TURLOCK, Calif. – The Chaminade University softball team opened the Tournament of Champions with a pair of losses Friday.
In their opening game, the Silverswords allowed four unearned runs in a 6-2 loss to Cal State Dominguez Hills.
In their second game of the day, the 'Swords scored five first-inning runs but still suffered an 18-7, five-inning setback to Sonoma State.
Rainelle Matsuoka (Honolulu/Kaiser) was a combined 4-for-7 with three runs while
Hailey Matsumura (Honolulu/Saint Francis) was 3-for-6 and two runs.
Game 1 vs. Cal State Dominguez Hills
At the Turlock Regional Sports Complex, Cal State Dominguez Hills scored a first-inning run then the 'Swords countered in the bottom-half of the frame with a run on a bases-loaded walk from
Cheyne Obara (Pearl City, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Pearl City).
However the Toros scored twice with the help of two Chaminade errors to take a 3-1 lead. They also added another in the fourth. All four runs by CSUDH up to that point were unearned until the sixth when they scored two insurance runs off starter
Madelyn Stockslager (Torrance, Calif./South).
The 'Swords scored their final run of the game in the fourth on an RBI groundout by
Makena Kealoha (Corona, Calif./Norco).
Matsuoka and Matsumura both had two hits while
Ashlyn Yagin (Ewa Beach, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Campbell) had Chaminade's other knock.
Alexis Velazquez (Fontana, Calif./Howard College/Alta Loma HS) went hitless in four at-bats, bringing her seven-game hitting streak to a half.
Stockslager allowed just five hits and struck out eight but took the loss to fall to 8-11.
Ashley Wies tossed the final 6 2/3 innings in relief for the Toros to earn the win to improve her mark to 8-7.
The loss snapped a two-game winning streak against the Toros in the TOC.
Game 2 vs. Sonoma State
After making the short drive to Pedretti Sports Complex Field 5, the 'Swords enjoyed a big first inning.
Their first three batters reached with Velazquez driving in the game's first run with a single.
Kiana Ulufale (Ewa Beach, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Campbell) drove in their second run with a groundout followed by an Obara RBI single.
Malia Ka`akimaka-Moisa (Ewa Beach, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Campbell), who had been hitless on the current road trip, broke out of her slump with a two-run base hit to right field to give the 'Swords a 5-0 advantage. Chaminade sent 10 batters to the plate in the first.
But Sonoma State responded in the bottom of the first with a three-run homer by Jordann White. The 'Swords could've gotten out of the inning but a dropped catch at first base which should've been the third out extended the inning. The Seawolves made them pay for the error when the next batter, Briana Avalos, hit a towering game-tying triple to center.
Sonoma State wasn't done, taking advantage of several Chaminade lapses to take the lead. The 'Swords were unsuccessful in three force-plays on the lead runner instead of taking the sure out at first. Four of the five runs that scored were a result of the Seawolves being handed extra outs.
Sonoma State kept adding on. In all, SSU scored 18 straight runs after Chaminade jumped out to its 5-0 lead.
Down by 13 runs, the 'Swords got a two-run double from Velazquez in the fifth but it was not nearly enough to prevent the run-rule.
Chaminade rapped out 10 hits with Matsuoka and Velazquez getting two each. The latter also drove in three. Since being inserted at the top of the order on March 26, Matsuoka is 7-for-14 and three runs while Matsumura's single in the fifth extended her hitting streak to four games. Obara also has a streak of three straight with an RBI.
Kayla Higuchi (Aiea, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Aiea) took the loss to fall to 1-9. Teresa Danenburg (4-4) tossed 4 1/3 innings of relief to pick up the win.
The Silverswords continue the Tournament of Champions Saturday. They open with No. 11 UC San Diego at 10 a.m. PDT (7 a.m. HST) followed by Saint Martin's at 2 p.m. (11 a.m. HST).
- ###-
