HONOLULU – The Chaminade University and Azusa Pacific University baseball teams completed a marathon four-game Pacific West Conference series, culminating with 16 total innings on Monday.
After finishing their suspended game from Sunday, won by APU 13-12 in 12 innings, the teams went head-to-head in their regularly scheduled seven-inning doubleheader at Les Murakami Stadium.
The Silverswords won the third game of the series, 4-3, on a walk-off infield single from
Evon Williams (San Ramon, Calif./Dougherty Valley). The Cougars took the final game of the series, 8-6, after rallying from a four-run deficit to win three of four in the series.
Cade Fujii (Kapolei, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Porterville College/Kapolei HS) and
Chris Mata (Wailuku, Maui, Hawai'i/South Mountain CC/Maui HS) each had four total hits, including a home run by the former, with
Cameron Breeze (Temecula, Calif./San Diego City College/Paloma Valley HS) driving in three.
The series, which featured plenty of firepower, produced 65 total runs and 97 hits.
The Silverswords are 4-13 and 2-10 in the PacWest while APU is 8-12 and 6-5 in the conference.
Game 1: CUH 4, APU 3
The third game of the series was a complete antithesis of Game 2 which pitching finally coming through on both sides.
The first run didn't come until the fifth when Azusa Pacific plated a single run. Chaminade answered in its half of the fifth on back-to-back RBI singles from
Bode Poler (Montesano, Wash./Gonzaga University/Montesano HS) and Breeze.
Alex Greb (Seattle/Wenatchee Valley College/Ballard HS) brought in Chaminade's third run on a sacrifice fly.
The 'Swords had a chance to close the door but the Cougars got the tying run with two outs to force CUH to play the bottom of the seventh.
Poler and Greb both singled in the seventh, putting them at the corners with one out. Williams then hit a bouncer into the 5-6 hole where APU shortstop Jacob Freer made a diving stop but was unable to recover and make a play on Poler at the plate, giving the Silverswords their first walk-off win this season.
The 'Swords had 13 hits with all nine spots in the batting order getting knocks.
Reyn Kapua (Honolulu/Mid-Pacific Institute) got his first career win with
Anthony O'Canas (Woodland, Calif./American River College/Woodland HS) going a strong 6 2/3 innings.
Doug Pyle took the loss for APU.
Game 2: APU 8, CUH 6
After spotting the Cougars two runs in the first, the 'Swords countered with three runs on an RBI hit from
Alex Hamada (Aliso Niguel, Calif./Aliso Niguel) followed by the big blast, Fujii's two run homer to put them up 3-1.
In the third, Poler had an RBI single then Breeze powered a double off the wall in center to plate two more, giving Chaminade a 6-2 lead.
However, Azusa Pacific put up a five-spot in the fourth, getting the go-ahead run on a wild pitch. Their pitching also retired 11 straight 'Swords before Mata's two-out hustle infield single and subsequent stolen base put him on second in the seventh to represent the tying run. But Mata would be left stranded there.
Fujii and Breeze both drove in two while Mata had three hits at the top of the order. He also went to the mound, tossing a perfect seventh.
Neville Till (Maple Valley, Wash./Tahoma) took the loss.
Matthew Brock got the win in relief for the Cougars while Andrew Miller went the final three innings to pick up the save.
The Silverswords continue PacWest action when they host Jessup University starting Friday with all four games played at Patsy T. Mink Central O'ahu Regional Park Baseball Complex. First pitch is at 2 p.m.
