LA MIRADA, Calif. – The Chaminade University softball team completed their four-game series at Biola University on Wednesday with 7-3 and 9-6 defeats at Freedom Field.
Sunni Kahanu (Mililani, O'ahu, Hawai'i/University of Hawai'i/Mililani HS) had four hits on the day for the Silverswords whose six runs in the second game was the most against the Eagles since 2024.
The 'Swords fell to 6-25 and 5-17 in the Pacific West Conference while Biola, which took all four in the series, improved to 22-15 and 15-4 in the conference.
Game 1: BU 7, CUH 3
For just the third time on the road trip, the Silverswords plated the game's first run on a botched double play attempt when a throw from the plate to first base sailed into right field, allowing Kahanu, who was at second, to scamper home.
The Eagles responded with a run in the second then took a 3-1 lead in the fourth.
Chaminade rallied back in the fifth when shortstop Alexa Sheard could not make a diving catch on
Miranda Diaz's (Whittier, Calif./Cerritos College/California HS) shallow fly ball down the left field line, allowing
Mikala Jacobsen (Buena Park, Calif./Cypress College/Cypress HS) to score.
Gabriella Schneider (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif./Alta Loma) then drove in Kahanu to tie it at 3.
The Eagles answered in their half of the fifth on a go-ahead RBI double then scored three insurance runs in the sixth.
The 'Swords had six hits with Kahanu scoring twice.
Ava Walker (Las Vegas/Faith Lutheran) went 4 1/3 with three strikeouts in taking the loss.
Biola totaled 11 hits with Kayla Bousquette picking up the win.
Game 2: BU 9, CUH 6
The outlook appeared grim for Chaminade in the series finale as Biola plated seven runs in the third inning then another in the fourth for an 8-0 lead to put the run-rule in effect.
Down to their last out in the top of the fifth, Kahanu took the mercy rule out of play, ripping a double off the base of the wall in left-center to plate
Isabel Rodriguez (Littleton, Colo./Columbine).
Summer Buck (Honolulu/Kaiser), mired in a slump since the start of the Concordia series, then ripped her PacWest-leading 16th double to the right-center wall, driving in two, making it 8-3.
Down 9-3 with just one out left, the 'Swords rallied with
Mikala Jacobsen (Buena Park, Calif./Cypress College/Cypress HS) and pinch runner
Elora Tonaki (Kapolei, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Hawai'i Technology Academy) on base.
Carisma Ta'amai (Oroville, Calif./Pleasant Valley), who entered as a defensive replacement in the fourth, brought them all home, crushing a three-run homer to left field, cutting the deficit to 9-6.
Diaz and Rodriguez followed with singles, putting the tying run at the plate before the Eagles hung on with a strikeout to end the game.
Chaminade had 10 base hits, four in the final inning. Kahanu had her first career three-hit game while Ta'amai's blast was her team-leading third of the season.
Bailey Benson (Cheney, Wash./Gonzaga Preparatory) was charged with the loss while
Kayden Lopez (Bakersfield, Calif./Garces Memorial) went the final 3 2/3 and helped keep CUH in the game after Biola's seven-run third inning.
DJ Symons earned the win for the Eagles who had 14 hits in the finale.
The Silverswords face Vanguard University on Friday, the opener of the final series on their Southern California road trip. First pitch is at 11 a.m. Hawai'i time.
