LA MIRADA, Calif. – The Chaminade University softball team was looking to rediscover their offense after scoring just one run in their last series at Concordia University Irvine.
However the bats remained silent as the Silverswords opened their four-game series Friday at Biola. The 'Swords were shutout, 4-0, in the opener, then suffered their first run-rule defeat of the season, a 9-0 five-inning loss in the nightcap.
Chaminade dropped its sixth straight and fell to 10-10 on the year and 8-8 in the Pacific West Conference while Biola improved to 15-12 and 10-8.
Kobe Brown (Mililani, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Mililani) and
Cheyne Obara (Pearl City, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Pearl City) had hits in both games with the former extending her hit streak to team-high five games.
Game 1: BU 4, CUH 0
Biola struck in the bottom of the first on an RBI double by Brie Nowak. Sicili Brittingham, who was at first base, was given the green light to round third but was thrown out at home on a perfect outfield relay from right-fielder
Malia Ka`akimaka-Moisa (Ewa Beach, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Campbell) to second baseman Obara to catcher
Kailah Gates-Coyaso (Waianae, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Waianae) which prevented a second run from scoring.
The Silverswords had a prime opportunity in the fourth against BU ace Paige Austin, one of four pitchers in the PacWest with an ERA below 1.00 and the only one who doesn't play at Concordia. She allowed just one CUH baserunner in the first three innings, a Texas Leaguer to right from
Keaolani Takemura (Pearl City, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Mid-Pacific Institute) in the second.
The 'Swords managed to give Austin, who on Monday threw a no-hitter against Hawai'i Pacific and was a hit batter away from a perfect game, some trouble with consecutive one-out infield hits from Brown and Obara. A passed ball moved both to third but a pop-up and groundout kept the 'Swords off the board.
The Eagles added three runs in the bottom of the fourth to take a 4-0 lead. That was more than enough for Austin who retired the final 11 batters.
Jaeda Cabunoc (Kaneohe, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Roosevelt), who missed her first game of the season in the Concordia finale on Tuesday after getting beaned, was effective in her return, outside of the three-run fourth. She allowed seven hits, two earned runs on just 68 pitches but fell to 6-5 on the year. Ka'akimaka-Moisa had her second outfield assist of the game in the fourth, throwing out Madison Blossey at the plate.
Two streaks ended for Chaminade:
Taryn Fujioka's (Aiea, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Pearl City) 16-game on-base streak and
Hailey Matsumura's (Honolulu/Saint Francis HS) six-game hitting streak.
Austin struck out seven and improved to 9-3 on the season. Nowak was 2-for-3 and drove in two.
Game 2: BU 9, CUH 0 (5)
The 'Swords appeared to have rectified their offense woes in the first inning with several batting order changes. Matsumura, moved to leadoff, singled to start the game, followed by Obara, whose bunt bounced hard off the ground and over the heads of Biola shortstop Rilee Ruvalcaba and third baseman Kaitlyn Hawkins, for an infield hit. Takemura was then plunked to load the bases with one out. But when a pop up and ground out ended the inning with no damage, it was harbinger of events to come.
Starter
Taylor Genera (Norwalk, Calif./Whitney) was removed due to an injury between innings and did not throw a pitch, forcing
Charlize De Jesus (Colonia, N.J./Colonia) to make an emergency relief appearance. It was just her second appearance of the year and first since Opening Day on Feb. 2 against Corban University.
Considering the circumstances, the freshman fared well through the first two innings, keeping the Eagles off the board. But in the third, De Jesus ran into trouble. After getting a leadoff out, five straight Biola batters reached base with the biggest blow being a grand slam by Nowak. Interestingly enough, Biola had a freak injury of its own when Nowak was hurt crossing the plate celebrating the homer and was ultimately replaced in the lineup by Bridgette Trujillo behind the plate.
Biola added five more runs in the fourth to put the run-rule in effect.
After getting in trouble in the first inning, BU starter Raylene Roybal settled down and allowed just three bases runners from the second inning.
Bailey Jacobsen (Buena Park, Calif./Cypress) and Brown singled in the third and fourth innings, respectively, and Fujioka got on via error in the fourth.
De Jesus suffered the loss to fall to 0-2. Roybal improved to 5-6 in picking up the win, striking out five.
The Silverswords and Eagles wrap up their four-game series Saturday. First pitch is scheduled at noon Pacific time (9 a.m. Hawai'i).
