HONOLULU – The Chaminade University softball team wrapped their fall exhibition season by sweeping their Sunday split doubleheader at the Fall Preseason Classic at the University of Hawai'i Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium.
The Silverswords opened the afternoon with an 8-1 win over Fullerton College then finished the tournament with a 2-1 upset over Hawai'i.
It marked the second straight year the 'Swords had pulled off the stunner over their Division I counterparts.
Freshman
SoSo Hayes (Diamond Bar, Calif./Diamond Bar) had two hits and two RBI in the first game against the Hornets including a solo homer while senior
Larchelle Tuifao (Ewa Beach, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Kapolei) crushed a two-run bomb in the first inning against the Rainbow Wahine.
CUH 8, FC 1
A third-inning RBI double from
Miranda Diaz (Whittier, Calif./Cerritos College/California HS) gave the 'Swords a 1-0 lead until Hayes made it 2-0 with a blast over the right-center wall in the sixth inning.
After the Hornets scored a run in the bottom of the sixth, Chaminade sent 11 batters to the plate in a six-run seventh.
Freshman starter
Ava Walker (Las Vegas/Faith Lutheran) allowed just two hits in her four shutout innings of work while
Vanessa Pena (Paramount, Calif./Paramount) tossed the final three, allowing just one hit and an unearned run.
CUH 2, UH 1
After
Taryn Fujioka (Aiea, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Pearl City) drew a leadoff walk, it took just one swing for the 'Swords to get the runs they needed. Tuifao, batting third in the lineup, crushed a pitch over the left field wall to give the Chaminade a 2-0 lead.
In the circle, starter
Bailey Benson (Cheney, Wash./Gonzaga Preparatory) went the first two innings followed by
Kamryn Lopez (Bakersfield, Calif./Garces Memorial) who tossed the next three with a pair of strikeouts. While the Rainbow Wahine got four hits off the latter, Chaminade's signature stellar defense came through despite having new starters at first, second and third base.
Lopez got inning-ending line outs to centerfielder
Summer Buck (Honolulu/Kaiser) in the third and fourth. Walker was summoned from the bullpen in the sixth and, after an error put the tying run at second, Tuifao ended the frame by throwing out UH runner Keely Kai attempting to steal third.
Walker tossed a perfect seventh inning, getting the final out on a grounder to freshman third baseman
Miranda Diaz (Whittier, Calif./Cerritos College/California HS) to give the 'Swords their second win over the 'Bows in as many fall tournaments. Prior to last year's breakthrough win a year ago, UH had won all 32 meetings in the annual November tournament.
