TURLOCK, Calif. – While the Chaminade University softball team concluded play at the Tournament of Champions presented by the City of Turlock on Sunday morning, their job in Turlock wasn't finished.
After both the Silverswords and Dominican University of California wrapped up their TOC games at Stanislaus State's Warrior Field, the two teams, which split their March 27 doubleheader, met in what was essentially the rubber game of their Pacific West Conference season series which was shortened to three games from the usual four.
The Penguins scored twice in the bottom of the sixth for the 3-1 win to capture the season series and improved to 15-16 overall and 10-5 in the PacWest.
The Silverswords fell to 19-19 and, at 11-12 in the PacWest, fell a half-game behind Hawai'i Pacific University (12-12 PacWest) for fourth place in the conference. The top four earn bids to the PacWest Tournament next month at Biola.
For the third time over the weekend, the 'Swords got on the board first when
Keaolani Takemura (Pearl City, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Mid-Pacific Institute) roped a first-inning triple into the right-field corner. But in an attempt to throw her out at the bag, Penguins second baseman Faith Erb bounced the throw to third which, in turn, rolled into foul territory, allowing Takemura to race home for a Little League home run.
Dominican knotted the score at 1 getting a two-out RBI single in the second inning.
From there,
Taylor Genera (Norwalk, Calif./Whitney) and her DUC counterpart Shelby Keltner were locked in a pitching duel for the next four innings. Genera stranded runners in scoring position in the third and fifth innings while the 'Swords were able to put Keltner in a jam by loading the bases in the top of the sixth.
But the sixth proved to be the pivotal inning. Three of the first four DUC batters reached, getting the go-ahead RBI by Lauren Lapind. That was followed by an error which plated another run, giving Dominican a 3-1 lead.
Chaminade was retired in order in the top of the seventh, allowing Dominican to win the series.
Takemura and
Jaeda Cabunoc (Kaneohe, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Roosevelt) each had two hits for the 'Swords, who had seven total. Genera went 5 1/3 frames but took the loss to fall to 6-5.
Keltner got the win to improve to 8-10.
The Silverswords return home on Monday after being away for 17 days. They will end the regular season against their two island rivals – the University of Hawai'i Hilo and Hawai'i Pacific University – in a pair of two-game home-and-home series starting this weekend. Chaminade faces HPU at Howard Okita Field this Saturday with first pitch scheduled for 12 p.m.
