HONOLULU – The Chaminade University baseball team gets Year 3 underway this Friday with a three-game series against Cal State Los Angeles at Hans L'Orange Field in Waipahu.
The Silverswords, whose 18-win season in 2025 surpassed their first season total, will look to increase their victory total both overall and in the Pacific West Conference as they begin chase of a postseason berth.
Head coach
Chad Konishi, who continues to oversee the program's resurrection, has 24 returnees including nine pitchers. Among the key returning arms are
Chris Cody (Orange, Calif./Irvine Valley College/El Modena HS),
Reyn Kapua (Honolulu/Mid-Pacific Institute),
Anthony O'Canas (Woodland, Calif./American River College/Woodland HS),
Zion Palea (Hilo, Hawai'i/Hilo) and
Brennen Panis (Aiea, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Aiea), all of whom tossed at least 10 innings last season.
Konishi also brought in nine more hurlers to help replace 13 wins and six saves from departing players. The 'Swords do have the benefit of the three returning catchers in
Jaren Banis (Wahiawa, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Kamehameha-Kapalama),
Joe DuCoeur (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho/Lake City) and
Trysten Mooney (Helena, Mont./Wenatchee Valley College/Capital HS).
Chaminade lost its top two hitters in
Safea Villaruz-Mauai (.323 average, 11 homers, 43 RBI) and
Casey Kudell (.274, 14 XBH, 30 RBI) but does return slugger is middle infielder
Cade Fujii (Kapolei, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Porterville College/Kapolei HS), who hit slashed .272/.364/.424 with six home runs while driving in 30. Fellow infielder
Andrew Karns (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho/Coeur d'Alene) also returns as the team's top returning batting average of .280.
Also back to help the infield is
Evon Williams (San Ramon, Calif./Dougherty Valley) after an injury-plagued 2025.
In the outfield,
Alex Greb (Seattle/Wenatchee Valley College/Ballard HS),
Aydan Lobetos (Ewa Beach, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Kamehameha-Kapalama) and
Ace Perry (Kaneohe, O'ahu, Hawai'i/University) had 88 starts and 31 RBI between them. Lobetos, who like Williams missed a portion of 2025 due to an injury, is the Silverswords' top stolen base threat, having swiped 20 bags during his career.
In their home slate for 2026, CUH will host Saint Martin's from the Great Northwest Athletic Conference following the Cal State LA series. The Silverswords are scheduled to play in three different home venues this season with 14 games at Les Murakami Stadium on the University of Hawai'i Manoa campus which is considered one of the premier college baseball stadiums in the nation.
The 'Swords will also call Waipahu's Hans L'Orange Field and Patsy T. Mink Central O'ahu Regional Park (also known as CORP) home fields with five at Hans and five at CORP.
Featured home opponents include defending PacWest regular season and tournament champion Westmont in March as well as in-state rival University of Hawai'i Hilo in April.
Chaminade will also face its other rival, Hawai'i Pacific University, in "road games" at Hans in late March and April.
