IRVINE, Calif. – The Chaminade University softball team on Friday opened their four-game series against perennial Pacific West Conference power Concordia University Irvine at Golden Eagles Softball Field.
The Silverswords kept it close in both games of the twin bill, falling by a single run in both outings, 6-5 and 1-0.
Miranda Diaz (Whittier, Calif./Cerritos College/California HS) had three hits in the afternoon including a three-run homer in the first game.
The series featured the PacWest's top two hitters in Chaminade's
Summer Buck (Honolulu/Kaiser), who entered the day as the conference's leader in batting average, slugging percentage, on-base percentage, OPS and doubles, and CUI's Morgan Kneubuhler, the leader in RBI and home runs.
The 'Swords fell to 6-19 and 5-11 in the PacWest while the Golden Eagles, ranked 22nd in the NFCA Division II Coaches Poll, improved to 31-11 and 21-5 in the conference.
Game 1: CUI 6, CUH 5
The 'Swords spotted the Golden Eagles a 3-0 lead in the first, two of them on a two-run homer from Caitlynn Campbell, but managed to keep them off the scoreboard for the next three innings.
Meanwhile the Silverswords, who had been baffled by CUI starter Kacie Gossett, finally put traffic on her, starting when
Carisma Ta'amai (Oroville, Calif./Pleasant Valley) was plunked and a single from
Vanessa Pena (Paramount, Calif./Paramount). Diaz then had Chaminade's big hit, tying the game with a three-run blast that easily cleared the left field wall, her first long ball of the season and second of her career.
The Golden Eagles took advantage of a CUH error in the fifth which led to three runs, giving them the lead again.
Chaminade wasn't through. Down to their last two outs with
Elora Tonaki (Kapolei, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Hawai'i Technology Academy) at third and
Mimi Smith (Redondo Beach, Calif./Redondo Union) at second,
Isabel Rodriguez (Littleton, Colo./Columbine) came through with a single that was just inside the left field line to plate Tonaki.
Gabriella Schneider (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif./Alta Loma) then grounded out but it allowed Smith to scamper home and put Rodriguez at third as the tying run. Gossett, however, managed to close out the game.
Chaminade had six hits with Diaz getting two.
Ava Walker (Las Vegas/Faith Lutheran) went the distance for the 'Swords in taking the loss with three of the six runs being unearned.
Gossett got her conference-leading 11th win with 10 strikeouts while Cambpell and Mya Diaz both drove in two.
Game 2: CUI 1, CUH 0
The nightcap of the opening series saw a pitchers' duel between
Kamryn Lopez (Bakersfield, Calif./Garces Memorial) and Jayden Nishi.
Lopez had one of the best performances of her career, holding the PacWest's No. 1-ranked hitting team to just three hits, the fewest allowed by the 'Swords in series history, and Concordia's second lowest hitting output this season. It also marked just the third time in series history the Silverswords held the Golden Eagles to a single run.
Campbell's one-out triple in the third inning led to the game's only run, scoring on Kaylia Yco's groundout.
Diaz's single in the top of the seventh got her on base as the potential tying run but the 'Swords could not get Tonaki, who came in to pinch run, around the bases.
Chaminade had four hits off Nishi in the nightcap, two coming from Peña, who batted at the top of the order. Ta'amai had the other base knock.
The Silverswords and Golden Eagles conclude the series on Saturday with first pitch scheduled for 9 a.m. Hawai'i time.
