WAIPAHU, O'ahu, Hawai'i – The Chaminade University softball team got two more solid pitching performances Monday, taking on current Pacific West Conference-leading Biola at Patsy T. Mink Central O'ahu Regional Park.
Although the Silverswords could not generate enough offense in their 4-2 loss in the opener of the four-game series, they finally managed to get some late to complement their pitching in a thrilling 2-1 walk-off victory in the nightcap.
Taylor Genera (Norwalk, Calif./Whitney) delivered the bases-loaded walk-off single in the seventh to help the 'Swords (3-7) snap their seven-game losing streak and give them their first PacWest win of the year at 1-7.
Kobe Brown (Mililani, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Mililani) went 3-for-5 in the twin bill and drew three walks for Chaminade.
First-place Biola is 16-5 overall and 11-3 in the conference.
Game 1 (Biola 4, CUH 2)
Genera got her first Game 1 start of the season and helped her own cause with an RBI groundout in the first inning.
After the Eagles knotted the game at 1 in the top of the third, a sacrifice fly by
Hailey Matsumura (Honolulu/Saint Francis) in the bottom of the inning put the 'Swords up 2-1.
However, Biola got three in the fourth including a go-ahead two-run single by Kylie Velasco to make it 4-2.
Chaminade threatened in the fifth, putting runners at second and third with one out but Eagles' hurler Paige Austin worked out of the jam. She did so again in the seventh after walking Brown on four pitches to bring the tying run to the plate but managed to get the final two outs to slam the door on the 'Swords.
Austin, a two-time All-PacWest selection, improved to 11-1, allowing just four hits while striking out eight.
Genera fared well against Austin, scattering seven hits and managed to stave off six walks. She allowed four runs, only one of which was earned. Brown was 2-for-2 and two walks at the dish.
Game 2 (CUH 2, Biola 1)
The nightcap was a classic pitchers' duel between Chaminade's
Madelyn Stockslager and Biola's Paula Damas who both tossed zeros through six innings.
That changed in the seventh. The Eagles managed three straight two-out hits, the last by Kiana Meriales which fell just in front of diving right fielder
Malia Ka`akimaka-Moisa (Ewa Beach, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Campbell) to plate the game's first run.
Then in the bottom of the seventh, pinch-hitter
Ronni Gallegos (Long Beach, Calif./Mt. San Antonio College/St. Joseph's HS) got her first base hit of the season, a sharp single down the left field line to lead off the inning. Then with the bases loaded and one out,
Jaeda Cabunoc (Kaneohe, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Roosevelt) worked a full count on reliever Jennifer Morinishi before coaxing a walk to allow Gallegos to score the tying run.
Genera didn't waste any time, bouncing the first pitch she saw past the third baseman into left field for the walk-off winner. It was a bit of payback for the 'Swords who were walked off by the Eagles last March 26 in La Mirada, Calif.
Stockslager, who was one strike away from getting that road win, was brilliant, allowing six hits with five strikeouts while walking none to pick up her first win of the season against three losses. Ka'akimaka-Moisa had two of Chaminade's eight hits. It was also the 'Swords first win over Biola since April 2003.
Damas was charged with the loss to fall to 3-1.
The Silverswords and Eagles will wrap up their series Tuesday in a doubleheader at CORP Softball Complex. First pitch is set for 3:30 p.m. with live streaming audio coverage on GoSwords.com.
