KAILUA-KONA — Kealakehe has never won a BIIF softball title, but the team made a major statement that 2016 could be the year of the Waverider on Saturday.
KAILUA-KONA — Kealakehe has never won a BIIF softball title, but the team made a major statement that 2016 could be the year of the Waverider on Saturday.
Kealakehe (8-1) took sole possession of first place in BIIF Division I with a dominating and surprising 15-5, five inning mercy rule victory over Waiakea (7-2) at Old Kona Airport Park.
Kiara Cantiberos had another solid performance in the victory. She allowed one earned run off three hits, while striking out two and walking one from inside the circle. Hara took the loss, allowing four earned, seven total, off two hits in 2-1/3 innings.
McCleod and Keaunui led the Waveriders’ offense with two hits each. McCleod scored twice and knocked in two. Keaunui also scored twice and knocked in one run.
Hara and Chinen were the top offensive threats for the Warriors. They each had a hit, a run and an RBI.
Early on the game looked like it might be a pitcher’s duel. However, tied 1-1 heading into the bottom of the third, the Waveriders batted around nearly twice as they pushed 13 runs across the plate behind small ball, timely hits, and several defensive miscues on the part of the Warriors defense.
“Honestly I had no idea the game would go the way it did because Waiakea always comes to play,” Kealakehe head coach Loni Mercado said. “I expected a closer game but my girls like to amaze me and go above and beyond.”
The first two runs in the third were the result of a walk and two errors on one play by Waiakea. With runners on second and third, Kawehi Kahele hit a grounder to third that was misplayed. The ball rolled into left field and another error ensued, allowing two runs to cross the plate.
Brittney Keaunui followed with a single to center, scoring Kahele. A sacrifice bunt and a throwing error set up another score when Zayanna Sanchez hit a flair to right, which forced a pitching change.
Waiakea starter Alyssa Hara exited the game with one out in the inning, making way for Jourdan Perreira, who did not fair any better.
Perreira walked the first batter she faced on four straight pitches. The defense didn’t help her out with a pair of errors which led to three more runs crossing the plate. After a third error, Perreira was pulled and replaced by Kristi Hirata.
Hirata allowed two straight singles, the first off a bunt by Verly DeCasa, which scored a run, and the second, a shot to center by Brei McLeod, which also led to a score.
Still, with only one out in the inning, the Waveriders loaded the bases and Jami Tan was hit by a pitch, bringing in the 10th run of the third. Sanchez beat out an infield single to short, and a throwing error cleared the bases, allowing the final three runs to cross.
“I am the one keeping the book and I was losing track of what was going on,” Mercado said. “It was an amazing display of capitalizing on as much as we could.”
With nearly an hour spent on offense, Kealakehe’s defense and pitching looked a little rusty in the top of the fourth. Two Waiakea batters led off the inning by reaching on defensive miscues. The first batter, Brandee Chinen, later scored on a wild pitch. Shaily Moses moved up to third and scored on another wild pitch.
Hirata was hit by a pitch and moved to second when Moses scored. She added the third run of the inning by coming in on a Hara single to right. Emma Fincher pinch ran for Hirata and later scored when Taylor Nishimura walked with the bases loaded.
“We cringe as coaches when innings like this happen but it is a good learning experience for the girls. I am glad they happen throughout the season,” Mercado said. “We can’t expect the pitcher to do all of the work and Kiara (Cantiberos) already does more than half of the work.”
Now up 14-5 heading into the bottom of the fourth inning, the Waveriders added a final run off a walk and a pair of errors. Cantiberos put the Warriors down in order in the top of the fifth.
“Terrible,” Waiakea head coach Bo Saiki said after the game. “We made some improvement after we changed the lineup but we made too many mistakes.”
Waiakea 100 40– 5 3 10
Kealakehe 10(13) 1x–15 8 3
Hilo 7, Honokaa 6, eight innings: Shalyn Guthier hit a two-run home run in the seventh to send the game into extra innings, and Guthier drove in the winning run with a sacrifice fly in the eighth as the Vikings ended a two-game slide.
Guthier, Samantha Saltiban (three hits) and Cierra Kelli each celebrated senior day at UH-Hilo’s softball field.
Kelii scored the winning run, coaxing a walk and moving to third on Patricia Marcus’s single. Marcus walked ahead of Guthier’s blast in the seventh.
Puili Hanohano drove in two runs for the Dragons (7-5) and Shaylynn Hidaro collected two hits, but Hilo’s Zoe Cabarloc went the distance for Hilo (4-5) and struck out two.
Destynee Carvalho relieved Keesha Matsuoka in the second inning and pitched the remainder of the game for Honokaa.
Konawaena 6, Keaau 3: Sierra Amor hit a go-ahead RBI single in the sixth inning and pitched a five-hitter as the visiting Wildcats ended a three-game losing streak.
Singles by Daycee Lei McKee-Haalili’o, Teizha Kaluna and Amor to open the sixth gave Konawaena (6-5) a 2-1 lead, and Tiani Lastimosa followed with a triple to bring home two more runs.
Kaluna (2 for 3) also hit a solo home run to support Amor, who struck out two and worked around five walks, allowing six hits and three runs, one earned.
Singles by Karly Eckert and Tatiyana Saragosa and an error helped the Cougars (3-6) score twice in the sixth. Stacilynn Ng ripped a triple for Keaau.
Caitlyn Calhoun went the distance in defeat, striking out five and walking three.
Konawaena 010 004 1 – 6 6 3
Keaau 100 002 0 – 3 5 3
Kamehameha at Kohala: The game was postponed because of inclement weather and will be made up as part of a doubleheader at 11 a.m. Monday in Kapaau.
Hawaii Prep at Pahoa: The game was rescheduled because Ka Makani didn’t have enough players. The teams will play a doubleheader at 11 a.m. April 9 at the Daggers’ field.