HONOLULU – The Chaminade University softball team opened a three-game Pacific West Conference series on Friday at Silversword Field at Sand Island Park against PacWest contender Azusa Pacific and managed a split of the first-day doubleheader with a 6-5 come-from-behind win in the opener. The Cougars took the nightcap, 7-5.
Bailey Jacobsen (Buena Park, Calif./Cypress) had base hits in all five of her plate appearances to help the Silverswords finish the afternoon with a 3-20 overall mark, 2-6 in the PacWest. Azusa Pacific, picked second in the PacWest Preseason Coaches Poll, is 8-7 and 5-1 in the conference.
Game 1: CUH 6, APU 5
The Cougars plated three runs in the top of the first inning before
Miranda Diaz (Whittier, Calif./Cerritos College/California HS) delivered an RBI single in the bottom of the frame and
Taryn Fujioka (Aiea, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Pearl City) drew a bases-loaded walk in the second.
Trailing 4-2 in the bottom of the sixth,
Desiree Bravo (Corona, Calif./Mt. San Antonio College/Centennial HS) led off with a single followed by Jacobsen's pinch-hit knock.
SoSo Hayes (Diamond Bar, Calif./Diamond Bar) reached on an error, allowing Bravo to score, putting the 'Swords down by a run.
Then with the bases loaded,
Vanessa Pena (Paramount, Calif./Paramount) came through with a clutch go-ahead two-run pinch-hit single to give Chaminade a 5-4 lead.
Summer Buck (Honolulu/Kaiser) made it 6-4 drawing a bases-loaded walk.
The Cougars helped build drama in the seventh, loading the bases and then scoring on a passed ball to draw within a run. Freshman
Ava Walker (Las Vegas/Faith Lutheran) was summoned from the bullpen and got two groundouts and the game-ending lineout, all hit to Diaz at third base.
Chaminade managed nine hits with Bravo getting two while scoring twice.
Kamryn Lopez (Bakersfield, Calif./Garces Memorial) tossed three innings of relief, allowing just two hits and one run to pick up her first win of the season. Walker earned her first career save.
Ava Hernandez took the loss for Azusa Pacific.
Game 2: APU 7, CUH 5
After spotting the Cougars a first-inning run, the Silverswords got an RBI single from Buck to knot the score.
Back-to-back RBI singles from Jacobsen and
Larchelle Tuifao (Ewa Beach, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Kapolei) – the latter who played first base for the first time in her collegiate career – gave Chaminade a 3-1 lead. Tuifao later made it 4-1, coming in on a wild pitch.
But the Cougars roared back, posting a five-spot in the third to retake the lead at 6-4.
In the fifth, Jacobsen continued to swing a hot bat, singling in Bravo, her fifth straight hit, to cut the deficit to 6-5. The Cougars got an insurance run in the sixth for the final run of the game.
With Jacobsen due up fourth in the bottom of the seventh, the 'Swords were retired in order, leaving the team's hottest hitter in the on-deck circle.
Jacobsen recorded her first career four-hit game. Fujioka, Tuifao and Bravo had two hits each as Chaminade's top of the lineup card accounted for 12 of their 13 hits, although the team also stranded 13 base runners. Walker took the loss with Peña tossing the final 4 2/3 frames, allowing one run on four hits. Both CUH hurlers struck out a pair.
Analise Reyes earned the win in relief for Azusa Pacific with Maddy Debs getting the save.
The Silverswords and Cougars wrap up their three-game series Saturday with first pitch at Silversword Field at 12 p.m.
