HILO, Hawai'i – The Chaminade University softball team wrapped up the 2025 season with a 3-2 walk-off defeat Saturday at Vulcans Softball Field.
The Silverswords, who were shutout in the first two games of the series, held a 2-1 lead midway through but could not add on in the late stages. It marked the third straight season the 'Swords were walked-off by the Vulcans.
All four seniors recorded at least one base hit in the final game of their careers as Chaminade ended the season at 9-42 overall and 8-22 in the Pacific West Conference.
Taryn Fujioka (Aiea, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Pearl City),
Bailey Jacobsen (Buena Park, Calif./Cypress),
Desiree Bravo (Corona, Calif./Mt. San Antonio College/Centennial HS)and
Larchelle Tuifao (Ewa Beach, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Kapolei)all had knocks with Tuifao, getting a pair.
UH Hilo, which won all six games of the season series and gained more points in the PacWest Hawai'i Challenge, improved to 25-21 and 19-14 in the conference as they continue to chase Dominican for the fourth and final spot for the conference championship tournament in two weeks. The Vulcans wrap up their season next weekend at Hawai'i Pacific University.
Victoria Macias, who homered in the first series in late February, went yard again, giving the Vulcans a 1-0 lead in the first. Chaminade responded by opening the second with a lead-off single from Tuifao then a one-out hit from
Isabel Rodriguez (Littleton, Colo./Columbine).
Lex Lopez (Visalia, Calif./Redwood) then delivered her first career RBI, singling to center to knot the score at 1.
In the fourth, Tuifao led off with a walk, followed by Rodriguez getting plunked then a single by
Alena Frost (Kaneohe, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Castle) to load the bases with one out. Lopez delivered again, driving in her second run of the game with a sacrifice fly which put the 'Swords up 2-1.
The Vulcans eventually got their own sac fly in the fifth which tied the game.
CUH had a chance at the go-ahead score in the top of the seventh pushing Bravo to second but couldn't bring her across the plate.
In the final half-inning of regulation, the Vulcans got a one-out hit and put runners at first and second. Macias then drove a double to the wall, bringing home the speedy Jayda Favela for the walk-off win on their senior day.
Vanessa Pena (Paramount, Calif./Paramount) threw all 6 1/3 innings, scattering seven hits in taking the loss.
Chloe Sales went the distance for UH Hilo, allowing nine hits. Macias, who has been a bane to Chaminade pitching this season, had two RBI, giving her nine against the Silverswords in all six games of the head-to-head series.
Fujioka's lone hit on Saturday gave her 194 in her illustrious career. She and Tuifao concluded their careers in the top five in batting average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage. Jacobsen finished with 83 career hits while Bravo ended her tenure with a two-year career average of .262 while recording 19 career outfield assists, including 14 this season.
