BRISBANE, Calif. – The Chaminade University softball team closed out their 15-day road trip to northern California on Tuesday with a 3-0 win at Academy of Art at Mission Blue Field.
In one of the finest pitching performances of her career, junior
Bailey Benson (Cheney, Wash./Gonzaga Preparatory) tossed a one-hitter and faced 22 batters – one above the minimum – to help the Silverswords take two-of-three against the Urban Knights and win their first series of the season.
Summer Buck (Honolulu/Kaiser) had two of Chaminade's seven hits, which improved them to 6-33 and 5-19 in the Pacific West Conference. Academy of Art fell to 4-26 and 3-14 in the conference.
Mimi Smith (Redondo Beach, Calif./Redondo Union) drew a leadoff walk to start the third followed by a bunt single from
Taryn Fujioka (Aiea, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Pearl City), who extended her on-base streak to 20, the third longest in program history. Another walk to
Larchelle Tuifao (Ewa Beach, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Kapolei) loaded the bases followed by
Desiree Bravo (Corona, Calif./Mt. San Antonio College/Centennial HS) who drew Chaminade's third bases on balls of the frame to force in the game's first run.
In the fourth, the 'Swords led off with a Buck single followed by a
Taneia Simanu (Mililani, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Mililani) double, putting runners at second and third with no outs. Smith then went the opposite way, lining a pitch past the second baseman, bringing in Buck. Two batters later,
Vanessa Pena's (Paramount, Calif./Paramount) sacfrice fly plated Simanu for a 3-0 count.
Meanwhile, Benson retired the first 11 Urban Knights' batters before Riannah Maulupe hit a sinking liner to left center. Peña made a full extension dive but the ball nicked off the top of her glove for a double, breaking up Benson's potential bid for a perfect game.
Peña preserved the one-hitter in the bottom of the fifth, this time making the diving catch on leadoff batter Kayla Vaughan. That was part of the last 10 batters Benson retired to, not only give the 'Swords the series win, but her first pitching win of the season. She needed just 67 pitches to finish the game and of the 21 outs, 13 were on the ground. Benson also struck out three.
The complete-game shutout was the second of Benson's career and first since April 2, 2023 when she blanked Central Washington at the Tournament of Champions in Turlock California.
Kamielle Powell was charged with the loss for ART U.
The Silverswords will have their first home game in 23 days when they host in-city rival Hawai'i Pacific University in the start of a three-game series with a doubleheader on Saturday at Silversword Field at Sand Island Park. First pitch is scheduled for 12 p.m.
