TURLOCK, Calif. – The Chaminade University softball team's offensive struggles during its current road trip are well documented. But perhaps those challenges are on the verge of being in the rearview mirror.
The Silverswords on Saturday rallied from a three-run deficit with a four-run fifth inning, capped by
Kobe Brown's (Mililani, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Mililani) go-ahead single in their 4-3 win over Cal State San Bernardino at the Pedretti Sports Complex.
Brown's RBI hit was preceded by a
Hailey Matsumura (Honolulu/Saint Francis HS) game-tying two-run double when the 'Swords trailed 3-1.
Chaminade won its second straight and improved to 12-17 on the year while the Coyotes fell to 11-23. It is the first time the Silverswords won multiple games at the Tournament of Champions since 2013, when they brought home four victories.
It was the first time this season the 'Swords were victorious after trailing through five innings. They also beat Cal State San Bernardino for the first time in seven all-time meetings.
Scoreless through four frames, CSUSB broke through in the top of the fifth, scoring three times aided by two Chaminade errors.
In the bottom of the fifth,
Malia Ka`akimaka-Moisa's (Ewa Beach, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Campbell) second hit of the game and a
Kailah Gates-Coyaso (Waianae, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Waianae) base knock sandwiched a
Chasity McKean (Kapolei, O'ahu, Hawai'i/College of Southern Nevada/Kapolei HS) walk which loaded the bases with no out.
The 'Swords, who have had trouble bringing home runners in scoring position throughout their mainland road trip, finally got produced a score on a sacrifice fly by
Taryn Fujioka (Aiea, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Pearl City) which brought home Ka'akimaka-Moisa as Chaminade's first run of the game. Matsumura then came up with a big game-tying two-run double to the left-center gap. Two batters later, which included a pitching change, Brown singled to left on the second pitch she saw from new hurler Natalie Carlos, driving in Matsumura as the go-ahead run.
CSUSB threated in its half of the sixth on a leadoff double from Alyssa Martinez but Cabunoc retired the next three batters to preserve the lead. She then tossed a perfect seventh to ensure the Silverswords' first win of the season when trailing after five innings.
Starter
Jaeda Cabunoc (Kaneohe, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Roosevelt), who threw just 70 pitches, allowed five hits and did not walk a batter, allowing three runs, only one of which was earned. She improved to 7-10 on the year, finally getting much-needed run support getting her first win in her last eight decisions. In seven of them, the 'Swords scored two runs or less.
Keaolani Takemura (Pearl City, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Mid-Pacific Institute) singled in the fourth, extending her hit streak to 10 games, joining Fujioka who also hit in 10 straight earlier this season. The mark is tied for sixth-longest in school history.
Ashley Martinez took the loss for the Yotes to fall to 0-1.
The Silverswords faced host Stanislaus State in Saturday's late game but no score was reported.
