HONOLULU – The Chaminade University softball team opened up their four-game series against Azusa Pacific on Monday with a thrilling 1-0, nine-inning win over Azusa Pacific at Silversword Field at Sand Island Park.
Jaeda Cabunoc (Kaneohe, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Roosevelt) had three hits including the walk-off winner in the ninth. She also tossed all nine frames to pick up her first win of the season.
The Silverswords (7-8, 3-6 PacWest) had 13 base hits and, in addition to Cabunoc's three,
Larchelle Tuifao (Ewa Beach, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Kapolei),
Kobe Brown (Mililani, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Mililani) and
Bailey Jacobsen (Buena Park, Calif./Cypress) each had two. Azusa Pacific, playing its first conference game of the season, is 8-6 and 0-1.
The win over the Cougars meant, for the first time in program history, the Silverswords have taken at least one game from each of the three teams in the PacWest's powerful Southern California pod. The 'Swords also have victories against Biola and Concordia Irvine, all by one run.
The second game of the scheduled doubleheader was halted as the teams again went into extra innings, this time tied at 2.
The twin bill was delayed from its original 12 p.m. first pitch time by two hours to allow the field to dry after overnight rain drenched the playing surface.
Both the 'Swords and Cougars had ample opportunities to plate the game's first run but stellar plays at the plate prevented that scenario.
In the top of the fifth, APU had runners at first and second when Sommer Quinones got an infield hit to second to load the bases but Aleah Delgado got caught in a rundown between third and home before being tagged out to end the inning.
In the bottom of the sixth, APU threw out a 'Swords runner at the dish after trying to stretch a triple into an inside-the-park home run. The game went into extras as Chaminade could not bring the winning run in despite having runners at second and third with one out.
In the eighth, CUH victimized the Cougars again with another inning-ending play at the plate when
Chasity McKean (Kapolei, O'ahu, Hawai'i/College of Southern Nevada/Kapolei HS) fired a dart to
Kailah Gates-Coyaso (Waianae, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Waianae) who tagged out Quinones at home.
It seemed that the game was destined to be headed to a 10th inning after Chaminade hit into a double play. But
Isabel Rodriguez (Littleton, Colo./Columbine) got a pinch hit single followed by a
Taryn Fujioka (Aiea, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Pearl City) single, putting Gates-Coyaso at third.
Cabunoc then ended it when she lined the first pitch she saw from reliever Liz Phillips into left field for her first career walk-off hit.
In the circle, Cabunoc scattered 10 hits and walked just one with three strikeouts.
APU starter Katie Korstrom went six innings in taking a no-decision. Phillips was charged with the loss to fall to 1-3.
Chaminade opened the second game with a run in the first when
Keaolani Takemura (Pearl City, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Mid-Pacific Institute) tripled in Cabunoc, her second three-bagger of the day.
After APU countered with a run in the third, CUH got it back on McKean's RBI knock. The run was set up when the catcher overthrew second base in an attempt to pickoff Fujioka.
However, the Cougars tied it at 2 when a throw to second on a force play went into centerfield, bringing home Bella Fraser.
The 'Swords were in prime position for another walk-off in the seventh by loading the bases but couldn't get the run in, evoking the curfew with the game's resumption at 11 a.m. on Tuesday.
The game will pick up in the top of the eighth with Julia Olivares at the plate facing reliever
Bailey Benson (Cheney, Wash./Gonzaga Preparatory).
