WAIPAHU, O'ahu, Hawai'i – The Chaminade University softball team Sunday opened a four-game series against the University of British Columbia with a doubleheader split at Patsy T. Mink Central O'ahu Regional Park.
The Silverswords took the opening game with a 3-2 win when freshman shortstop
Hailey Matsumura (Honolulu/St. Francis) scored the go-ahead run in the sixth inning to break a 2-2 tie while
Madelyn Stockslager (Torrance, Calif./South) allowed no earned runs in a complete-game four-hitter.
The Thunderbirds, in their season-opening contests, took the nightcap, 7-6, with the help of a four-run top of sixth before hanging on for the win.
Chaminade is 2-3 on the season while UBC is 1-1.
Game 1
An error allowed two T-Bird runs to cross the plate in the first inning but Chaminade answered in the bottom of the inning on a bases-loaded walk by
Kiana Ulufale (Ewa Beach, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Campbell) and an infield hustle single by
Malia Ka`akimaka-Moisa (Ewa Beach, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Campbell) which knotted the game at 2.
In the bottom of the sixth, Matsumura, who earlier in the game got her first career base hit, got her second by singling up the middle to lead off the inning.
Karyna Baldomino (Diamond Bar, Calif./Rowland) put down a sacrifice bunt but was safe when UBC second baseman Taylore Jones dropped a throw from the pitcher. Matsumura, who had made her way to second, then alertly raced to third when the ball was dropped.
Two batters later, Yagin hit a chopper to third but the ball nicked off the glove of Emily Chorpita allowing Matsumura to dash for the plate. Chorpita recovered but Matsumura beat the throw for the go-ahead run.
In the seventh, a lead-off error did not phase Stockslager who struck out the game's final two batters with the tying run in scoring position.
Matsumura had two of the 'Swords' five hits in the game while Stockslager was masterful in the circle. At one point she retired nine straight and 15 of 16 batters in the middle innings. She K'd seven and did not issue a walk for the second straight start in picking up the win to improve to 2-1. Both runs were unearned, dropping her ERA to 0.67.
Shelby Kempel took the loss for British Columbia.
Game 2
After spotting the T-Birds a run in the first, Chaminade loaded the bases with no outs in their half of the inning. Ka'akimaka-Moisa's infield pop-up was dropped by the second baseman, allowing
Kayla Henmi (Torrance, Calif./South) to cross the plate on the error. Two batters later, Matsumura drove in her first run with an RBI single to put Chaminade up 2-1.
But UBC answered with two run in the second to go ahead 3-2 then exploded for four in the sixth to grab a 7-2 lead with the big blow provided by Sierra Sherritt's three-run homer which chased 'Swords' starter
Kayla Higuchi (Aiea, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Aiea). Utility player
Michelle Sasaki (Kaneohe, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Kalaheo) made her collegiate pitching debut and ended the inning with a harmless groundout.
However the Silverswords weren't done, loading the bases with two outs. Then they exhibited a great eye at the plate as Yagin,
Alexis Velazquez (Fremont, Calif./Howard College/Alta Loma HS),
Alexas Presto-Ahsing (Pearl City, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Pearl City) and Ka'akimaka-Moisa all drew bases-loaded walks consecutively to pull them to within a run at 7-6. Chaminade scored all four runs in the sixth without the benefit of a base hit.
Despite two hit batters which loaded the bases in the top of the seventh, Sasaki escaped the inning without any damage by inducing an infield pop-up.
However Chaminade could not get the tying run on board in the bottom of the seventh, allowing UBC to escape with the win.
Higuchi pitched well for five innings before running into trouble in the sixth. She took the loss to fall to 0-2.
UBC got 12 hits in the nightcap while Damara Begin lasted 5 2/3 innings to get the win. Kempel tossed the final 1 1/3 innings to earn the save.
The Silverswords and T-Birds wrap up their series Monday starting at 12 p.m. at CORP Softball Complex.
