A Look Back, Moving Forward: Softball

Final of a nine-part series
 
With the rapidly approaching start of the 2021-22 academic year, GoSwords.com will look back at the events of the unusual spring 2021 year in which all 10 Chaminade University athletic teams were in competition due to the COVID-19 pandemic. "A Look Back, Moving Forward" series will feature all 10 programs over the next nine days, recapping the spring season and a look ahead to what the '21-22 term has in store.
 
A Look Back:
Although it was a tough year for Chaminade University sports in general during the spring, the softball team was one of the exceptions.
 
The Silverswords were at a disadvantage at first. The schedule would be in-pod against Hawai'i teams only which wasn't good news considering they had never finished ahead of Hawai'i Hilo or Hawai'i Pacific in the PacWest standings.
 
Add to that in their usual home field, Patsy T. Mink Central O'ahu Regional Park, was deemed off limits due to restrictions made by the City and County of Honolulu which operates the facility.
 
But when it was time to play ball, all that was shoved aside. On March 7's opening day, the Silverswords took a doubleheader from Hawai'i Pacific University, representing the first-ever sweep of the Sharks since Chaminade began fielding softball in 1988. It would be a sign for things to come as the 'Swords won the next four against HPU.
 
However facing Hawai'i Hilo was a problem. Chaminade dropped seven of the first eight against the Vulcans before reversing their fortunes by taking three of four at Kealakehe High School, UH Hilo's temporary home, two via mercy rule.
 
Although they were among the 10 West Region squads that were under consideration for a regional berth in the final weeks, the 'Swords were hurt by a late swoon when they dropped five of their last seven games.
 
Nevertheless, 2021 was considered a major success with a 12-12 final record, the team's first non-losing season since 2013. Chaminade had never taken more than two games in a single season against HPU but won eight of the 12 meetings. And their two mercy-rule wins over UH Hilo was the first time they had applied it on them.
 
Chaminade's pitching staff was outstanding, posting a 2.97 ERA, the sixth-lowest in program history. Senior Madelyn Stockslager (Torrance, Calif./South) wrapped up her career as the school's all-time strikeout leader with 282 and second in career ERA at 3.08. She was complemented by Taylor Genera (Norwalk, Calif./Whitney) who not only put up a 2.34 ERA but she hit .295 and a team-leading 14 RBI. The sophomore also had two walk-off hits against HPU.
 
Freshman outfielder Haley Hayakawa (Torrance, Calif./South) led the team with a .377 average to earn All-PacWest Hawai'i Third Team honors while second baseman Cheyne Obara (Pearl City, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Pearl City) was named the conference's Defensive Player of the Year. Hayakawa and Genera were also recognized as D2CCA All-West Region Second Team honors.
 
Moving Forward:
Despite losing Stockslager and No. 2 catcher Ronni Gallegos (Long Beach, Calif./Mt. San Antonio College/Saint Joseph HS), the Silverswords have a plethora of returnees to make noise in 2022.
 
Starters in all eight positions return including Genera, Hayakawa, Obara, right fielder Malia Ka`akimaka-Moisa (Ewa Beach, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Campbell) and shortstop Keaolani Takemura (Pearl City, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Mid-Pacific Institute).
 
Ka'akimaka-Moisa was a senior last year and will use a season-of-competition waiver for a fifth year of athletic eligibility while Takemura hit .550 (11-of-20) in her final six games before being lost for the season due to an injury, finishing with a .362 average.