WAIPAHU, Hawaii — The Dominican University of California softball team earned its first sweep of the season with 8-3 and 4-1 victories over Chaminade on Monday night in Hawaii.

Dominican improves to 6-13 overall and 4-4 in PacWest play while the Silverswords fall to 7-9 overall and 3-3 in PacWest play.

Dominican tallied 21 hits, including a season-high 12 in game one. Chaminade threatened in the top of the first with the bases loaded and one out but Kate Harden (2-4) got a strikeout and a popup to escape trouble. The Silverswords broke through in the second with a Kayla Henmi leadoff walk followed two batters later by Rainelle Matsuoka's two-run shot to left center. The Penguins chipped back in the third with a leadoff bunt single from Alyssa Lanza. Tori Johnson reached on a four-pitch walk and Catlyn Cavender loaded the bases when left fielder Henmi dropped the ball in left field. That allowed Lanza to score and Shannon Rodriguez made the Silverswords pay with a single to right center that scored Cavender and tied the game 2-2. The Penguins went ahead in the fourth when Lanza scored yet again on an error but Amber Manuel's RBI single up the middle in the bottom of the fourth evened the game at 3-3. Harden worked out of another bases-loaded, one-out jam in the fifth with a pair of foul pop ups and Dominican grabbed the lead for good in the sixth inning. Dahlen Dennis led the inning off with a single, Marisa Cordisco was hit by a pitch, and Lanza laid down another bunt single to load the bases. Tori Johnson sent home the go-ahead run with a groundout RBI, then Cavender added an insurance run with a sacrifice fly. Dennis broke things wide open in the seventh with a three-run shot, her second of the season. Harden (2-4) went the distance with four strikeouts. Luana Moreno (4-4) took the loss for the Silverswords in six and a third innings of work.

Cavender staked Dominican to an early game two lead with a first-inning homer, her second of the season. A fielding error in the bottom half of the inning led to a run for Chamiande but Dominican quickly regained the lead in the second thanks to a two-out, two-run single from Sarah McKenzie. Ginn added a bases-loaded single in the seventh for another insurance run. Ashlyn Moriarity (2-2) tallied three strikeouts en route to the win. The senior also went the distance and lowered her ERA to 2.92. Chelsea Camello (3-4) also pitched a complete game but took the loss for the Silverswords.

Dennis was 4-of-7 on the day with a homer, double, three runs, three RBI, and a walk. Lanza also went 4-of-7, scored twice, and had a stolen base. Ginn had a four-hit day with an RBI and stolen base. Cavender had a homer, two runs, two RBI, and a walk. She's hitting a team-best .353/.443/.549.

The Penguins continue their 10-game road trip through Hawaii on Tuesday, March 8 with a doubleheader versus Hawai'i Pacific. First pitch is slated for 3 p.m. Pacific. Live stats and video will be provided by HPU and will be available at dominicanathletics.com/live.