IRVINE, Calif. – The Chaminade University softball team entered their series finale at Concordia University Irvine on Tuesday, hoping their bats could catch up to their superb pitching.
Unfortunately for the Silverswords, the sticks continued to stay cold as they dropped both games, 2-0 and 3-0, at Eagles Field.
Hailey Matsumura (Honolulu/Saint Francis) had half of the 'Swords' six total hits on Tuesday, extending her hitting streak to a career-high six games while also stealing a base.
Starters
Jaeda Cabunoc (Kaneohe, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Roosevelt) and
Taylor Genera (Norwalk, Calif./Whitney) helped keep Concordia's bats in check by holding them to 11 total hits. CUI came into Tuesday with a Pacific West Conference-leading 238 hits.
The Silverswords fell to 10-8 overall and 8-6 in the PacWest, was overtaken by Azusa Pacific for second in the conference standings after the Cougars defeated Hawai'i Hilo in the third game of that series.
Concordia, which continued to hold on to their No. 2 national ranking after the NFCA released its latest coaches poll early Tuesday morning, improved to 28-0 and 16-0 in the conference.
Although Chaminade lost all four games to start their road trip, their stellar pitching frustrated the undefeated Eagles to just 11 total runs in the four-game series. It is the second-fewest runs scored by Concordia since the PacWest instituted out-of-pod, four-game series in 2019 (UH Hilo held them to nine total runs in March 2019).
Game 1: CUI 3, CUH 0
Like they did in Monday's opener, the Eagles managed to plate runs off Cabunoc in the fourth inning, which was their second time seeing her in the lineup, on a Sydney Sprinkle lead-off homer and a Danielle Michaels RBI single.
Chaminade had several opportunities to cut into the 2-0 deficit, putting runners on board in the final three innings. CUI starter Rae Flores plunked Cabunoc to start the sixth inning, forcing the Eagles to bring in one of their ace starters, Erika Morris, for a six-out save opportunity.
Cheyne Obara (Pearl City, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Pearl City) managed to coax a walk off her, representing the tying run. But Morris forced a pop out to end the threat.
Genera, in coming in relief in the bottom of the sixth, worked around one-out jam with runners at second and third but induced two comebackers to keep the deficit at two runs.
Haley Hayakawa (Torrance, Calif./South) got a two-out single in the seventh to bring the tying run to the plate but Morris got the final out to end the game and secure the series clincher.
Cabunoc scattered five hits in her five innings of work but suffered the hard-luck loss to fall to 6-4. Genera threw the final inning, allowing just one hit.
Kobe Brown (Mililani, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Mililani) and Matsumura each singled in the second and third innings, respectfully.
Flores struck out five and improved to 6-0 on the year but did exhibit control problems by hitting three CUH batters. Morris got her second save of the season.
Game 2: CUI 3, CUH 0
Unlike the previous three meetings where the first runs didn't come until after the fourth innings, Concordia struck early. Sprinkle hit her second home run of the day, a two-out solo shot in the first. CUI then got two more runs in the second, both with two outs, including a steal of home on a double-steal attempt.
Although Eagles starter Cortney Koelmans – their fourth starter of the series – allowed just three hits and struck out four, Chaminade did put a bit of pressure on her, getting base runners in five of her six innings.
The 'Swords had opportunities in the later frame to squash the bagel, getting leadoff batters in three of the final four innings: Brown a bloop double down the right field line in the fourth; Matsumura a single in the fifth; and pinch-hitter
Yolanda Racaza's (San Pedro, Calif./Port of Los Angeles) speed which caused a errant throw in sixth. But in all three, the 'Swords weren't able to push a run across.
In the seventh, CUI coach Crystal Rosenthal decided to again not take chances and went to the bullpen, using Game 2 starter Katlin Entrup to slam the door.
Robbi Gallegos (Long Beach, Calif./Saint Joseph) was plunked with two outs but a ground out to second ended the series.
Genera scattered five hits and allowed three runs to take another hard-luck loss and fall to 4-3. Matsumura had two of the 'Swords three hits.
Meanwhile, Chaminade's defense continued to dazzle, turning double plays in the fourth and sixth innings, giving them a conference-leading 16 on the year. It also increased their nation-leading average to 0.89 per game.
Koelmans went six frames and struck out four to improve to 6-0. Entrup earned her second save of the year.
The Silverswords continue their road trip Friday at Biola which split its series against Hawai'i Pacific on Tuesday. First pitch of the opening game of the four-game series is scheduled for 4 p.m. Pacific (1 p.m. Hawai'i).
