KAILUA-KONA, Hawai`i--And that ladies and gentlemen, is why you play the game.

Chaminade, who had lost seven of eight games played against UH HIlo coming into the weekend, turned the scenario upside down with a doubleheader sweep of the Vulcans at Kealakehe High School on Saturday afternoon. The Silverswords won the opener via mercy rule (9-1) and took the nightcap as well, 3-1.

UH Hilo dropped to 10-3 on the season while Chaminade improved to 9-7. The Vulcan' 6.5 lead in the Hawaii Pod over the Silverswords shunk to 4.5 games.

The 'Swords erupted for nine runs in the first inning against Vulcan ace Valerie Alvarado, chasing her before she could get more than one out in the books. Chaminade set 13 batters to the plate in the inning, bashing out eight hits. Cheyne Obara had a double and a single in the same inning, driving in three of those runs. Keaolani Takemura had a single and triple in the opening inning, driving in three RBI.

Alvarado suffered her first loss of the season (4-1), giving up seven runs in a third of an inning. Leah Gonzales came on to help put out the fire but not until enough damage had been done.

Meanwhile, Chaminade's Taylor Genera continued her resurgence, going the distance without giving up an earned run. She allowed just four hits in five innings, improving to 4-1. No one had more than one hit for the Vulcans, with Kiarra Lincoln slashing a double and scoring the only UHH run (unearned) in the bottom of the fifth.

The second game was much tighter. Gonzales went back to the pitching circle for the Vulcans and Madelyn Stockslager was the Chaminade pitcher. Both put up zeros through the first two innings before CUH scored a run in the third on Takemura's RBI double.

The Vulcans evened things up in the fourth when Darian Obara singled and later scored on Markie Okamoto's hot shot to shortstop. But the 'Swords scrambled back with a run in the fifth on two hits and a hit batter, and they would add insurance in the seventh with an unearned run.

Meanwhile Stockslager didn't allow a hit after the fourth inning, allowing just one run total on three hits. She improved to 5-5 while Gonzales was tagged with her first loss of the year (3-1). Okamoto had two hits and an RBI for the Vulcans in the second game. 

Obara, sister of UHH's Obara, had four hits on the day and scored four times. Takemura had four hits as well, including three doubles.

The two teams will square off again on Sunday in a noon twinbill at Kealakehe.