HONOLULU – Both the Chaminade University and Dominican University of California softball teams had momentum heading into the start of their four-game showdown on Sunday.
The Silverswords were coming off a sweep of Hawai'i Hilo on Feb. 27 while the Penguins were coming off their own impressive sweep, dispatching NCAA Division II runners-up Biola on March 1. Something had to give.
It was Dominican which continued with the hot hand, cooling off the 'Swords with 2-0 and 5-1 wins at Sand Island Park's Maryknoll Field, basically used two big innings to sweep the afternoon. Six of their runs also came with two out.
Taryn Fujioka (Pearl City, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Pearl City) was moved to the leadoff spot and responded with hits in both games and got on base four times while
Chasity McKean (Kapolei, O'ahu, Hawai'i/College of Southern Nevada/Kapolei HS) had three total base knocks.
Kailah Gates-Coyaso (Waianae, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Waianae) got two in the second game, her first multi-hit game of the season.
Chaminade fell to 4-4 overall and 2-2 in the Pacific West Conference. Dominican won its fourth straight, improving to 7-12 and 4-6 in the conference.
Game 1: DUC 2, CUH 0
After three scoreless innings, the Penguins broke through with a two-out, two-run single by Celeste Salas in the fourth.
The 'Swords did have opportunities including in the third with the bases loaded and one out. However, an inning-ending double play dashed the scoring chance.
DUC pitcher Shelby Keltner kept Chaminade off balance, going the distance and striking out six including striking out the side in the seventh, to pick up the win and improve to 4-7.
Jaeda Cabunoc (Kaneohe, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Roosevelt) allowed just five hits and struck out two in taking the loss, falling to 2-2.
Fujioka got on board three times by getting plunked to lead off the bottom of the first, on catcher's interference in the third and an infield single in the fifth.
Game 2: DUC 5, CUH 1
The 'Swords got some two-out production in the first after
Kobe Brown (Mililani, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Mililani) walked. Cabunoc then drilled a fly ball over the head of leftfielder Danielle Ramos, who misread the ball, which rolled to the fence, allowing Brown to cross the plate for the game's first run. Catcher Helena Harris wasn't able to smother the throw from left, allowing Cabunoc to take third on the error but was left stranded.
CUH starter
Taylor Genera (Norwalk, Calif./Whitney) kept the Penguins at bay until the fifth. Lauren Lapinid tied it at 1 on two-out RBI double then came home when Salas, the next batter, singled her in. It was two of five straight hits which put DUC up, 4-1. Dominican then added an insurance run in the sixth.
Chaminade had scoring chances in the fourth with runners at second and third and had a runner on second in the sixth.
Genera allowed 12 hits in suffering her first loss of the season to fall to 2-1. However, she tied her career high with four strikeouts.
McKean and Coyaso both had two-hit games for Chaminade.
Rosa Leguria tossed the final 3 2/3 innings in picking up the win in relief.
The Silverswords and Penguins conclude their four-game series Monday with a twin bill at Hawai'i Pacific University's Howard Okita Field. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. Chaminade's proof of vaccination card or a laboratory-certified negative COVID-19 test within 48 hours of competition will not apply to Monday's games.
