SAN RAFAEL, Calif. – The Chaminade University softball team opened their second Pacific West Conference road series on Monday, dropping both games to Dominican University of California, 5-4 and 4-0, at Penguin Field.
In defeat,
Taryn Fujioka (Aiea, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Pearl City) went 4-for-7 during the doubleheader and, in the process, set the school's career hits record with 172, passing the previous mark of 168, set by Keli-Grace Kaowili-Sanatian from 2007-10. Fujioka not only also extended her hitting streak to seven straight but also helped turn a triple play in the first game.
The Silverswords fell to 4-28 and 3-14 in the PacWest while the Penguins are 17-14 and 8-7.
Game 1: DUC 5, CUH 4
A one-out double from
Miranda Diaz (Whittier, Calif./Cerritos College/California HS) got the 'Swords on the board in the top of the first inning before Dominican scored twice in the second.
Tied for the all-time hits lead entering the third, Fujioka made history with a loud bang, taking the first pitch she saw from Kassidy Stetler and deposited it over the right field fence with hit No. 169 being a solo home run, which tied the game at 2. It was also Fujioka's second career jack at Penguin Field, the other coming in 2023.
However, the Penguins scored three times in the third, all unearned runs, for a 5-2 lead.
Dominican was poised to do more damage in the fourth with runners on first and second with no outs.
Vanessa Pena (Paramount, Calif./Paramount) was summoned from the bullpen and, on her first pitch, got Tiare Guerrero to hit a sinking liner down the right field line.
Desiree Bravo (Corona, Calif./Mt. San Antonio College/Centennial HS) made a running catch and, with the DUC runners on the move, threw to
Taneia Simanu (Mililani, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Mililani) for the second out at first. Simanu, in turn, fired a dart to Fujioka covering second base for the third out, just the second documented triple play in school history, the first being in 2010.
(Note: Chaminade turned a triple play against the University of Hawai'i in the fall 2021 but it did not count as the game was an exhibition).
With the sky starting to darken and a light drizzle hitting the area, the Silverswords finally put together a big inning.
Summer Buck (Honolulu/Kaiser) walked to lead off the sixth followed by a Bravo single and another walk to Simanu. With two outs, Fujioka came through again, this time with a looping hit down the left field line, which eluded diving left fielder Payton Oas. While Buck and Bravo scored, Oas slipped while chasing the ball and kicked it further into foul territory, allowing pinch runner
Mikala Jacobsen (Buena Park, Calif./Cypress College/Cypress HS) to score all the way from first to tie it at 5-5.
Peña worked out of trouble with two runners on in the sixth and was one out away from forcing extra innings but Taylor Eby hit the walk-off single to give the Penguins the win.
The 'Swords' top of the lineup card had seven of their nine hits, two each from Fujioka,
Bailey Jacobsen (Buena Park, Calif./Cypress) and Diaz. Fujioka tied her career high with three RBI.
Peña went the final 3 2/3 innings in taking the loss while Stetler got the win.
Game 2: DUC 4, CUH 0
With dark clouds continuing to move in and the drizzle becoming more constant, all four Penguin runs came in the fourth inning.
Chaminade did have its chances to get on the board. In the third, they had runners at second and third with no outs, and a runner at second in the fifth and sixth innings. But in all three frames, they could not bring them across.
The 'Swords were held to three hits with Fujioka getting two, giving her four straight two-hit contests.
Bailey Jacobsen had the other.
Bailey Benson (Cheney, Wash./Gonzaga Preparatory) took the loss while
Kamryn Lopez (Bakersfield, Calif./Garces Memorial) did not allow a run in her 2 1/3 innings of relief. The win went to Taylor Rodriguez.
The Silverswords will look to salvage the final game of the series on Tuesday. First pitch is scheduled for 9 a.m. Hawai'i time.
