TURLOCK, Calif. – The Chaminade University softball team opened the 2022 Tournament of Champions in Turlock, Calif., by splitting their Friday games at the Atch Pedretti Sports Complex.
The Silverswords lost a 2-1 decision to Cal State East Bay in their first game on a walk-off single in the seventh, which upped their losing streak to 13.
However the 'Swords eviscerated the streak a few hours later with a 4-0 win over Montana State Billings behind a complete-game shutout by
Taylor Genera (Norwalk, Calif./Whitney).
Keaolani Takemura (Pearl City, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Mid-Pacific Institute) had three combined hits to extend her hitting streak to nine while
Taryn Fujioka (Aiea, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Pearl City) also had three hits and two RBI.
The split in the TOC – the first tournament since 2019 after the 2020 and '21 events were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic – brought Chaminade's record to 11-17 on the season.
CSUEB 2, CUH 1
The Pioneers (17-13) struck first on Annelise Garcia's RBI double in the bottom of the first inning while Abby Greer held the Silverswords hitless through the first three frames. However Greer showed some wildness, walking
Jaeda Cabunoc (Kaneohe, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Roosevelt) and hitting
Bailey Jacobsen (Buena Park, Calif./Cypress) in the third.
In the fourth, Takemura got Chaminade's first hit with a leadoff single and, after stealing her first career base, came home on Fujioka's base hit, tying the game at 1.
The 'Swords then had several opportunities to take the lead. Jacobsen hit a two-out triple in the fifth while consecutive CSUEB errors in the seventh had
Cheyne Obara (Pearl City, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Pearl City) standing at third. However in both instances, the 'Swords were unable to get them home.
Meanwhile Cabunoc was also able to work out of trouble, stranding runners in scoring position in the third and fourth innings. She also got an inning-ending 5-4-3 double play in the sixth.
But in the bottom of the seventh, the Pioneers won it on Madeline Ramirez's third hit of the game, sending the 'Swords to their 13th straight defeat.
Cabunoc scattered 10 hits and walked just one, falling to 6-10 on the year.
Greer went the distance to improve to 5-7, striking out eight and allowing just three hits.
CUH 4, MSUB 0
The 'Swords were hoping to evoke memories of the last meeting between the two teams, approximately 10 years ago at the 2012 Tournament of Champions, when they defeated the Yellowjackets in the Bronze Bracket title game.
Takemura doubled while an error on the centerfielder allowed
Hailey Matsumura (Honolulu/Saint Francis HS) to scamper home in the bottom of the first. It remained a 1-0 pitchers' duel until the fifth thanks to Takemura's RBI single to up their lead to 2-0.
The 'Swords got insurance runs in the sixth on Fujioka's bases-loaded single to bring home
Yolanda Racaza (San Pedro, Calif./Port of Los Angeles) followed by a throwing error to first by the MSUB catcher which brought
Charlize De Jesus (Colonia, N.J./Colonia) home to make it 4-0.
After Genera allowed a one-out double on the second at-bat of the game, she promptly retired the next 11 batters before Marin Penney tripled to lead off the fifth. But Genera got next two batters to hit to Fujioka at shortstop, followed by a ground ball at first to end the inning with no damage. She also benefitted from a 5-4-3 double play to finish the sixth, the team's 18th of the year.
The Yellowjackets managed to load the bases in the top of the seventh, bringing the tying run to the plate but Genera struck out Sidney Pollard to end the game.
Genera tossed the complete-game shutout, allowing six hits and striking out two to improve to 5-5. She also helped strand five MSUB runners in scoring position. Fujioka and Takemura both were 2-for-4 with an RBI.
Chaminade got nine hits off Shelby Martin, dropping her pitching record to 0-3. MSUB, who were members of the Pacific West Conference in the early-1990s until their departure to the GNAC in 2006, fell to 10-22.
The Tournament of Champions continues Saturday with the Silverswords meeting Cal State San Bernardino at 11:30 a.m. Pacific (8:30 a.m. Hawai'i) followed by host Stanislaus State at 7 p.m. local time (4 p.m. Hawai'i).
The Stanislaus game will be video streamed on a pay-per-view basis. Fans attending that game must also fill out a health and screening form at this
link prior to entering Warrior Field, which is on the Stan State campus.
