HONOLULU – Heading into Sunday's regular season finale, the Chaminade University softball team knew exactly what it needed to do – win both games of the doubleheader against Hawai'i Pacific University and celebrate their first winning season in eight years in addition to overtaking Hawai'i Hilo for first place of the Pacific West Conference Hawai'i Pod.
However, the Sharks quashed those plans by taking both games of the twin bill at Sand Island Park by 3-1 and 4-3 counts, reversing the sweep the Silverswords gave them on Saturday. The 'Swords' Game 1 loss clinched the title for the Vulcans. Both games were makeups caused by rainouts last Friday at HPU's Howard Okita Field.
Hailey Matsumura (Honolulu/Saint Francis) had a four-hit afternoon to extend her reached-base streak to 10 while
Malia Ka`akimaka-Moisa (Ewa Beach, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Campbell) had three of her own.
Madelyn Stockslager (Torrance, Calif./South) wrapped up the regular season with another fine pitching performance while also two hits at the plate.
For the 'Swords, the waiting game begins. They are listed as one of the eight teams "under consideration" in the latest West Region rankings with an RPI of .512 which is ranked No. 8. However, their 12-12 PacWest record complicates their path for a possible at-large berth.
Game 1
HPU struck early with back-to-back hits, resulting in a 2-0 lead after a half-inning. The Sharks tacked on another run in the second on a Silverswords' throwing error.
The 'Swords had a prime scoring chance in their half of the second, loading the bases with one out. But a strikeout and pop fly ended the opportunity. They finally got on the board in the fourth after Ka'akimaka-Moisa led off with a double, moved to third on Matsumura's infield single and beat shortstop Kanoe Tanigawa's throw to the plate on an RBI fielder's choice by
Kailah Gates-Coyaso (Waianae, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Waianae), narrowing HPU's lead to 3-1.
The 'Swords managed to get the tying run to the plate in the sixth and seventh innings but HPU starter Malia Torres would slam the door shut both innings.
Matsumura tied her career high with three hits while Ka'akimaka-Moisa had two in Chaminade's eight-hit game although
Taylor Genera (Norwalk, Calif./Whitney) saw her six-game hitting streak end. Stockslager went all seven innings, scattering eight hits with two earned runs in the final start of her career, although she took the loss to fall to 6-8.
Torres improved to 6-6.
Game 2
Like they did in the opener, the Sharks struck in the top of the first when Mary Dungey's sky-high blooper landed just inside the right field foul line for a two-run double.
Chaminade got the runs back in its half of the inning, first on a sacrifice fly by
Cheyne Obara (Pearl City, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Pearl City) then by Ka'akimaka-Moisa, who scored when HPU right fielder Ashley Iseri mishandled Genera's base hit.
The Silverswords took a 3-2 lead in the second when Stockslager singled up the middle which plated pinch-runner
Jehna Ramiscal (Visalia, Calif./El Diamante).
After the Sharks tied it in the fifth, the score remained knotted at 3-all until the top of the seventh when Brandi Leong put HPU ahead when she beat the throw home on Dungey's safety squeeze.
Down 4-3, Matsumura reached on an error to lead off the seventh to represent the tying run. But the 'Swords were never able to bring her home to force extra innings.
Genera had two hits for Chaminade while senior
Ronni Gallegos (Long Beach, Calif./Mt. San Antonio College/Saint Joseph) also had a base hit in her final collegiate game. And Stockslager's second-inning knock gave her hits in each of the four final games she had a chance to swing the bat.
Genera allowed four runs to take the loss and fall to 6-3.
Leong had three hits and three of HPU's four runs while Megan Wilson picked up the win to improve to 2-7. The Sharks improved to 8-13.
