BRISBANE, Calif. – The Chaminade University softball team began their final series during their two-week long road trip on Monday, splitting their doubleheader against Academy of Art at Mission Blue Field.
The Silverswords took the first game, 6-1, giving them their first win on the trip and snapping their 10-game losing streak. ART U took the nightcap, 7-1.
Chaminade, making its first appearance at Mission Blue Field since 2018, is 5-33 and 4-19 in the Pacific West Conference while the Urban Knights are 4-25 and 3-13 in the conference.
Game 1: CUH 6, ART U 1
A
Desiree Bravo (Corona, Calif./Mt. San Antonio College/Centennial HS) one-out triple in the second inning led to the game's first run with
Taneia Simanu (Mililani, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Mililani) bringing her in.
The Urban Knights countered in the bottom of the frame with the tying run.
Vanessa Pena (Paramount, Calif./Paramount), who got the start in the circle, kept the home team off the scoreboard in the subsequent innings and got some defensive help in the bottom of the sixth. With runners at second and third with no outs, the 'Swords threw out Riannah Maulupe at the plate to complete a 4-3-2 double play, preventing ART U from getting a run and taking the lead.
In the top of the seventh, Chaminade loaded the bases without a hit, getting two walks and a hit batter.
Larchelle Tuifao (Ewa Beach, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Kapolei) worked the count full and was plunked to bring in the go-ahead run. The 'Swords finally got the clutch hit that had eluded them on the road trip when
Miranda Diaz (Whittier, Calif./Cerritos College/California HS) lined a single to right center, bringing in two more runs, increasing their lead to 4-1. A dropped fly ball in right plated another two runs, giving them a five-run cushion.
Peña then faced the minimum number of batters in the bottom of the frame, which included help from the Silverswords' third double play of the game.
The 'Swords had just four hits off Urban Knights' ace Kamielle Powell, whose previous outing was a near no-hitter against Hawai'i Pacific University on March 18. However, they took advantage of their seventh-inning opportunities with both walks and the two hit batters coming in to score.
Peña, making just her fifth start of the season, went the distance, scattering nine hits with a pair of strikeouts to pick up her first career win. In her last five appearances over 18 2/3 innings, the sophomore has allowed just three runs with an ERA of 0.75.
The five-run margin of victory was the largest for CUH this season. Their four previous wins were by one run each.
Game 2: ART U 7, CUH 1
Taryn Fujioka (Aiea, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Pearl City) led off the game with an opposite field double, then scored the game's first run on a sacrifice fly by Tuifao.
ART U tied it in its half of the frame, getting a run on a bases-loaded hit batter. In the second, a dropped routine catch on a potential inning-ending force play proved costly in the next at bat as Audrey Allen singled in two runs to give the Urban Knights a 3-1 lead. Two runs in the fourth and sixth accounted for the final margin.
Chaminade was held to just three hits with Peña getting two. Her single in the fifth was their last hit of the afternoon. Combined with two walks in the first game, Fujioka extended her on-base streak to 18 straight, the third-longest in program history.
Ava Walker (Las Vegas/Faith Lutheran) was charged with the loss.
Allen and Liberty Herrera drove in three each for ART U with Kayla Vaughn getting the win.
The Silverswords will look to win the series in Tuesday's finale. First pitch is set for 11 a.m. Hawai'i time.
