IRVINE, Calif. – The Chaminade University softball team has placed three of its members on the All-Pacific West Conference Teams announced Wednesday as voted on by the conference coaches.
Cheyne Obara (Pearl City, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Pearl City) was named All-PacWest Second Team at second base while third team honors went to outfielder
Malia Ka`akimaka-Moisa (Ewa Beach, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Campbell) and
Jaeda Cabunoc (Kaneohe, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Roosevelt) at utility.
Obara, who was the PacWest Defensive Player of the Year in 2021, led the Silverswords with 12 runs batted in and nine sacrifice hits while helping to spearhead the team's defense with a .971 fielding percentage, recording 82 putouts and 87 assists. Her 15 double plays turned was the most by any PacWest middle infielder during the year in helping the 'Swords finish among the nation's leaders in double plays per game.
Ka'akimaka-Moisa hit .294 on the season with 13 runs and six RBI. A converted catcher, the fifth-year senior had a .980 fielding percentage, committing just one error in 50 chances. She also wrapped up her career fourth in school history in on-base percentage (.404) and eighth in slugging percentage (.379).
Cabunoc split time at pitcher and designated player during the season, making 21 pitching starts and 19 at designated player. In the circle, she got 10 wins, just the second CUH pitcher since 2013 with double-digit victories. Cabunoc posted a 2.79 ERA with 19 complete games and two shutouts. At the plate, she had seven doubles, a triple with eight runs while driving in eight.
It is Ka'akimaka-Moisa's second All-PacWest honor after being named second team utility in 2019. For Obara and Cabunoc, they were selected all-conference for the first time.
Concordia University Irvine had three specialty awards. Outfielder Megan Massa was selected the PacWest Player of the Year while pitcher Kaitlin Entrup was the Newcomer of the Year. Eagles head coach Crystal Rosenthal was named the Coach of the Year. The University of Hawai'i Hilo had two awardees with shortstop Jayda Favela the Freshman of the Year and first baseman Skylar Thomas Defensive Player of the Year. Pitcher of the Year kudos went to Biola's Paige Austin.
