HONOLULU – Some 12 days after facing each other in a game that was arranged due to bad Southern California weather, the Chaminade University and Western Oregon University softball teams renewed acquaintances Friday in a previously scheduled doubleheader at Silversword Field at Sand Island Park.
The Silverswords rallied from a run down in the bottom of the seventh thanks to a two-run walk-off single from
Kobe Brown (Mililani, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Mililani) for a 4-3 win in the opener.
The 'Swords, trailing by five runs in the nightcap, mounted another rally, but fell short, 7-5.
The bad weather, which plagued the Concordia Kickoff Classic, forced Chaminade and Western Oregon to face each other on Feb. 4, a 3-2 Wolves win. Friday's doubleheader split gave the season "series" win to the Wolves.
Larchelle Tuifao (Ewa Beach, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Kapolei) had base hits in all four official at-bats including her second homer of the season in the opener, boosting her batting average to a Pacific West Conference-leading .522 on the season.
Brown drove in three during the afternoon while Tuifao was 4-for-4, two runs and four walks.
Game 1: CUH 4, WOU 3
There were just two home runs in the first 22 games played at Silversword Field, both of the inside-the-park variety. In Game 23 Wednesday against Texas Permian Basin, Tuifao was the first to hit one out of the yard, a majestic shot that went an estimated 250 feet.
It didn't take long for Tuifao to do it again.
In the 25th game at the field, the junior slugger mashed her second jack in as many days, a moonshot that cleared the 225-foot, 6-foot high fence in right center which gave the 'Swords a 2-1 lead in the bottom half of the first inning.
An error in the top of the third opened the way for two WOU runs, giving them a 3-2 lead.
It remained that way until the home half of the seventh. Down to their final out, pinch hitter
Haley Hayakawa (Torrance, Calif./South),
Keaolani Takemura-Brehme (Pearl City, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Mid-Pacific Institute) and Tuifao drew back-to-back-back walks.
That sent Brown to the plate, who dropped the two-run, walk-off hit into shallow right-center, her second career walk-off hit but her first in a non-mercy rule finish.
Tuifao and Brown each had two hits while
Kamryn Lopez (Bakersfield, Calif./Garces Memorial) worked 4 1/3 innings of shutout relief, allowing just three hits to earn the win and improve to 2-2.
Mackenzie Collins took the loss to fall to 1-3, despite striking out 11.
Game 2: WOU 7, CUH 5
Any hangover from the loss for Western Oregon didn't last long as they plated four runs in the first, thanks to two uncharacteristic errors from a normally stout Chaminade defense.
The Silverswords were able to get a run back in the home half of the inning on a sacrifice fly from
Kailah Gates-Coyaso (Waianae, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Waianae).
WOU tacked on two more runs in the fifth before Chaminade got a pair in its half of the frame on an RBI single from
Jaeda Kumaewa-Cabunoc (Kaneohe, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Roosevelt) and another when Tuifao scampered home on a wild pitch, making it 6-3.
After the Wolves upped their lead to 7-3, Takemura-Brehme singled in a run while Brown drew a bases-loaded walk as the 'Swords closed to 7-5 in the bottom of the sixth. Chaminade still had the bases loaded and the tying run at second but couldn't move the runners any further, their best chance to force a tie.
Tuifao had hits in both at-bats while Takemura-Brehme also had a pair of knocks.
Bailey Benson (Cheney, Wash./Gonzaga Preparatory) went five innings in the circle but took the loss.
Alivia Holden got the win in relief for the Wolves.
The Silverswords get the next 16 days off then open PacWest action on Sunday, March 3 against rival Hawai'i Pacific University at Silversword Field as they look to end a 10-game losing streak to the Sharks. First pitch is at noon.
