WAIPAHU, O'ahu, Hawai'i – The Chaminade University softball team returned home for the first time in three weeks on Saturday and earned a split of visiting Academy of Art at Patsy T. Mink Central O'ahu Regional Park.
The Silverswords won the opening game of the four-game series, 9-1 in five innings, thanks in part to an eight-run first, highlighted by a three-run homer from
Rainelle Matsuoka (Honolulu/Kaiser), and a superb performance in the circle by starter
Madelyn Stockslager (Torrance, Calif./South).
The 'Swords dropped the second game, 6-5, as the Urban Knights plated four runs in the third.
Chaminade's Game 1 win snapped a 17-game skid with the split leaving them 11-29 overall and 8-20 in the Pacific West Conference.
Malia Ka`akimaka-Moisa (Ewa Beach, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Campbell), who was just 1-for-30 in the team's recent road trip to Southern California and the Tournament of Champions in Turlock, Calif., went 4-for-6 on the day with three RBI and two runs.
ART U, playing in just its 18th and 19th games of the season as a result of losing 16 contests due to poor weather, is 9-10 and 5-4 in the PacWest.
Game 1
Chaminade demonstrated a patient eye from the get-go. Matsuoka led off with a single then four consecutive walks were issued by Urban Knights' starter Hannah Rose Balke with the last two drawn by
Makena Kealoha (Corona, Calif./Norco) and Ka'akimaka-Moisa both driving in runs. Balke's bases-loaded walk to Ka'akimaka-Moisa proved to be the last batter she faced and was lifted for Haley Arnold-Jolley.
Two batters later, a dribbler from
Hailey Matsumura (Honolulu/Saint Francis) was mishandled by the shortstop allowing
Alexis Velazquez (Fontana, Calif./Howard College/Alta Loma HS) to make it 3-0. The next batter,
Ashlyn Yagin (Ewa Beach, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Campbell), was plunked to bring in the Silverswords' fourth run then
Kiana Ulufale (Ewa Beach, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Campbell) drove in a run on her groundout.
Matsuoka, making her second at-bat of the inning, then deposited Arnold-Jolley's 1-0 offering over the fence in left-center to cap the eight-run inning. It was her third home run of the season and the 23rd of her career, leaving her just two shy of
Brandi Sasaki's career record.
From there pitching took over. Arnold-Jolley settled down while Stockslager retired 11 of the first 12 batters she faced, the only runner getting on via a second-inning walk.
Stockslager lost her no-hit bid with one out in the fourth on high fly ball that landed just out of Kealoha's reach in left for a ground-rule double. With one out and runners at the corner, Bethany Mitchell popped out to second base where
Cheyne Obara (Pearl City, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Pearl City) nearly threw out Brenna Youngquist who had taken off for second on the pitch. However Obara's throw to first on an attempted double play was just off-line while Henderson made an aggressive move by dashing home when Velazquez received the ball.
In the fifth, a ground ball to first by pinch-hitter
Marlisa Berrelleza (Indio, Calif./Indio) was booted, allowing Obara to trot home for the game-ending run.
Matsuoka had two of the 'Swords' five hits on the day, both in the first inning, scoring twice with her three RBI.
Kayla Henmi (Torrance, Calif./South), playing her fourth straight game at designated player, also had two knocks with Ka'akimaka-Moisa getting Chaminade's other hit. Stockslager tossed a two-hitter with a strikeout and picked up the win to improve to 9-13 while lowering her ERA to 2.52.
Balke did not retire a batter and was charged with five runs, three unearned and fell to 3-7 on the season.
Game 2
The Silverswords plate the nightcap's first run on Obara's hard grounder to third, allowing Velazquez to come home.
But ART U responded by sending nine batters to the plate in the third. The first two Urban Knights reached on singles then Dominique Sava'aetasi hit a towering fly ball down the left field line that was just inside the foul pole for a two-run homer. Henderson became the fourth straight Academy of Art batter to reach on a hit, prompting
Michelle Sasaki (Kaneohe, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Kalaheo) to get the call from the bullpen. Youngquist made it 4-1 on her two-run single.
The 'Swords got two runs back, leading off the bottom of the third with back-to-back doubles from Velazquez and Ka'akimaka-Moisa, the latter being the first run. Yagin's sacrifice fly later in the frame cut into the deficit to make it a one-run game at 4-3.
ART U got a run in the fourth but CUH got it back on Ka'akimaka-Moisa's run-producing double, her second two-bagger of the game.
The Urban Knights got a big run in the sixth on Sava'aetasi's fourth RBI of the game to make it 6-4. The extra run proved to be the difference in the bottom of the sixth. Matsuoka led off the inning by reaching on a throwing error which rolled all the way into the right-corner, allowing her to reach third. Two batters later, Velazquez hit a blooper to center, allowing Matsuoka to score, making it 6-5.
However the 'Swords were not able to get the tying run on board in the seventh.
Chaminade managed to get 11 hits, its most since getting 12 against Dominican in their last home twin bill on March 16. The 'Swords' heart of the lineup went 9-for-14, four RBI and four runs (Velazquez 3-for-3, RBI, two runs; Ka'akimaka-Moisa 3-for-4, two RBI, run; Matsumura 2-for-4; Obara 1-for-3, RBI).
The Silverswords also showed excellent defense, turning an inning-ending 2-4-5 double-play on a sacrifice bunt attempt in the fifth and executed another inning-ender in the seventh.
Karyna Baldomino (Diamond Bar, Calif./Rowland) who entered as a defensive replacement in the fifth, flashed her arm by taking a hit away from Mitchell at first in the seventh with a 9-3 putout. Baldomino also had a towering ground-rule double in the fifth, her third double in as many career base hits.
Kayla Higuchi (Aiea, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Aiea) lasted just 2 1/3 inning in taking the loss to fall to 1-11.
Seva'aetasi had four RBI for ART U while Cecilia Lopez scattered 11 hits to improve her mark to 5-3.
The Silverswords and Urban Knights conclude their four-game series Sunday with a twin bill at CORP Softball Complex. First pitch is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. Hawai'i time with live streaming audio on GoSwords.com.
