TURLOCK, Calif. – The Chaminade University softball entered Day 2 of the Tournament of Champions with two more games on the docket.
Less than 18 hours after a demoralizing loss to Sonoma State in which a five-run lead was not enough, the Silverswords scrapped their way against UC San Diego, the 11th-ranked team in the NFCA Division II Coaches Poll, and was within two runs until UCSD pulled away late.
In the nightcap against Saint Martin's, the 'Swords had a 4-2 lead but timely Saints hits late along with an unlucky play contributed to a 5-4 loss.
The pair of defeats dropped Chaminade to 10-27 on the season with their losing streak extended to 16.
Game 1 vs. No. 11 UC San Diego
The 'Swords showed plenty of fight early on at Warrior Field, the home of Stanislaus State. Despite the Tritons posting a first-inning run off starter
Madelyn Stockslager (Torrance, Calif./South), the sophomore hurler went toe-to-toe with UCSB starter Alanna Phillips, allowing just the one run until the fourth when the Tritons put up a second run.
Meanwhile Phillips retired the first 14 'Swords until
Kayla Henmi (Torrance, Calif./South) drew a two-out walk in the fifth to end her bid for a perfect game. Phillips however still had a no-hitter intact until the sixth when
Kayla Russell (Honolulu/Kaiser) dropped a bloop single just inside the right-field line to end the no-no.
Chaminade still trailed 2-0 heading into the bottom of the sixth but UCSD rapped out five hits, three for extra bases, to increase its lead to 7-0. The Tritons had the game-ending mercy-rule run at third but Clarissa Reynoso hit a liner to third baseman
Rainelle Matsuoka (Honolulu/Kaiser) to insure a seventh-inning.
Pinch-hitter
Marlisa Berrelleza (Indio, Calif./Indio) began a one-out rally by singling just inside the third-base bag which allowed
Malia Ka`akimaka-Moisa (Ewa Beach, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Campbell) to move to second. Henmi then singled through the right side to load the bases, allowing the next batter,
Ashlyn Yagin (Ewa Beach, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Campbell), to lift a fly ball to right, allowing Ka'akimaka-Moisa to easily come home for the 'Swords lone run.
Stockslager scattered 10 hits and allowed six earned runs with three strikeouts in suffering the loss to fall to 8-12.
Phillips improved to 8-1 with the win while UCSD improved to 23-6.
Game 2 vs. Saint Martin's
After moving to the Pedretti Sports Complex Field 1, Chaminade found itself down 2-0 in the top of the fourth. Saint Martin's almost had a third run on a base hit but
Makena Kealoha (Corona, Calif./Norco) fired a strike to home plate to nab Emery Norwood which ended the inning.
Chaminade got a run back in the bottom of the frame when Saints centerfielder Lauren Diuco mishandled a bouncer on a hit from
Alexis Velazquez (Fontana, Calif./Howard College/Alta Loma HS), allowing Matsuoka to scamper home.
In the home half of the fifth, the 'Swords put together a crooked number. Henmi led off with an infield bunt single as did Yagin with Henmi advancing to third when the throw dribbled past the first baseman. After
Hailey Matsumura (Honolulu/Saint Francis) was plunked to load the bases,
Maureen Hutchinson (Curtisville, Pa./Deer Lake) dropped a single to right, scoring Henmi as well as Yagin who scampered home when right fielder Nicki DeHan bobbled the ball which put Chaminade ahead, 3-2. It was Hutchinson's first RBI since March 3.
The 'Swords weren't done however. Two batters later,
Cheyne Obara (Pearl City, O`ahu, Hawai`i/Pearl City) lined a shot to centerfield to score Matsumura for their third run in the inning. Chaminade was in position to add more if not for some bad luck. Velazquez then hit a blooper to second base where SMU shortstop Sabrina Hicks made a diving attempt with the ball popping out of her glove when she hit the ground. However the ball rolled straight to second baseman Trinity Favela, a Campbell High School product, and with Obara being forced to go halfway due to the ball being in the air, she got caught between bases. Favela stepped on the bag for the second out and threw out Velazquez at first for an inning-ending double play.
Saint Martin's scored three times in the sixth to retake the lead, although all three of the RBI-producing hits were seeing-eye singles and not hit particularly hard. SMU tried again to go second-to-home on a bouncer to left but Kealoha threw another dart to cut down the runner at the plate to end the inning.
The 'Swords managed to get the tying run in scoring position in the bottom of the seventh after Matsumura walked and was moved to second on Huchinson's groundout. But Chaminade could not advance her for the tying run.
Despite falling to 1-10, starter
Kayla Higuchi (Aiea, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Aiea) pitched admirably, scattering 12 hits and managed to keep the Saints off-balance for several innings.
Brandi Schoessler got the win to improve to 11-4 although she faced traffic in the last four innings.
The Silverswords wrap up the TOC on Sunday with a single game against tournament host Stanislaus State at Warrior Field with first pitch set for 11:30 a.m. PDT.
