HONOLULU – After two days of sitting around because of the Kona Low weather system that brought torrential rain and damaging winds to the islands, the Chaminade University baseball team finally got on the field on Sunday for the start of their four-game Pacific West Conference series against Menlo College at the University of Hawai'i's Les Murakami Stadium.
It was well-worth the wait.
The Silverswords swept the opener, 6-5 and 6-2, marking their first doubleheader sweep since Saint Martin's in early February and first conference sweep in exactly one year when they also took two from Menlo last March 15, oddly enough by the exact same 6-5 and 6-2 scores.
The 'Swords took the first game on a walk-off balk then secured their second victory of the day with a four-run sixth in the seven-inning nightcap.
Cade Fujii (Kapolei, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Porterville College/Kapolei HS) and
Chris Mata (Wailuku, Maui, Hawai'i/South Mountain CC/Maui HS) both had four combined hits during the twin bill.
Chaminade, which snapped its six-game losing skid, improved to 6-18 and 4-14 in the PacWest. Menlo is 6-15 and is also 4-14 in the conference. Sunday's twin bill was part of makeups after Friday's game was scrubbed with stay-at-home government recommendations and no outdoor activity at UH on Saturday.
Game 1: CUH 6, MC 5
Fujii and
Bode Poler (Montesano, Wash./Gonzaga University/Montesano HS) both drove in runs in the first to give the 'Swords a 2-1 lead. The Oaks later took a 3-2 lead then
Alex Greb (Seattle/Wenatchee Valley College/Ballard HS) tied it with his team-leading fourth homer in the sixth, a majestic blast that cleared the road behind the left field fence and hit a pine tree.
Trysten Mooney (Helena, Mont./Wenatchee Valley College/Capital HS) then drew a four-pitch walk and two batters later, Mata singled him in, putting the Silverswords up, 4-3.
After Menlo tied it at 4 in the seventh,
Taylor Ayala (Bountiful, Utah/Salt Lake CC/Woods Cross HS) led off the eighth with a walk then got to second on a wild pitch. The pitcher then attempted to pick him off but the throw sailed into right-center field, allowing Ayala to get to third. But the outfield was slow in getting the ball back into the infield, where Ayala alertly bolted home to put CUH up 5-4.
But Menlo wasn't done with the tying home run in the ninth, forcing the 'Swords to bat in the bottom of the frame. Fujii came up clutch with a booming one-out triple off the wall then came home for the walk-off winner when the Warriors' pitcher was called for a balk.
The 'Swords overcame three Menlo solo home runs, two of which tied the game in the seventh and ninth innings.
Fujii had three hits and scored twice. The win went to
Kyle Seo (Sacramento, Calif./Sacramento City College/Inderkum HS), his second of the year, tossing the final two innings, allowing just one hit with a pair of strikeouts. Starter
Anthony O'Canas (Woodland, Calif./American River College/Woodland HS) went seven innings, tying the longest outing of his career.
Jacob Baca took the loss for the Oaks.
Game 2: CUH 6, MC 2
After two scoreless frames, Ayala put Chaminade on the board first with an RBI single. However, Menlo continued to demonstrate its power with its fifth homer of the afternoon, a solo shot that tied it at 1.
Caleb Kim (Aiea, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Christian Academy) then put the 'Swords up for good, driving in Mata for a 2-1 lead in the fourth.
Chaminade got insurance runs in the sixth, scoring four times with RBI knocks from Mata and Kim, a run off a wild pitch from
Jaren Banis (Wahiawa, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Kamehameha-Kapalama) then a Fujii RBI sacrifice fly.
The Oaks made some noise in the seventh, plating a run and getting the tying run in the hole before
Brennen Panis (Aiea, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Aiea) worked out of the jam with a fielder's choice then two straight ground outs to secure the sweep.
Kim had three knocks and two RBI in the nightcap while Mata also had three hits. Panis picked up his first career win and complete game with his seven innings being the longest outing in his year-and-a-half as a Silversword.
Dominic Hernandez was charged with the loss. Matt Morrison's homer in the fourth was his second in the afternoon and Menlo's fourth of the day.
The Silverswords and Oaks wrap up the series Monday with a nine- and seven-inning makeup doubleheader at Les Murakami Stadium starting at 2 p.m.
