HONOLULU – For the past 30 days, the Chaminade University softball team played 18 games on fields other than their own. On Saturday, the Silverswords returned to the comfortable confines of their home park.
The reunion at Silversword Field was much needed.
The 'Swords, who had lost seven of their last eight, including a pair to Hawai'i Pacific University in Kaneohe, got back on track by taking two from their other in-state rival, the University of Hawai'i Hilo, out-slugging the Vulcans, 9-8 in eight innings in the matinee. They capped the afternoon with a 9-4 win in the nightcap to extend their home winning streak to five.
Chasity McKean (Kapolei, O'ahu, Hawai'i/College of Southern Nevada/Kapolei HS) was a blistering 7-for-8 with five RBI and three runs during the twin bill while freshman
Isabel Rodriguez (Littleton, Colo./Columbine) became a baserunner in each of her eight plate appearances including a 5-for-5 performance at the plate. Rodriguez also delivered the walk-off eighth-inning hit in Game 1.
Chaminade evened their overall mark to 21-21, reaching the 20-win barrier for the first time since 2013, and the fifth time in school history. At 13-14 in the Pacific West Conference, the 'Swords also moved just 1 ½ games behind Azusa Pacific (13-11 PacWest) for the fourth spot in May's PacWest Tournament at Biola University.
Keaolani Takemura (Pearl City, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Mid-Pacific Institute) drove in four for Chaminade to set the single-season RBI record with 39, which also leads the PacWest.
Game 1: CUH 9, UHH 8 (8 inn.)
After spotting the Vulcans a 1-0 lead in the first, the Silverswords put up a four-spot in the second, with a UH Hilo passed ball bringing Rodriguez in, followed by McKean drawing a bases-loaded walk. Takemura then made it 4-1 with her two-run single.
A pair of CUH errors helped UH Hilo get four runs in the third to take a 5-4 edge. In the fifth, Takemura socked a triple to right-center – her conference-leading 11th of the season – to plate McKean to knot the score at 5.
Larchelle Tuifao (Ewa Beach, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Kapolei) then put Chaminade up, 6-5, with her sacrifice fly to right.
The Vulcans again got the tying run in the fifth before McKean's RBI single in the bottom of the inning put Chaminade up again, 7-6. The 'Swords got what appeared to be an insurance run when
Kailah Gates-Coyaso (Waianae, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Waianae) lined a scorcher to the right side which kicked off the second baseman's glove and off the first base umpire into right-center field. That allowed
Kobe Brown (Mililani, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Mililani) to scamper home with an 8-6 Chaminade lead.
But in the top of the seventh, UH Hilo speedster Jayda Favela led off with a deep fly to the right-field corner, allowing her to race home for an inside-the-park home run to get momentum back to the visitors. After a triple by the next batter, Lexie Tilton got the tying sacrifice fly.
The 'Swords loaded the bases with no out in the bottom of the seventh but like several occasions the previous Saturday at HPU, bad luck hit them. A double-play pop up followed by a deflected ball off the pitcher that went to shortstop who got the toss to second barely in time to force extra innings.
After a perfect eighth, Gates-Coyaso led off the bottom of the frame with a single then got to third on a sacrifice bunt from
Bailey Jacobsen (Buena Park, Calif./Cypress) and a wild pitch. Rodriguez then came through, shooting a hopper between the first and second baseman for her first career walk-off and the team's sixth this season, tying the record set in 2019.
McKean was 4-for-4 with two RBI while Takemura drove in three. Rodriguez was 2-for-2 and walked three times.
Ashley Ogata (Mililani, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Mililani) got the win in relief allowing just one hit in two scoreless innings to improve to 5-3.
Alexis Lacy suffered the loss in relief to fall to 6-11.
Game 2: CUH 9, UHH 4
Unlike the first game where there were runs-o-plenty early, the game's first score didn't come until the bottom of the third with Rodriguez and
Taryn Fujioka (Aiea, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Pearl City) on. McKean ripped a single to center but the ball was misplayed on the bounce and rolled all the way to the fence. That allowed not only Rodriguez and Fujioka to score but allowed McKean to round the bases for a Little-League home run and a 3-0 Chaminade lead.
Hilo answered with a two-run fourth but Chaminade replied on back-to-back-to-back RBI singles from Rodriguez, Fujioka and McKean to put the 'Swords up 6-2. After UH Hilo closed to 6-4, Chaminade all but closed the door on Fujioka's sacrifice fly followed by consecutive RBI doubles from McKean and Takemura.
Meanwhile, freshman
Kamryn Lopez (Bakersfield, Calif./Garces Memorial) made her first career start in the circle with three scoreless innings to begin. Although she allowed 14 hits, Lopez also managed to work out of trouble, leaving the bases loaded in third and fourth innings, to help her win her first career decision.
McKean was 3-for-4 at the dish and three RBI while Fujioka brought in two more. Rodriguez was 3-for-3 and scored three times from the No. 9 spot in the lineup.
Lauren Avalos took the loss to fall to 3-5.
The Silverswords and Vulcans were get together again next Saturday as the scene shifts this time to UH Hilo Softball Field. First pitch is set for 12 p.m.
