LA MIRADA, Calif. – The Chaminade University softball team opened their four-game series at Biola University on Tuesday, dropping the series' first doubleheader, 3-0 and 9-1, at Chase Field.
Carisma Ta'amai (Oroville, Calif./Pleasant Valley) had three hits and drove in the team's lone RBI on the day.
The Silverswords are 6-23 and 5-15 in the Pacific West Conference while the Eagles are 20-15 and 13-4 in the conference.
Game 1: BU 3, CUH 0
The Silverswords actually out-hit the Eagles in the matinee, 7-to-5. However, Biola got two knocks in the first inning, leading to a run while an error indirectly led to another later in the frame.
The Eagles got their third run in the second without the benefit of a hit, leading off the inning with a hit batter followed by a sacrifice bunt, and two fielder's choices, the second FC leading to the run.
Chaminade managed to get base runners in all but one inning. Four 'Swords made it to second base with another reaching third but none of them were able to cross home plate.
Miranda Diaz (Whittier, Calif./Cerritos College/California HS) and
Mikala Jacobsen (Buena Park, Calif./Cypress College/Cypress HS) both got two hits while Ta'amai,
Alena Frost (Kaneohe, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Castle) and
Taneia Simanu (Mililani, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Mililani) each had one.
Ava Walker (Las Vegas/Faith Lutheran) went the distance for the Silverswords, striking out two. One of the three runs she allowed was unearned in taking the loss while the five hits are the fewest the 'Swords have allowed against the Eagles in the series since Biola joined the PacWest in 2018.
Kayla Bousquette got the win for BU.
Game 2: BU 9, CUH 1 (5 inn.)
The nightcap saw the Eagles throw out the hits, totaling 14 base knocks while the 'Swords were held to two, both coming from Ta'amai.
The Silverswords, who had been shut out in their previous four games, finally got on the board with Ta'amai's two-out double which narrowed the deficit to 4-1, ending the team's 30-inning scoreless streak.
But Biola answered with a run in its half of the fourth, then scored four times in the fifth to end the game via the eight-run-rule.
Ta'amai's two hits raised her batting average to .308 on the season. The freshman is hitting .385 since the start of the 'Swords' Southern California road trip, including .435 (10-for-23) in her last nine games.
Kamryn Lopez (Bakersfield, Calif./Garces Memorial) took the loss for the 'Swords while the win went to DJ Symons.
The teams will meet in their second doubleheader on Wednesday with first pitch at noon Hawai'i time.
