HONOLULU – The NFL's 1980 Cleveland Browns were affectionately known as the "Kardiac Kids" for a number of close wins that season.
Forty-three years later, the nickname can now be applied to the Chaminade University softball team.
The Silverswords on Wednesday closed out their 22-game season-opening home stand by delivering two come-from-behind victories in walk-off fashion to sweep a non-conference doubleheader from Emporia State University from Kansas at Silversword Field at Sand Island Park.
Reigning Pacific West Conference Player of the Week
Keaolani Takemura (Pearl City, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Mid-Pacific Institute) came through in the first game with the game-winning RBI sacrifice fly in the 'Swords' 4-3 win.
Chaminade wrapped up the twin bill by scoring the walk-off winner on a bases-loaded, two-out error in the bottom of the seventh for a 6-5 victory.
In both instances, the Silverswords had to rally from multiple runs behind in the seventh inning to even their record to 11-11. Chaminade came back from two runs down in Game 1 and three in Game 2.
The Silverswords have five walk-off victories this season – four coming in the seventh inning – one shy of the school record set back in 2019.
Emporia State fell to 13-9 in the first-ever meeting between the two programs.
Game 1: CUH 4, ESU 3
After a pair of second-inning errors led to two Hornet runs, Chaminade got on the board in the fourth when
Larchelle Tuifao (Ewa Beach, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Kapolei) lined an opposite field triple into the right field corner to bring in
Bailey Jacobsen (Buena Park, Calif./Cypress), who doubled in the previous at-bat.
It remained a 2-1 ESU lead when the Hornets got what appeared to be an insurance run on a seventh inning sacrifice fly.
But the Silverswords were just getting started. Tuifao led off the bottom of the seventh with a walk followed by another free pass to pinch-hitter
Alicia Amaya (Bellflower, Calif./Bellflower).
Taryn Fujioka (Aiea, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Pearl City) followed by crushing a fly ball over the centerfielder's head to bring home both runners to tie the game.
Bailey Benson (Cheney, Wash./Gonzaga Preparatory), who relieved starter
Jaeda Cabunoc (Kaneohe, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Roosevelt) in the seventh, then hit a dribbler past the third baseman to allow Fujioka to move up. Fittingly, Takemura, who was hitting .786 in her last 14 at-bats entering the day, ended it by launching the walk-off sacrifice fly to deep left.
Benson got the win in relief to improve to 3-5 on the season. Cabunoc, who saw her school-record scoreless inning streak snapped at 18 in the second inning, tossed six frames to receive a no-decision, although she and Tuifao each had two hits.
Josie Harrison was tagged with a blown save and the loss to fall to 2-3.
Game 2: CUH 6, ESU 5
Emporia State put up a three-spot in the second inning then added single runs in the third and fourth for a 5-0 lead.
In the bottom of the sixth, the 'Swords got an RBI single from Takemura, who later advanced to third. But a throw by the catcher to try and pick off Takemura was thrown into left field, allowing her to score the team's second run.
Ashley Ogata (Mililani, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Mililani), who relieved starter
Taylor Genera (Norwalk, Calif./Whitney) in the second, worked around a one-out double in the top of the seventh without allowing a run.
That set up more bottom-of-the-seventh drama for Chaminade.
Kamryn Lopez (Bakersfield, Calif./Garces Memorial),
Cheyne Obara (Pearl City, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Pearl City) and Fujioka all walked to lead off the frame. Cabunoc came through by dropping a two-run single off reliever Kelly Hipsher, who entered two batters earlier, bringing the 'Swords to within 5-4.
Takemura walked to again load the bases and two batters later, Amaya drove in the tying run on a bases-loaded walk. After the Hornets got the second out, Jacobsen hit a one-hopper to second which potentially would have sent the game into extra innings. However, the second baseman couldn't make a clean grab, allowing Cabunoc to score the game winner to finish a four-run seventh inning.
Like she did in the first game, Tuifao delivered a multi-hit contest with two knocks while Takemura did likewise. Ogata tossed the final 5 2/3 innings to earn the win and improve to 3-3.
The five-run deficit overcome is tied for the largest comeback in recorded program history, being accomplished four other times with the last such occurrence coming last March against Holy Names.
Hipsher suffered the loss to fall to 1-1.
The second doubleheader between the two teams originally scheduled for Thursday was canceled. Hawai'i Pacific University will face ESU instead as a makeup date for their Tuesday rain out.
Chaminade will make its first trip outside of O'ahu for an important 12-game PacWest road trip to Northern California. The Silverswords open the first of a four-game series Monday at Academy of Art.
