HONOLULU – After surrendering a seven-run lead in their last game at the University of Hawai'i Hilo on Saturday, the Chaminade University baseball team was eager to get back on the playing surface.
On Tuesday, it was not just any opponent they faced, it was the one of most storied sports programs at the University of Hawai'i Manoa.
The Silverswords were more than up for the challenge as their pitching held up against the Rainbow Warriors' bats in their 2-0 defeat at Les Murakami Stadium in front of a statewide television audience.
The 'Swords used five pitchers and held their Division I opponents to just four hits on the evening. Although the 'Swords' 1980 team, which the only season of intercollegiate varsity baseball, played their home games where Murakami Stadium now stands, the two programs had never faced each other despite the campuses being less than a mile apart.
UH used 10 pitchers on the evening in a planned bullpen game with the 'Swords getting just two hits, a first-inning single from
Casey Kudell (Irvine, Calif./Irvine Valley College/Irvine HS) and another from
Joe DuCoeur (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho/Lake City) to lead off the third. Chaminade's only other baserunners were walks drawn by Kudell,
Aydan Lobetos (Ewa Beach, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Kamehameha-Kapalama) and
Ryan Ruch (San Diego/Patrick Henry). Ruch was also hit by a pitch.
Meanwhile the Silverswords' pitching was lights out. Starter
Mac Elske (Lake Oswego, Ore./Lower Columbia CC/Lakeridge HS) twirled three perfect innings before giving way to
Max Patterson (Honolulu/Olympic College/Kalani HS) in the fourth. The 'Swords' ace hurler allowed both Rainbow Warrior runs and had one of Chaminade's two strikeouts of the evening.
Relievers
Sebastian Castro (San Diego/Palomar College/Great Oak),
Zac Brown (Tustin, Calif./Mater Dei) and closer
Rhyn Chambers (San Clemente, Calif./San Clemente) went the final 3 1/3 frames, allowing just one hit and no runs.
Brayden Marx, UH's fourth pitcher, got the win while Patterson took the loss.
The game was also a homecoming of sorts for several CUH coaches who have direct UH ties including head coach
Chad Konishi (UH associate head coach from 2002-13), assistant coach
Keith Komeiji (UH assistant coach from 2002-09) and assistant
Matt Inouye (all-conference player from 2003-06).
The Silverswords get the weekend off then return to Murakami Stadium on Saturday, April 27, when they open their final four-game series of the season against Hawai'i Pacific University. First pitch of the first game is 3 p.m. with the seven-inning nightcap to follow.
