IRVINE, Calif. – The Chaminade University softball team on Friday opened the 2025 season by splitting their Concordia Kickoff Classic opener at Orange County Great Park.
The Silverswords lost the opener to No. 23 Cal State San Marcos, 5-3, but rebounded by defeating San Francisco State on a seventh-inning bases-loaded walk by
Taryn Fujioka (Aiea, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Pearl City) which gave Chaminade (1-1) its first win in the prestigious season-opening tournament.
Freshman first baseman
Taneia Simanu (Mililani, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Mililani) made her collegiate debut by going 3-for-6 at the plate on the day while another Silversword newcomer, junior college third baseman
Miranda Diaz (Whittier, Calif./Cerritos College/California HS), had two hits.
Game 1: #23 CSUSM 5, CUH 3
The last time the two teams met was in last season's Kickoff Classic opener where the Silverswords had a 2-1 lead entering the bottom of the seventh before the Cougars walked them off with a pair of seventh-inning runs.
Like that meeting, the 'Swords took the early lead in the bottom of the first, coaxing three walks from Jayline Sloss to load the bases. Diaz then drew the fourth walk from last year's CCAA Pitcher of the Year to take a 1-0 lead. However, the 'Swords left the bases full.
San Marcos knotted the score at 1 in the fourth then took the lead in the sixth when the Cougars' Jillian Albayati ripped a comebacker off reliever
Kamryn Lopez (Bakersfield, Calif./Garces Memorial) towards the right side of the infield. Although the Silverswords got the out, Aneesa Arredondo, who was at second, never stopped running and scored the go-ahead run.
In their half of the sixth, Chaminade broke up Sloss's no-hit bid when Diaz poked a single down the right field line. They eventually loaded the bases where pinch hitter
Mikala Jacobsen (Buena Park, Calif./Cypress College/Cypress HS) bounced a fielder's choice to second, allowing
Alena Frost (Kaneohe, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Castle) to score the tying run.
But the Cougars put up a three spot in the seventh to take a 5-2 lead. Chaminade countered by again loading the bases in the bottom of the frame, bringing up
Isabel Rodriguez (Littleton, Colo./Columbine) who represented the winning run. Rodriguez hit a shot to deep center field and, although it didn't carry far enough, the sacrifice fly brought the 'Swords to within two. CUH managed to get the tying run to second but couldn't bring them in to extend the game.
Chaminade was held to Miranda's hit as well as one from Simanu.
Bailey Benson (Cheney, Wash./Gonzaga Preparatory) got the nod as the opening day starter, allowing one run and scattered six hits in 4 2/3 innings while
Kamryn Lopez (Bakersfield, Calif./Garces Memorial) tossed the final 2 1/3 in taking the loss.
Savannah Coyle got the win for the Cougars in relief.
Game 2: CUH 3, SFSU 2
Simanu's second inning single, which produced her first career RBI, was the first run of the game. But in the top of the sixth, the Gators tacked on a pair of two-out runs to take a 2-1 edge.
Then in the bottom of the seventh, Rodriguez led off with an infield bunt single followed by base hits from Diaz and Simanu. With the bases loaded,
Vanessa Pena (Paramount, Calif./Paramount) got her first career RBI with an infield hit, allowing Rodriguez to score the tying run. Fujioka, last year's Pacific West Conference Player of the Year, then coaxed a five-pitch walk for the senior's first career walk-off at-bat.
Freshman
Malia Cordova (Wildomar, Calif./Elsinore) tossed 1 1/3 one-hit innings out of the pen to earn the win while freshman starter
Ava Walker (Las Vegas/Faith Lutheran) went 5 2/3, allowing five hits. The win was Chaminade's first over the Gators since the 2013 Tournament of Champions and snapped a four-game losing streak in the all-time series.
Kharime Caratachea took the loss for SFSU.
The Silverswords open Day 2 of the Kickoff Classic on Saturday with an 11 a.m. Hawai'i time tilt against Northwest Nazarene, ranked 18th in the NFCA Division II Poll. They end the day at 4 p.m. HST against Cal State Monterey Bay.
