WAIPAHU, O'ahu, Hawai'i – Pitching continued to be the name of the game as the Chaminade University softball team wrapped up their four-game series against Holy Names on Tuesday at Patsy T. Mink Central O'ahu Regional Park Softball Complex.
While the Silverswords and Hawks each shined in the circle, it was the visitors who had the timely hits while taking advantage of key Chaminade defensive miscues to sweep the doubleheader, 6-0 and 5-2, and win the series.
Holy Names plated four runs in the first inning of both games while limiting the 'Swords' bats to just four combined hits on the day.
Chaminade dropped its third straight and fell under .500 at 8-9 overall and 5-4 in the Pacific West Conference. Holy Names improved to 7-12 and 6-8 in the conference.
Game 1
The Hawks stunned the 'Swords with four runs in the first inning. Two came when a throw to nab Brianna Morris at second sailed past
Cheyne Obara (Pearl City, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Pearl City) and rolled all the way to the fence. All four runs which came off starter
Madelyn Stockslager (Torrance, Calif./South) were unearned.
In the next inning, Holy Names got an RBI bunt single then added its sixth run on an error when a throw toward second to nab Morris stealing second was dropped and went into centerfield allowing Lyndsey Widner to jog home from third.
Meanwhile the 'Swords were never able to piece together consecutive hits.
Alexis Velazquez (Fontana, Calif./Howard College/Alta Loma HS) got Chaminade's first hit in the third while
Kiana Ulufale (Ewa Beach, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Campbell) singled in the fourth and
Marlisa Berrelleza (Indio, Calif./Indio) got a pinch-hit opposite field hit in the seventh.
Stockslager was the hard-luck loser, falling to 6-3. She scattered six hits with two strikeouts. Only one run was earned with her ERA falling to 1.72.
Haighley Kissee picked up the win to even her record to 3-3. She K'd four and allowed just the three hits.
Game 2
The first inning was nearly a mirror-image of the first game with HNU plating four runs. The big blow came with the bases loaded when
Ashlyn Yagin (Ewa Beach, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Campell) dove on Tailor Goods' sinking liner to center. Yagin came up empty with the ball rolling all the way to the fence for a three-run triple.
However Hawks' starter Addison Morris let the 'Swords right back into the game in the bottom of the first. Morris walked the first four batters she faced with 16 of her 19 pitches outside the strike zone. She was lifted after a bases-loaded walk to
Malia Ka`akimaka-Moisa (Ewa Beach, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Campbell).
Chailey Stewart, who started Holy Names' first game of the series on Monday, relived Morris and promptly walked Ulufale to draw the 'Swords to within 4-2 without the benefit of a base hit.
But that seemed to trigger something in Stewart who promptly retired the next 19 Chaminade batters, giving the home fans bad memories of former Holy Names' hurler Kristina Carbajal who no-hit the 'Swords on March 12, 2016 at CORP.
However with one out in the bottom of the seventh,
Makena Kealoha (Corona, Calif./Norco), who came in the top of the inning as a defensive replacement, ended the combined no-hitter with a sharp single to center.
Chaminade starter
Kayla Higuchi (Aiea, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Aiea) settled down after allowing the four-run first, scattering six hits. Four of HNU's knocks came in the final six frames. Higuchi also struck out a season-high two with Aly Cerda being the victim of both Ks.
Stewart picked up her first win of the season to improve to 1-6. She also struck out four.
Chaminade mustered just 13 hits in the series against Holy Names after mashing Notre Dame de Namur pitching for 36 knocks the weekend prior. The 'Swords also had just two extra base hits. However the good news was their solid pitching which lowered their team ERA to 3.84 on the season.
The Silverswords will wrap up their home stand Friday with a four-game series against Dominican University of California at CORP Softball Complex. First pitch is set for 3:30 p.m. with live streaming audio on GoSwords.com.
