KANEOHE, O'ahu, Hawai'i – Since 2016, no squad has frustrated the Chaminade University softball team more than Holy Names University.
In the last 10 meetings, the Hawks won eight of them including 5 of 6 on Chaminade's home turf during that span.
On Saturday at Howard Okita Field on the Hawai'i Pacific University campus., the 'Swords reversed the curse.
Chaminade combined for 21 hits, getting several key knocks and clutch pitching from
Taylor Genera (Norwalk, Calif./Whitney) who swept the opening doubleheader of a four-game series against Holy Names, 6-4 and 8-1.
In the batter's box,
Taryn Fujioka (Aiea, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Pearl City) had four total hits while in the circle, Genera extinguished a bases-loaded, no-out situation in the opening game to earn her first career save. The junior hurler ended the day with a complete-game win to help the 'Swords sweep a doubleheader from the Hawks for the first time since March 2015.
Chaminade won its fourth straight in improving to 8-4 overall and 6-2 in the Pacific West Conference. Holy Names fell to 4-21 and 2-12.
Game 1: CUH 6, HNU 4
A
Chasity McKean (Kapolei, O'ahu, Hawai'i/College of Southern Nevada/Kapolei HS) groundout in the first inning brought home Fujioka, who tripled to lead off the game. Four batters later,
Malia Ka`akimaka-Moisa (Ewa Beach, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Campbell) drew a bases-loaded walk which forced in a second Chaminade run in.
The Hawks countered by bringing a run across in the top of the second, which ended
Jaeda Cabunoc's (Kaneohe, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Roosevent) consecutive scoreless inning streak at 14.
The score remained 2-1 until a
Haley Hayakawa (Torrance, Calif./South) RBI single made it 3-1 in the third.
The 'Swords appeared to have taken control of the game in the sixth when
Kailah Gates-Coyaso (Waianae, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Waianae) laid down a surprise two-out bunt single. But the throw to first nicked off the glove of the second baseman, allowing Matsumura to scamper home on the error. Hayakawa then delivered another RBI single to make it 5-1 followed by Gates-Coyaso who took advantage of a misplayed ball in right field, scoring the third CUH run of the inning to make it 6-1.
However the Hawks, who have shown late-inning resiliency all season, answered with a two-run sixth then had four straight hits to open the seventh to plate another run to make it 6-4.
With the bases loaded and no outs, Genera was summoned from the bullpen and, on her third pitch of the game, forced Aly Cerda to hit a one-hopper to Matsumura at third. In one motion, the senior third baseman tagged Olivia Lee at third then stepped on the bag to force out Kimberlee Walston heading in from second base for a momentum-swinging double play.
Genera got Sydney Davis to ground into a force out to quell the threat and finish off the game.
Fujioka and Hayakawa each had two of Chaminade's seven hits while the latter drove in two, her first multi-RBI game of the season and the second of her career.
Cabunoc struck out two and picked up the win to improve to 5-2 while Genera collected her first career save.
Dezirae Simon went 4 2/3 innings, allowing three hits but walked six with two strikeouts and took the loss to fall to 3-5.
Game 2: CUH 8, HNU 1
Fans were treated to a pitchers' duel in the nightcap with Genera and HNU starter Ela Villanueva putting up zeros for the first five innings. In the bottom of the fifth, the Silverswords struck in a big way.
After Matsumura, who earlier in the game ended a 0-for-15 season-opening slump with a third-inning infield single, doubled to left to lead off the inning and scored the game's first run on an error.
Kobe Brown (Mililani, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Mililani) and Ka'akimaka-Moisa each followed with run-scoring singles while Genera, the team's RBI leader in 2021, drove in her first of 2022 to make it 4-0.
The Hawks managed to plate a run in the sixth but Chaminade got it back when pinch-hitter
Larchelle Tuifao (Ewa Beach, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Kapolei) launched the first pitch she saw from Villanueva over the 210-foot sign in left-center for her first career home run. It was the Silverswords' first homer since Feb. 18, 2020 when Karyna Baldomino went yard against British Columbia.
The 'Swords added on thanks to an RBI double from
Keaolani Takemura (Pearl City, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Mid-Pacific Institute) followed by two more runs when the Holy Names right fielder dropped a fly ball then made a second error when an errant throw went into the fence near first base, putting the exclamation mark on the afternoon.
Genera scattered seven hits, allowing just one run and one walk to improve to 3-1. Fujioka added two more hits in the leadoff spot and, after starting her collegiate career 1-for-9 at the dish, has a seven-game hitting streak while hitting .500 (12-for-24) during that span. Her last four game have been the multi-hit variety.
Cabunoc, Brown, Ka'akimaka-Moisa and Matsumura also had two knocks each as Chaminade rapped out a season-high 14 hits including three doubles.
Villanueva went 5 1/3 frames in taking the loss to fall to 0-1.
The Silverswords and Hawks wrap their four-game series Sunday with a doubleheader at Sand Island Park. First pitch is set for 12 p.m.
