SAN DIEGO – The Chaminade University baseball team wrapped up their series at nationally-ranked Point Loma Thursday, dropping both games at Carroll B. Land Stadium.
The Silverswords built a big lead early in the opener before the fifth-ranked Sea Lions rallied for a 6-5 win. The 'Swords then dropped the finale of the four-game series, 11-0.
Cato Kleinman (Westlake Village, Calif./Monterey Peninsula College/Westlake HS) had five hits including his first career home run while
Aydan Lobetos (Ewa Beach, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Kamehameha-Kapalama) collected hits in both games to extend his hitting streak to seven.
Chaminade fell to 12-23 overall and 5-15 in the Pacific West Conference. Point Loma, the two-time defending conference champion, is 26-7-1 and 18-5-1.
Game 1: PLNU 6, CUH 5
The Silverswords came out swinging with
Jake Harper (San Pedro, Calif./El Camino College/San Pedro HS) and Lobetos leading off the first inning with back-to-back hits. San Diego native
Ryan Ruch (San Diego/Patrick Henry) then came through, doubling them both in, putting Chaminade up 2-0.
After
JT Navyac (Kailua, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Cal State Fullerton/Saint Louis HS) singled and
Evon Williams (San Ramon, Calif./Dougherty Valley) reached on an error, Kleinman crushed the first pitch he saw from Austyn Coleman over the right field wall, a three-run blast, which gave the 'Swords a 5-0 lead.
The Sea Lions crept back in with a run in the second and two more in the third. Then in the fourth, a two-run double by Esai Santos tied it at 5 followed by a balk which brought in the go-ahead run for Point Loma, putting them up 6-5.
After being retired in order in the fifth and sixth innings, the Silverswords had something cooking in the seventh, loading the bases with two outs. However, they were unable to plate the tying run, which was their best scoring chance the rest of the game.
Kleinman's jack was one of his three hits in the series' third game with the 'Swords compiling nine.
Sebastian Castro (San Diego/Palomar College/Great Oak) got his first career start and went four innings in taking the loss.
Chaminade pitching actually held Point Loma to a series-low five hits. However, four were for extra bases, three of which produced runs. Coleman went 6 2/3 frames to earn the win while James Sashin tossed a perfect ninth to earn his Division II-leading 12th save.
Game 2: PLNU 11, CUH 0
The 'Swords couldn't produce the same fast start as they did in the matinee. Instead it was the Sea Lions who took that role, scoring six times in the first two innings. They added a single run in the fourth then four in the sixth.
Chaminade had six hits but couldn't come up with the clutch knock, stranding four runners in scoring position, all in the first four innings. Kleinman had two more hits as did Lobetos. Navyac took the loss.
Point Loma had seven hits in the nightcap and, like in the first game, came up with timely hitting, scoring nine runs when the ball was put into play with runners in scoring position.
The 'Swords will be happy to not see Santos in the batter's box again after the graduate transfer from the now-defunct Holy Names program drove in three more, giving him 10 hits and 11 RBI in the series. Branden Jackel picked up the win.
The Silverswords will open their final four-game mainland series Monday at Concordia University Irvine with first pitch of the twin bill set for 11 a.m. Hawai'i time.
