WAIPAHU, O'ahu, Hawai'i – The Chaminade University baseball team rallied from a three-run deficit in the bottom of the seventh to force extra innings against Hawai'i Pacific University on Sunday in what was to have been the season finale for the Silverswords.
However, heavy showers saturated Hans L'Orange Field, prompting the game to be suspended in the top of the 10th, tied at 5. The scheduled second game was also postponed.
The rain did not stop the Silverswords from honoring their nine seniors for the completion of their college careers.
Pitchers
Sebastian Castro (San Diego/Palomar College/Great Oak),
Mac Elske (Lake Oswego, Ore./Lower Columbia CC/Lakeridge HS),
Max Patterson (Honolulu/Olympic College/Kalani HS),
Xavier Stoker (Cedar City, Utah/College of the Canyons//Canyon View HS) and
Brayden Wells (Pullman, Wash./Lower Columbia CC/Pullman HS), outfielders
Jackson Dorn (Happy Valley, Ore./Mt. Hood CC/Clackamas HS) and
Jake Harper (San Pedro, Calif./El Camino College/San Pedro HS) and infielders
Casey Kudell (Irvine, Calif./Irvine Valley College/Irvine HS) and
Safea Villaruz-Mauai (Hilo, Hawai'i/BYU/Waiakea HS) were each celebrated.
For the third time in the series, the Sharks (29-19, 27-15 Pacific West Conference), who already clinched a berth in next weekend's conference championship tournament), plated runs in the first inning, and led 5-0 in the fifth.
The 'Swords (17-31, 15-27 PacWest) were held hitless through four before
Ace Perry (Kaneohe, O'ahu, Hawai'i/University) got a soft grounder up the middle for their first hit.
Trysten Mooney (Helena, Mont./Wenatchee Valley College/Capital HS) delivered Chaminade's first run with a base hit to right. Two batters later,
Cade Fujii (Kapolei, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Porterville College/Kapolei HS) was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded forcing in the Silverswords' second run.
Still trailing 5-2 and down to their last inning, Harper led off with an infield single followed by Mooney's base hit to left. After a wild pitch, Villaruz-Mauai ripped an opposite field liner that bounced over the glove of HPU left fielder Bronson Rivera and rolled all the way to the fence, bringing in two runs and putting the senior at third for a triple.
Kudell, who has swung a clutch late-innings bat with two tying or go-ahead runs after the seventh inning this season, delivered again, dropping a bloop double just inside the left field line, bringing Villaruz-Mauai in as the tying run and force extra innings.
In the top of the 10th, HPU had runners at first and second with one out with Noah Hata was at the plate and facing a 1-1 count when the game went into the rain delay, and subsequently suspended 40 minutes later.
Because Chaminade University is conducting finals this week, competition is restricted until its completion on Thursday. Friday, May 2, is the target date for the reschedule, although details still need to be worked out.
