MORAGA, Calif. – The Chaminade University softball team ended their 16-day, 17-game road trip with a pair of losses to Holy Names Friday at Cottrell Field on the Saint Mary's College campus.
The Silverswords were walked off in the first game, 3-2, then dropped the second, 5-2.
Chaminade stranded a mind-numbing 27 runners on base including 14 in scoring position.
Holy Names' at home sweep was a reversal of the series history between the two programs. The visiting team had won the eight of the last nine contests entering Friday.
The 'Swords finished the road trip with a 6-11 mark. Chaminade fell to 10-26 overall and 6-18 in the Pacific West Conference. Holy Names improved to 3-23 and 3-11.
Game 1
The Silverswords grabbed an early 1-0 lead on
Rainelle Matsuoka's (Honolulu/Kaiser) RBI single to left in the first.
They had a prime chance to tack on even more in subsequent innings but left the bases loaded in the second and third, runners at first and second in the fourth and fifth. They also had an opportunity in the sixth but
Kayla Henmi (Torrance, Calif./South) was thrown out at the plate.
Meanwhile
Madelyn Stockslager (Torrance, Calif./South) was cruising through the Hawks lineup. She also got some outstanding defense behind her. In the third with a runner on first, Matsuoka bobbled a squibber up the middle but the ball bounced in the air to
Jackie Najera (Santa Ana, Calif./Segerstrom) who was standing on second then made the relay to first to get the double play. The 'Swords also got another to end the fifth, getting the first out on a routine play then completed the twin killing on a rundown between second and third when Kayla Hall strayed too far off base.
Stockslager had a no-hitter through 5 2/3 frames which ended when
Maureen Hutchinson (Curtisville, Pa./Deer Lake) making a diving attempt of Tailor Goods' hit which got past her for a double. Kiana Evans then squibbed a ball to the left side and reached on an error. Evans then got into a rundown while moving to second. The 'Swords took the bait as they attempted the rundown, allowing Goods to safely score the tying run.
Chaminade, however, wasn't done. In the top of the seventh
Kayla Russell (Honolulu/Kaiser) reached on an infield single and Stockslager reached when her counterpart, Challey Stewart, bobbled a routine comebacker. Najera then came up clutch, tying it with a double to right and putting
Kaitlyn Castillo (Makawao, Hawai'i/Kamehameha-Maui), the go-ahead run, at third. However Castillo was left stranded there.
The Hawks got a lead-off double in the bottom of the seventh but the 'Swords managed to get two outs. Then with the infield playing back, pinch-hitter Haigley Kissee hit a bleeder that dropped in front of a diving
Makena Kealoha (Corona, Calif./Norco), allowing the winning run to cross the plate.
Stockslager took the loss to fall to 7-10 despite her 5 2/3 frames of dominance. She held the Hawks to just four hits with four strikeouts.
Chaminade's first five batters of the lineup had two hits each. However the six through nine hitters could only muster one. Despite 11 base hits, the 'Swords stranded 15 runners on base including eight in scoring position. They also had base runners in every inning.
Stewart survived Chaminade's hitting onslaught to pick up her second win of the season.
Game 2
Due to injuries sustained in the first game, the 'Swords had only 12 healthy players available. And in a microcosm of the afternoon, Najera opened the game by lining a bouncer into right field but rightfielder Mila Salazar, playing in shallow, gunned Najera down at first, taking the hit away. However, Chaminade plated the game's first run on Henmi's single in the second.
But HNU stunned the 'Swords in the bottom of the second with three straight hits and a sacrifice fly off starter
Devan Dickson (Avondale, Ariz./Westview) for four runs. They added another run in the third.
Meanwhile Chaminade couldn't take advantage of Kissee's wildness but couldn't make her pay for her mistakes. Kissee walked eight in the game and hit two more.
Henmi had an RBI groundout in the sixth for the final run of the game.
In the seventh, the 'Swords put two on with the tying run at the plate but Russell flied out to end the game.
Like in the first game, the 'Swords had base runners in each inning. And like Game 1, the 'Swords stranded base runners galore – 12 total, six in scoring position.
Kissee, who started Game 2 and had an ERA of 5.36 entering the game, limited Chaminade to four hits to pick up her first win of the year.
The Silverswords return home and will next be in action against intercity rival Hawai'i Pacific at Patsy T. Mink Central O'ahu Regional Park on Tuesday, April 10.
