HAYWARD, Calif. – The Chaminade University softball team on Friday opened their final series against Holy Names University.
Unfortunately, the Silverswords could not replicate their Thursday success at Academy of Art, dropping both games to the Hawks by finals of 7-4 and 7-2 at Chabot College Softball Field. The defeat snapped their five-game winning streak.
Kobe Brown (Mililani, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Mililani) collected five total hits on the afternoon including a 3-for-3 performance with two doubles in the first game while
Jaeda Cabunoc (Kaneohe, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Roosevelt) went 2-for-4 in both games.
Chaminade dropped to 13-13 overall and 6-10 in the Pacific West Conference. Holy Names, which will be closing its doors at the end of the spring semester, improved to 3-12 and 2-4 in the conference.
Game 1: HNU 7, CUH 4
The Silverswords' momentum from the ART U series seemed to carry over to the first inning when
Larchelle Tuifao (Ewa Beach, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Kapolei) blasted her first home run of the season to straightaway centerfield, a two-run shot putting Chaminade up 2-0.
The 'Swords threatened to add more in the top of the second by putting runners at second and third with no out. However, they failed to bring home either runner. It would be a harbinger of things to come.
The Hawks tied it at 2 in the fourth but CUH responded in the fifth when
Keaolani Takemura (Pearl City, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Mid-Pacific Institute) ripped a single to center, allowing
Taryn Fujioka (Aiea, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Pearl City) to motor home to give the 'Swords a 3-2 lead. Tuifao followed with her third RBI with a sacrifice fly, giving Chaminade a 4-2 edge.
But HNU got a big fifth inning, getting the tying score on a two-run single followed by the go-ahead two-run homer from Celeste Pacheco. The Hawks later got an insurance run in the sixth.
Chaminade, which had three seventh-inning come-from-behind wins in its past four games, seemed to be working its magic again, loading the bases and getting the tying run on base. However, the 'Swords could not put the ball in play, ending the game and win streak with a pair of strikeouts.
Taylor Genera (Norwalk, Calif./Whitney) tossed 4 2/3 innings to fall to 3-2 on the season. The 'Swords had 10 hits but stranded eight runners on base.
Megan Yorba pitched 4 1/3 innings of relief to pick up the win.
Game 2: HNU 7, CUH 2
After two scoreless innings, Holy Names plated a pair of runs in the third and three more in the fifth.
Takemura got Chaminade's first runs in the nightcap with a two-run single in the top of the sixth but the Hawks got both back in the bottom half of the frame to complete the Friday sweep.
Bailey Benson (Cheney, Wash./Gonzaga Preparatory) took the loss to fall to 4-6. Like they did in the first game, the 'Swords got 10 hits with Fujioka, Cabunoc and Brown each getting two, but also left 13 runners on base.
Kelsey Volkmar tossed the final 3 1/3 innings to earn the win in relief.
The Silverswords and Hawks will face each other for the final time on Saturday. First pitch of the twin bill is set for 9 a.m. Hawai'i time (12 p.m. local) at Chabot College.
