SAN DIEGO – The Chaminade University baseball team on Wednesday faced off against perennial Pacific West Conference power Point Loma, coming out on the short end of the first doubleheader in the first ever meeting between the two schools.
The Sea Lions, ranked No. 5 in the NCBWA Poll, won the opener, 8-4, then captured the second, 20-6 at Carroll B. Land Stadium, long considered to be one of the most scenic venues in collegiate baseball.
The Silverswords are 12-21 and 5-13 in the Pacific West Conference while the Sea Lions, the two-time defending PacWest champions and 2022 NCAA Division II national runners-up, are 24-7-1 overall and 16-5-1 in the conference.
Game 1: PLNU 8, CUH 4
After PLNU scored twice in the second inning, the 'Swords matched it in the fourth, with RBI singles from
Ryan Ruch (San Diego/Patrick Henry) and
Evon Williams (San Ramon, Calif./Dougherty Valley) to knot the score.
The Sea Lions responded with a run in the fourth to take a 3-2 lead where it remained until the seventh when Point Loma put up a five spot, the big blow coming off a two-run homer.
A run-scoring knock from
JT Navyac (Kailua, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Cal State Fullerton/Saint Louis HS) followed by Williams' second RBI of the game, brought the 'Swords to within four runs but that would be all they could muster in the final two frames.
Max Patterson (Honolulu/Olympic College/Kalani HS) went six innings with six strikeouts in taking the loss. Williams had three of the 'Swords' 10 hits.
Dylan Miller earned the win.
Game 2: PLNU 20, CUH 6
Chaminade pounced on the Sea Lions early, scoring three runs in the first two innings and a 3-0 lead.
Casey Kudell (Irvine, Calif./Irvine Valley College/Irvine HS) drove in two runs with a first-inning RBI double and a sacrifice fly in the second.
Aydan Lobetos (Ewa Beach, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Kamehameha-Kapalama) drove in another run after getting plunked with the bases loaded.
But it didn't take Point Loma long to reply, getting an RBI single in the second for its first run. The Sea Lions then flexed their muscle getting a pair of three-run homers later in the inning to open up a 7-3 lead.
PLNU flashed more power in the third with Esai Santos hitting a two-run blast.
However, the 'Swords showed some pop themselves when Ruch crushed a 1-0 offering from Ray Celulski, a no-doubter over the right field wall for a three-run homer. It was the third home run from Ruch, making a return to his hometown but, more importantly, it brought Chaminade right back in the game, trailing 9-6.
That proved, however, to be short-lived when Point Loma got a bases-clearing double in the fourth then Santos' second homer of the game, a solo shot, in the fifth.
Derek Augenstein (Vista, Calif./Palomar College/Rancho Buena Vista HS), making his first start of the season, took the loss. Kudell had two of Chaminade's five hits in the game.
Cebulski went six innings to earn the win in the seven-inning game.
The Silverswords and Sea Lions wrap up their four-game series Thursday with a doubleheader which begins at 9 a.m. Hawai'i time.
