in the fifth and had a chance for mmore but Yagin robbed Michaela Moore of two runs with a spectacular diving catch in right-center to end the inning. The T-Birds managed to add another in the top of the sixth to grab a 3-0 lead.
Meanwhile UBC starter Emma Tuscon was untouchable. Despite allowing seven walks, she had a no-hitter through five innings and with the no-no still intact in the bottom of the sixth, Tuscon was pulled after a lead-off walk with Ulufale. Chantelle Twynstra came in but Stockslager got Chaminade's only hit of the game with a sharp RBI single to plate Ulufale to get the 'Swords on the board.
UBC then committed consecutive errors, the second coming when the catcher dropped a ball on a bases-loaded force situation at home. The error allowed Stockslager to score, cutting the deficit to 3-2. Then in Yagin's at-bat, a wild pitch allowed Higuchi to tie the game at 3. Matsuoka walked with the bases loaded to put the Silverswords ahead, 4-3, then Twynstra uncorked her second run-scoring wild pitch to put Chaminade up 5-3.
Stockslager, who started Game 2, looked to shut the seventh down but UBC plated a run to close to 5-4. A passed ball put the tying and go-ahead runs in scoring position but the freshman got Frances Ramsey to fly out to shallow center to end the game.
Stockslager went the distance for the 'Swords, scattering seven hits, five walks while allowing three earned runs to improve to 1-2. Her nine strikeouts is the most by a Silversword since single-game records were kept starting in 2008. It's also the most since March 2008 when Chelsi Walls K'd eight against Cal State San Bernardino.
Twynstra suffered the loss in relief. Paige Harbord had two hits for UBC.
The sweep was the first for Chaminade since it took a twin bill from BYU-Hawai'i in April 2016.
The Silverswords and Thunderbirds conclude their four-game series Friday at Kaiser High School Field. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.
