WAIPAHU, O'ahu, Hawai'i – The Chaminade University baseball team resumed their in-city rivalry series Monday with a twin bill against Hawai'i Pacific University at Hans L'Orange Field.
The Silverswords fell in both seven-inning contests, 6-2 and 15-3.
The 'Swords dropped to 7-29 and 5-25 in the Pacific West Conference while the Sharks improved to 17-15 and 15-11 in the conference. HPU, which has won 10 of the last 11 meetings, clinched the season series with one game remaining between the two Honolulu-based institutions.
Game 1: HPU 6, CUH 2
Hawai'i Pacific plated three runs in the second and another in the fourth to open up a 4-0 lead.
Meanwhile, the first 12 CUH hitters were silenced by Sharks starter Nick Blakeney until
Cameron Breeze (Temecula, Calif./San Diego City College/Paloma Valley HS) ended Blakeney's bid for a perfect game with a solid single through the right side to lead off the fifth inning.
Chaminade finally got on the scoreboard in the final frame when Breeze's second hit of the game got past the HPU right fielder and rolled all the way to the fence, allowing
Jaren Banis (Wahiawa, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Kamehameha-Kapalama) to score all the way from first and putting Breeze at third. Breeze then came home on a ground out by
Taylor Ayala (Bountiful, Utah/Salt Lake CC/Woods Cross HS).
Breeze was the only 'Sword to figure out Blakeney with the team's two hits.
Anthony O'Canas (Woodland, Calif./American River College/Woodland HS) was charged with the loss. Centerfielder
Chris Mata (Wailuku, Maui, Hawai'i/South Mountain CC/Maui HS) was held without a hit for the first time since Feb. 19, ending his program-record 17-game hitting streak.
The game was completed in just an hour and 45 minutes, tied for the fastest game in terms of elapsed time this season.
Game 2: HPU 15, CUH 3
The nightcap saw HPU score seven times in the first inning but the 'Swords answered in their half of the second on RBI singles from
Ace Perry (Kaneohe, O'ahu, Hawai'i/University) and Banis.
But the Sharks tacked on seven combined runs in the bottom of the second and third innings to put the game out of reach.
Banis' RBI groundout in the sixth was Chaminade's final score of the game, giving the junior catcher his first multi-hit game this season and first career multi-RBI game.
Brennen Panis (Aiea, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Aiea) was charged with the loss while HPU starter Rylen Bayne was credited with the win after just two innings of work. After being two-hit in the matinee, the 'Swords managed nine base knocks in the nightcap.
The Silverswords head to Southern California for their final two road series starting at Vanguard University with a single game on Friday starting at 11 a.m. Hawai'i time.
