BIIF softball: Freshman rallies Ka’u to first win since 2011

They won’t all end like this for Analei Emmsley-Ah Yee.

But playing in her first Big Island Interscholastic Federation softball game, the freshman left her coach speechless.

Emmsley-Ah Yee cracked a grand slam in the bottom of the seventh inning Wednesday, carrying the Trojans to a 12-8 victory against Hawaii Prep for their first BIIF victory in four seasons.

“I don’t know what to say or feel,” coach Donald Garo said. “So many losses, I forgot how it felt to win.”

With one swing of the bat, Emmsley-Ah Yee brought back some fond memories for her coach.

Ka’u hadn’t won since a victory at Pahoa in 2011.

“It had been so long I almost forgot,” Garo said.

The start of the BIIF season got off to a wild start in Pahala.

The Trojans overcame a 6-1 deficit to take the lead, then saw Ka Makani score a run in the top of the seventh to tie it 8-8.

Ka’u loaded the bases with no outs on three walks by HPA’s Keola Stevens. Emmsley-Ah Yee worked the count to 2-0, and Garo elected to give the green light.

“I saw something in her eyes,” he said. “I told her to swing if she got a good pitch.”

Sophomore Sheri Lynn Freitas picked up the victory with a complete game.

At the plate, Aysha Kaupu collected three hits for Ka’u, Kehaulani Ke contributed to the Trojans four-run fourth inning with one of her two hits, and Alysha Gustafson-Savella also had two hits.

Jordan Zarate had three for HPA, and Joli Welch had two.

The Trojans were beating Ka Makani last season in the fourth inning, but the game was wiped out by rain. In the makeup game, HPA earned its only victory of the season.

Garo knows the competition will get tougher, but he likes the Trojans’ approach this season.

“We might win a couple of more games,” Garo said. “Everyone stuck together and they weren’t afraid.”

Hawaii Prep 402 010 1 –8

Ka’u 100 412 4 – 12