Sharks blow open second game to sweep Swords


KANEOHE — Hawaii Pacific squeaked by Chaminade, 2-1, before blowing by, 8-0, in the afternooncap of a PacWest Conference doubleheader at Howard Okita Field on HPU's Hawaii Loa campus.

Sharks junior Brazzlyn Tovio-Asato (University Lab ‘16) went a combined 3 for 5 with two doubles and one triple to power HPU to both of Saturday's victories.

Chaminade got on the board first in Game No. 1 after Malia Kaakimaka-Moisa (Campbell ‘17) legged out a double-play attempt to allow Rainelle Matsuoka (Kaiser ‘15) to score safely from third in the top of the sixth inning.

HPU responded in the bottom frame with Tovio-Asato's first double followed by starting pitcher Jordan Curry's RBI double to left field. Curry later scored on a dropped third strike wild pitch for the game-winning run.

The Silverswords threatened to tie in the top of the seventh with pinch hitter Kayla Russell's (Kaiser ‘17) lead-off hit batsman and re-entered starter Hailey Matsumura (Saint Francis ‘18) reaching third, but Curry was able to get Cheyne Obara (Pearl City ‘18) to go down swinging to close up the victory.

In the second game, Tovio-Asato got the scoring going on an RBI triple in the second inning.

Sharks pitcher Emilee Leonard kept the Silverswords to just four hits as HPU scored runs in the third, fourth and fifth innings to back her up, ending on pinch hitter Alexis Morales' walk-off RBI single to score Cieana Curran (Campbell ‘17) for the NCAA eight-run rule.

Both teams opened this year's PacWest Conference season against each other back in February, and Saturday's wins gave HPU (22-12 PWC, 31-22 overall) an eight-game win streak over its cross-town rivals dating back to 2017.

The Sharks will close the regular season by playing host to a twin bill against second-place University of Hawaii-Hilo (21-9, 28-15 overall) on April 28. Chaminade will travel to the Big Island to play UH-Hilo on April 20 before returning home to host the Vulcans April 27 at Patsy T. Mink Central Oahu Regional Park.