HONOLULU – On Feb. 24, the Chaminade University baseball team made head-turning headlines by upsetting Division I Wichita State.
Facing their second D-I program this season, the Silverswords on Tuesday stunned the University of Hawai'i Manoa by posting four runs in the very first inning.
Unfortunately for the 'Swords, they were unable to sustain the momentum in the later innings, falling, 9-4, to the Rainbow Warriors at Les Murakami Stadium, the first of two meetings this season whose campuses are less than a mile apart. Chaminade was able to muster just one hit in the final eight innings against the deep UH pitching staff. In all, both teams used nine pitchers in the game. It was the 'Swords' first loss this season at the Les, after winning their first three games in the venue.
The Silverswords (8-13), who were blanked in the first-ever meeting between the two programs last year, got a leadoff infield single from
Jake Harper (San Pedro, Calif./El Camino College/San Pedro HS), an intentional walk to
Safea Villaruz-Mauai (Hilo, Hawai'i/BYU/Waiakea HS) and a walk to
Alex Greb (Seattle/Wenatchee Valley College/Ballard HS). Chaminade got its first run of the all-time series when
Cade Fujii (Kapolei, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Porterville College/Kapolei HS) roped a bases-loaded, first-inning single to center, giving them a 1-0 lead.
Jackson Dorn (Happy Valley, Ore./Mt. Hood CC/Clackamas HS) then followed with a bases-clearing double to right to make it 4-0 'Swords and suddenly, it appeared that a Wichita State repeat was becoming reality.
But the Rainbow Warriors (12-4) quickly rallied back with two runs in their half of the first, then four in the second to overtake CUH with a 6-4 edge. They tacked on single runs in the third, fourth and fifth frames.
Greb got the 'Swords' fourth and final hit, a single in the third inning. The only other base runners they put on were by walks in the fourth and fifth. The UH bullpen retired the last 14 Chaminade batters.
After allowing nine runs and 10 hits in the first five innings, the 'Swords' bullpen did not surrender a run and allowed just one knock in the final three frames.
Jacob Mantiply (Temecula, Calif./Univ. of Saint Katherine/Great Oak HS), making his first pitching appearance of the season,
Neville Till (Maple Valley, Wash./Tahoma),
Mac Elske (Lake Oswego, Ore./Lower Columbia CC/Lakeridge HS),
Sebastian Castro (San Diego/Palomar College/Great Oak) and
Brennen Panis (Aiea, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Aiea) helped silence the Hawai'i bats in the final 3 2/3 innings.
Elske, who started last year's game against UH and tossed three perfect innings, allowed just one baserunner which came on an error in the seventh.
Starter
Brayden Wells (Pullman, Wash./Lower Columbia CC/Pullman HS) took the loss for Chaminade while the win went to Dylan White, the Rainbows' second pitcher of the evening.
The Silverswords are back on the road for a two-week Pacific West Conference mainland road trip that stretches 12 contests in northern California. The 'Swords open their trip Friday at PacWest newcomer Menlo College.
