WAIPAHU, O'ahu, Hawai'i – After dropping the back end of Monday's suspended doubleheader on Tuesday afternoon that resulted in being swept in their conference opener, the Chaminade University softball team was hoping to reverse their fortunes against Biola in the conclusion of the four-game series at Patsy T. Mink Central O'ahu Regional Park.
Instead the Eagles continued their pitching prowess as they took the second twin bill to take all four games in the Pacific West Conference opening series for both teams.
Chaminade fell to 3-8 overall and 0-4 in the conference while Biola, playing its first-ever PacWest series after moving from the NAIA, is 17-3 and 4-0.
Game 1
After completing suspended game, the Eagles got a homer in the first then added a single run in the second and two more in the fifth.
Meanwhile the 'Swords got just three hits off Terri Van Degens through the first six innings, two off the bat of
Malia Ka`akimaka (Ewa Beach, Hawai'i/Campbell).
Biola then broke open the game in the sixth with an eight-run outburst to end the game via the run-rule.
Jay Perez drove in four for Biola with Hailey Boyett adding three more. Van Dagens got the win to improve to 5-0.
Devan Dickson (Avondale, Ariz./Westview) suffered the loss to fall to 1-4.
Game 2
Chaminade scratched out a first-inning run on a run-scoring double from
Jackie Najera (Santa Ana, Calif./Segerstrom) to put them ahead 1-0.
But for the third in time series, the Eagles came back with four straight runs in the next two frames.
The 'Swords answered in the third on a one-out RBI double from
Rainelle Matsuoka (Honolulu/Kaiser) who later came home when Eagles left fielder Jay Perez booted the ball on
Kiana Ulufale's (Ewa Beach, Hawai'i/Campbell) single.
Down 4-3 and down to their last out, the Silverswords finally got the tying run in scoring position when
Ashlyn Yagin (Ewa Beach, Hawai'i/Campbell) sent towering fly ball down the left field line. Perez could not catch up with it as it landed just inside fair territory with Yagin making it safely to third on her first triple of the season.
However Chaminade could not get the equalizer across on a strikeout which ended the series.
Kaile Chavez pitched two innings of one-hit ball to get the win, improving to 2-1. Paige Austin, making her third appearance in the series, tossed the final two frames to earn the save. Austin got two wins and a save in the series.
Yagin and Najera, who were moved up to the lead-off spots in the lineup, each had two hits. Despite absorbing the loss,
Kayla Higuchi (Aiea, Hawai'i/Aiea) pitched brilliantly in her first start of the year, scattering eight hits and four walks with two strikeouts, allowing four runs, three earned.
Najera had seven RBI in the series including her school-record six in Game 2.
Chaminade's defense also turned three double-plays in the second twin bill.
The Silverswords return to action Monday when they face Concordia University Irvine in a two-game series at CORP Field. First pitch is set for 4:30 p.m. Live streaming audio will be on GoSwords.com.
