HONOLULU – After sweeping past Academy of Art in Saturday's series-opening doubleheader, the Chaminade University softball team was looking to strengthen their positioning for a Pacific West Conference Tournament berth.
Instead, the Silverswords' quest took a step back Sunday, dropping both games of their series-ending twin bill to the Urban Knights at Silversword Field at Sand Island Park.
Just 24 hours after racking up 22 total hits, the 'Swords were baffled by Urban Knight pitching, getting 14 combined in 6-2 and 3-1 defeats. The first game loss snapped Chaminade's eight-game winning streak against ART U.
Keaolani Takemura-Brehme (Pearl City, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Mid-Pacific Institute) had three hits on the afternoon while
Kobe Brown (Mililani, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Mililani) drove in a pair of runs. Brown also extended her hitting streak to a career-high seven games.
Kamryn Lopez (Bakersfield, Calif./Garces Memorial) put together another valiant pitching performance out of the bullpen, tossing 8 1/3 combined innings, allowing just two runs, none of which were earned.
Chaminade fell to 14-17 overall and 10-11 in the PacWest, dropping them to fifth in the PacWest standings, a half-game behind Dominican University of California for the fourth spot. The top four teams in the standings earn a tournament berth to determine the PacWest's automatic berth to the NCAA Regionals. It was also the first time this year they were swept at home.
The Urban Knights got their first PacWest sweep since taking two against Biola on Feb. 23, improving to 10-30 and 6-20 in the conference.
Game 1: ART U 6, CUH 2
After being retired in order in the first inning, ART U exploded for four runs in the second and added two more in the fifth on an error.
Meanwhile, the 'Swords' bats were not able to have the same kind of success they did against Alyssa Fuller in Saturday's series opener. Fuller held the 'Swords to three hits in the first four innings before they finally were able to group some together in the fifth.
Summer Buck (Honolulu/Kaiser) reached on an error followed by singles from
Kailah Gates-Coyaso (Waianae, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Waianae) and Takemura-Brehme. Brown then lined a two-run base hit to center to narrow the deficit to 6-2 but that proved to be all for Chaminade.
Lopez, in relief of
Ashley Ogata (Mililani, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Mililani) who took the loss, went 5 2/3 innings, allowing just two runs, none earned, with two strikeouts. Takemura-Brehme and Gates-Coyaso each had a pair of base knocks.
Fullmer went the distance to improve to 5-8 and got aggressive CUH batters to swing at either the first or second pitches, putting them in play 19 times, recording 16 outs. The 'Swords were also just 2-for-10 on balls in play on the first pitch.
Game 2: ART U 3, CUH 1
For the third time in the series, ART U was the first on the board, getting a pair of runs in the second and another in the fifth to take a 3-0 lead.
The 'Swords finally pushed a run across in the sixth on an RBI double from
Larchelle Tuifao (Ewa Beach, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Kapolei).
The Silverswords finally got an opportunity to tie the game in the bottom of the seventh when Brown and Gates-Coyaso led off the frame on back-to-back singles. An
Isabel Rodriguez (Littleton, Colo./Columbine) sacrifice bunt moved pinch-runner
Elora Tonaki (Kapolei, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Hawai'i Technology Academy) and Gates-Coyaso to third and second base, the latter representing the tying run. However the 'Swords could not get either runner to cross the plate.
ART U starter Kayla Vaughn, who was shelled for 13 hits on Saturday, limited Chaminade to just five in her rematch and improved her mark to 4-14. And like Fuller in the first game, Vaughn got CUH batters to swing at first or second pitches nine times with two hits. The 'Swords were also 1-for-6 when putting balls in play on the first pitch.
Meanwhile, Lopez was again a savior for the 'Swords in the circle, allowing just two hits and not allowing a run in 2 2/3 innings in the series finale. In all four games out of the pen, the sophomore tossed 16 innings, allowing just two runs, both unearned. She also scattered 12 total hits with just four walks and three strikeouts. In her last nine appearances spanning 28 innings, Lopez has allowed just six runs, two of which were earned.
The Silverswords, who have just six more conference games remaining, will face the University of Hawai'i Hilo in their last four at home which is also Senior Weekend. Saturday's twin bill are crucial conference games, which begins at noon. Sunday's twin bill are non-conference matchups and will be the final home games for six seniors.
