WAIPAHU, O'ahu, Hawai'i – The Chaminade University baseball team split their doubleheader with Concordia University Irvine at Patsy T. Mink Central O'ahu Regional Park on Sunday, taking the opener, 5-3, but dropping the nightcap, 4-1. Both games were seven-inning contests.
Cade Fujii (Kapolei, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Porterville College/Kapolei HS) drove in two on the afternoon including a home run while
Safea Villaruz-Mauai (Hilo, Hawai'i/BYU/Waiakea HS) continued the strong start to his season by driving in two and
Mac Zawistoski (Coto de Caza, Calif./JSerra Catholic) picked up his first career win.
The Silverswords are 5-10 overall and 3-8 in the Pacific West Conference while the Golden Eagles, who lead the series, two-games-to-one, are 8-7 and 6-5 in the conference.
Game 1: CUH 5, CUI 3
Fujii led off the second with a booming fly ball that just cleared the fence in left-center field that put the first run on the board. Four batters later,
Jaren Banis (Wahiawa, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Kamehameha-Kapalama) delivered his first RBI of the season with a single followed by Villaruz-Mauai's liner into the left-center gap to drive in two more for a 4-0 CUH lead.
CUI got two runs back in the fifth but
Jake Harper (San Pedro, Calif./El Camino College/San Pedro HS) made it 5-2 with a sacrifice fly in the home half of the fifth.
The Golden Eagles put some drama by plating a run in the sixth before
Brennen Panis (Aiea, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Aiea), who relieved Zawistoski to start the frame, settled down and retired the final three batters of the frame to preserve the 5-3 lead.
CUI again made noise by loading the bases in the seventh but
Joseph Perez (Goodyear, Ariz./Glendale CC/Verrado HS), who was summoned with two outs, threw four pitches in striking out Niko Santamaria to lock down the win.
Zawistoski tossed five innings, scattering six hits and allowed two runs with a pair of Ks for the sophomore's first career win with Perez earning his third save of the season. Banis and Fujii both had two knocks.
Josh Pugh was charged with the loss for CUI.
Game 2: CUI 4, CUH 1
Fujii again struck in the second inning with an RBI sacrifice fly for the game's first run.
Concordia rallied with a two-run third and single runs in the fourth and sixth. Meanwhile, starter Matthew Kaiser held the Chaminade bats to six hits although the 'Swords managed consecutive singles by
Andrew Karns (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho/Coeur d'Alene) and
Trysten Mooney (Helena, Mont./Wenatchee Valley College/Capital HS) and bring the tying run to the plate. However, a force-out would end the potential rally.
Chris Cody (Orange, Calif./Irvine Valley College/El Modena HS) went 4 1/3 innings and allowed three runs on four hits in taking the loss.
Kaiser went the distance for the Golden Eagles, striking out 10.
The Silverswords will look to salvage a series split with the Golden Eagles in Monday's single nine-inning contest. First pitch is set for 6 p.m.
