As Hilo Hilo chanted and cajoled in its dugout through much of Wednesday’s Big Island Interscholastic Federation softball game, Kamehameha remained largely silent went it was at-bat.
The problem, according to junior catcher Kekai Wong Yuen, is the Warriors aren’t very good at it.
“We can’t get our chants down,” she said. “We’re not good at (singing together).”
But Kamehameha does a lot of things well on the diamond. Kiarra Lincoln and Wong Yuen homered, and Mykala Tokunaga struck out seven in a four-hitter and drove in three runs with three hits as the Warriors beat the Vikings 11-1 at Walter Victor Stadium, remaining the BIIF’s only unbeaten.
“Our thing is family,” Wong Yuen said. “We’re always working together.
“We’ll work on the singing. We have a few up our sleeve, I guess.”
In a matchup of three-time defending BIIF champions, Division II Kamehameha (5-0) broke the game open with a six-run third inning en route to the TKO.
Lincoln started the inning off with a solo home run, and the sophomore second baseman hit a blooper single to center that brought in two runs when Hilo second basemen Chailey Cabalis collided with center fielder Yaeko Tagami. Cabalis had to leave the game after Vikings coach Keri Kameoka-Vincent said she was temporarily knocked out.
“We like playing Division I teams,” said Tokunaga, who allowed only an unearned run and walked one. “We look forward to it.”
In addition to Hilo (4-2), Kamehameha already has taken out Kealakehe and Waiakea, as well as BIIF Division II runner-up Konawaena.
The Warriors never have gone unbeaten in softball. It’s toughest tests remaining in the regular season figure to come April 15 at Keaau and April 18 at home against Kohala.
“Hopefully we can keep it up,” said Tokunaga, a junior. “Our goal every year is to go unbeaten.”
Kameoka-Vincent bemoaned her team’s seven errors in back of Zoe Cabarloc, who pitched all five innings and struck out three and walked three.
Caitlyn Price had two hits for Hilo, which fell into a second-place tie with Kealakehe and a half-game behind Keaau.
“It’s anyone’s game,” Kameoka-Vincent said, adding that each Division I team had a weakness.
Lincoln finished with three hits and three RBIs and three runs scored. Wong Yuen’s home run came with a runner aboard in the fifth.
Kamehameha 206 12 – 11 11 2
Hilo 001 00 – 1 4 7
Kohala 13, Kealakehe 3: Tomiko Coito tripled among her three hits and drove in three runs, Antonette Fernandez worked five innings and the Cowgirls spoiled the Waveriders’ Senior Day.
Kohala (2-3) took advantage of seven Kealakehe errors, including four in the fourth as it needed only two hits to score seven times.
Ashlyn Van Zandt was 2 for 3 with an RBI and Setsuko Kimura tripled and scored two runs.
Fernandez, a freshman, allowed three walks with five strikeouts.
Kiara Cantiberos was the losing pitcher for Kealakehe (4-2), allowing eight runs – five earned – on eight hits with two strikeouts in 3 1/3 innings.
Kohala 220 72 – 13 11 1
Kealakehe 010 02 – 3 5 7
Honokaa 20, Hawaii Prep 5: Kayla Requelman tripled and drove in four runs with four hits, and Neve Ebreo-Castillo homered and drove in four runs as the host Dragons improved to 2-3.
Diane Ancheta picked up the win, allowing two hits and three runs with two walks and two strikeouts in two innings.
Honokaa finished with 17 hits. Taylor Tabucbuc doubled twice with two RBIs and four runs scored, Maluhia Sanchez was 3 for 4 with two RBIs and two runs scored and Xyan Ancheta had two hits.
Keola Stevens took the loss for Ka Makani (0-3). In three innings she walked nine and struck out one.
HPA 212 0 – 5 2 2
Honokaa 12 7x – 20 17 3
Keaau 17, Ka’u 1: Erleen Oguma hit a three-run home run in Pahala and Caitlyn Calhoun pitched a one-hitter as the Cougars moved into first in Division I.
Oguma finished with three hits and Ranchell Berinobis, Rylann Hacoba and Tianna Kupumau each collected two for Keaau (4-1).
Sheri Lynn Freitas took the loss for the Trojans (2-3) and Kehaulani Ke had her team’s hit.
Ka’u 010 0 – 1
Kea’au 750 5 – 17
Pahoa at Waiakea: The Warriors (2-2) won by forfeit after the Daggers dropped their team for the remainder of the season because of only having seven players.
