HONOLULU – In Friday's second game of their Pacific West Conference doubleheader against Vanguard University, the Chaminade University softball team pounded out 17 hits, albeit in defeat.
In the final game of the series on Saturday at Silversword Field at Sand Island Park, the Silverswords scorching bats were on display again, this time resulting in a win to, not only salvage a game in the three-game set, but also sent their four seniors playing their final home games out in style on 'Aloha Senior Day.'
Chaminade pounded out 14 hits – half being of the extra base variety – to defeat the Lions, 10-1 in five innings, their first mercy-rule win this season.
Bailey Jacobsen (Buena Park, Calif./Cypress) went 3-for-3 in her final home game while fellow senior
Larchelle Tuifao (Ewa Beach, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Kapolei) doubled twice and drove in a pair. Chaminade's third senior,
Desiree Bravo (Corona, Calif./Mt. San Antonio College/Centennial HS), drove in another run. The team's fourth senior,
Taryn Fujioka (Aiea, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Pearl City), the school's all-time hits leader, was also celebrated.
Sophomore third baseman
Summer Buck (Honolulu/Kaiser) had two hits and made several key defensive plays which helped the Silverswords escape numerous jams.
The Silverswords improved to 9-39 overall and 8-25 in the PacWest while Vanguard, one of the three new entrants of the conference this season, fell to 16-28 and 11-17.
Despite encountering trouble in the top of the first with Lions runners at second and third with no outs, freshman starter
Ava Walker (Las Vegas/Faith Lutheran) worked out of the jam, thanks to the 'Swords' defense. They got the first on a rundown between third and home, then the second when Buck gloved a one-hopper then tagged the runner at third who was caught off the base. They escaped the jam on a groundout to Buck.
The momentum seemed to carry over to the 'Swords' bats in the bottom of the frame.
Vanessa Pena (Paramount, Calif./Paramount) and Jacobsen got one-out singles followed by Bravo's base knock which plated the first run. Tuifao followed by lashing a double into the left field corner scoring two.
Mikala Jacobsen (Buena Park, Calif./Cypress College/Cypress HS), Bailey's younger sister, followed with her first career triple to make it 4-0.
Despite a pitching change, Buck ripped an opposite field three-bagger to plate another run then
Taneia Simanu (Mililani, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Mililani) brought in Chaminade's sixth run of the inning with a sacrifice fly.
It remained a 6-0 lead until the third when Buck eluded a rundown between third and home, sliding under the tag for a 7-0 Chaminade lead.
Mimi Smith (Redondo Beach, Calif./Redondo Union) drove in Simanu with a single, pushing their lead to 8-0, thus putting the eight-run mercy rule in effect.
The Silverswords tacked on two more runs in the fourth on Bravo's double play ground out which brought in Peña, then the younger Jacobsen's second RBI, which brought in Tuifao, whose second double earlier in the inning landed just shy of the fence in left-center field.
The Lions got a sacrifice fly for their first run in the top of the fifth then proceeded to load the bases with one out. Amarah Farley then ripped a hot liner toward third but Buck made a spectacular grab for the second out, then stepped on third for the game-ending double play, which likely saved two runs which would have taken away the run-rule.
Eight of the Silverswords' starters got at least one hit while Walker scattered seven hits with a pair of strikeouts to earn her third win of the season.
Starter Brianna Williams took the loss, facing six batters and recording just one out.
The Silverswords will wrap up the season next weekend with a three-game series at the University of Hawai'i Hilo at Vulcans Softball Field. Friday's doubleheader is set for 12 p.m.
