WAIPAHU, O'ahu, Hawai'i – Whenever the Chaminade University and University of Hawai'i Hilo baseball teams face each other, fans in attendance have been treated to fantastic finishes.
The Silverswords and Vulcans on Sunday split their non-conference doubleheader for the second straight day at Patsy T. Mink Central O'ahu Regional Park (CORP) Baseball Complex with both games again decided in the late innings.
Cato Kleinman (Westlake Village, Calif./Monterey Peninsula College/Westlake HS) singled in the game-winning run in the opening game to help the 'Swords rally from a one-run deficit in the ninth inning for a 6-5 win.
The Vulcans returned the favor in the nightcap, scoring four times in the seventh, erasing a two-run hole for a 5-3 victory as the teams split their four-game non-conference series.
In five non-Pacific West Conference meetings just over two weeks in the season, all five have been decided in the sixth inning or later with two ending in walk-off fashion.
Chaminade is 5-8 while UH Hilo is 7-6.
Game 1: CUH 6, UHH 5 (10 inn.)
Evon Williams (San Ramon, Calif./Dougherty Valley) singled in a run then scored on an error in the second inning while Kleinman's sacrifice fly followed by
Aydan Lobetos' (Ewa Beach, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Kamehameha-Kapalama) score came on another Vulcans error in the third to put the 'Swords up 4-1.
But UH Hilo rallied with two runs in the fifth and another in the sixth to knot the score at 4.
It remained that way until the top of the 10th when the Vulcans took a 5-4 lead on a sac fly.
Leading off the home half of the frame,
Jackson Dorn (Happy Valley, Ore./Mt. Hood CC/Clackamas HS) blasted a pinch-hit solo homer to center to tie the score at 5. Lobetos followed with a double into the right-field corner and two batters later, Kleinman ripped a liner that dropped into left center for the walk-off.
Jake Harper (San Pedro, Calif./El Camino College/San Pedro HS), Lobetos, Klienman and Williams each had two of the 'Swords' 10 hits.
Rhyn Chambers (San Clemente, Calif./San Clemente) was the winner in relief, improving to 2-0. 'Swords' starter
Brayden Wells (Pullman, Wash./Lower Columbia CC/Pullman HS) went 5 1/3 innings with six strikeouts while
Sebastian Castro (San Diego/Palomar College/Great Oak) tossed three innings, allowing just one hit. UH Hilo's James Yamasaki was tagged with the loss.
Game 2: UHH 5, CUH 3
After two scoreless frames,
Ryan Ruch (San Diego/Patrick Henry) got the 'Swords on the board with a two-run single in the third while Klienman delivered his third RBI of the day with a fifth-inning single as Chaminade held a 3-0 lead.
Arthur Soto homered in the sixth, which opened the door for UH Hilo in the last frame of the seven-inning regulation game. The Vulcans' running game helped them score four times in the top of the seventh, tying it on an error after steal of third then taking a 4-3 lead on a double steal. An RBI fielder's choice brought in the fourth UH Hilo run of the inning.
Chaminade was retired in order in the bottom of the seventh to split a twin bill for the second straight day.
Xavier Stoker (Cedar City, Utah/College of the Canyons//Canyon View HS) went six innings for the Silverswords, allowing just one run on four hits and six strikeouts.
JT Navyac (Kailua, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Cal State Fullerton/Saint Louis HS) was tagged with the loss. Lobetos and Kleinman combined for four of Chaminade's eight hits.
Aaron Davies went the distance for Hawai'i Hilo, tossing all seven innings to pick up his first win of the season.
The Silverswords return to action on Thursday against Hawai'i Pacific University for a four-game series Thursday through Saturday. Thursday and Friday will be the first PacWest games for the 'Swords while the Saturday twin bill is non-conference. All four will be played at CORP with HPU being the home team.
