WAIPAHU, O'ahu, Hawai'i – For the second time in as many dates, the Chaminade University softball team faced a long-time foe for the final time.
Unfortunately for the Silverswords, history repeated itself as the night resulted in an opponent sweep.
California Baptist, who woke up Wednesday morning as the 25
th-ranked team in the nation, used the long ball to sweep the doubleheader, 7-0 and 12-0 at Patsy T. Mink Central O'ahu Regional Park.
Like Monday's opponent in No. 3 Dixie State, Wednesday's twin bill was the final meeting between the two programs who have faced each other as Pacific West Conference rivals since 2012. The Lancers, who ended the series with an 18-2 lead, will be moving up to Division I's Western Athletic Conference next year.
Kiana Ulufale (Ewa Beach, Hawai'i/Campbell) and
Jackie Najera (Santa Ana, Calif./Segerstrom) each had base hits in both games.
Game 1
CBU opened with a bang with Caitlyn Lloyd's lead-off shot on the game's second pitch. Two batters later, Hannah Thieroff blasted a two-run homer to put the Lancers up 3-0.
However, Chaminade starter Deven Dickson (Avondale, Ariz./Westview) settled down from there, retiring 10 of the next 13 batters she faced before running into trouble in the fifth.
Theiroff homered off Dickson for the second time, a three-run shot, to put CBU up 6-0.
Meanwhile Chaminade's bat were silenced, getting three singles from Ulufale, Najera and
Ashlyn Yagin (Ewa Beach, Hawai'i/Campbell).
Ciarra Stapp got the complete-game win for the Lancers, striking out eight. Theiroff drove in five off her two homers.
Dickson took the loss, scattering eight hits and four walks, although she K'd a season-high three.
Game 2
In a near-mirror image of the first game, CBU grabbed a 3-0 first inning lead behind back-to-back homers, a two-run shot from Soraya Shabazian and Theiroff's third of the night.
'Swords starter
Kayla Higuchi (Aiea, Hawai'i/Aiea) got a perfect second but the Lancers pounced in the third. After loading the bases with one out, Higuchi surrendered two runs on a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch and walk on consecutive batters. An RBI single brought in a third run of the inning then CBU delivered the knockout blow on Lloyd's grand slam which chased Higuchi from the circle.
Dickson was summoned from the pen and allowed two unearned runs in the final 2 2/3 innings. Like in the first game, Chaminade was held to just three hits, all singles from Ulufale, Najera and Dickson. Higuchi was charged with the loss.
CBU's Kellye Springstead, who calls Honolulu home, went three innings to earn the win.
The loss dropped Chaminade to 4-15 overall and 1-11 in the PacWest. California Baptist improved to 19-4 and 11-1.
The twin bill ended CUH's 19-game season-opening home stand. The Silverswords will hit the road for their only Mainland road trip of the season, heading to the Bay Area. They begin an 18-game road trip Sunday with a four-game series against Dominican University of California.
