There is parity at the top of BIIF Division II softball, and much of it is thanks to the right arm of Mikayla Kekoa.
There is parity at the top of BIIF Division II softball, and much of it is thanks to the right arm of Mikayla Kekoa.
The Kohala sophomore fired a two-hitter Wednesday in Kapaau and the Cowgirls beat their nemesis, Kamehameha, 6-1.
The Warriors (8-3) were everyone’s nemesis in going undefeated the past two seasons, but the five-time defending D-II champions have lost three times in the past 15 days.
Konawaena beat Kamehameha 12-2 last Saturday, and two days before that Kekoa pitched a complete game to lift the Cowgirls (8-4) to a 2-1 victory against the Wildcats (11-2).
On Wednesday, Kekoa struck out six, allowing only Kiarra Lincoln’s leadoff solo home run in the first, pitching Kohala past the team that relegated it to BIIF runner-up the past two seasons and handed it three lopsided regular-season losses. Kekoa walked only one.
Kekoa started a two-out rally in the first with a single. The Cowgirls loaded the bases on a hit by pitch and a walk, and Keiko Yamura’s grounder was misplayed, allowing two runs to score.
Kohala struck for four runs in the third. Jurnee Keawe’s double scored Deysha Yamasaki, who led of with a hit, and Kekoa, who walked. Keawe came home on a passed ball, and Yamura walked, moved to second on a sacrifice and Setsuko’s Kimura made the score 6-1.
The Cowgirls made the most of their five hits against Brooke Baptiste, who walked four, struck four and was charged with four earned runs.
On Friday, Konawaena hosts Kamehameha with a chance to clinch the top seed in the BIIF semifinals, where it could avoid meeting either Kohala or Kamehameha until the finals.
Honokaa 21, Pahoa 0
Honokaa 31, Pahoa 3
Taylor Souza and Destynee Carvalho hit grand slams in the first game, and Aulii Meyer blasted a grand slam in the second game as the Dragons earned a sweep at home.
Maluhia Sanchez hit a two-run home run in the second game, highlighting a 24-run first inning. Meyer (3 for 6 ) finished the day with eight RBIs and also doubled, and Souza combined to go 3 for 3 with a double and seven RBIs.
In the first game, Keesha Matsuoka worked a three-inning perfect game with seven strikeouts for Honokaa (5-9), then Meyer earned a victory, allowing three unearned runs, two hits and two walks with four strikeouts in a three-inning complete game.
Sarah Sedillo tripled in the first game and drove in six runs in the doubleheader, and in the second game Tyrah Fernandez went 3 for 4 with four runs and four RBIs.
Tara Santiago collected an RBI singe for the Daggers (0-14).
Hawaii Prep 19, Ka’u 15
Tiare Apina doubled twice among her two hits, Hillary Connors collected two hits and pitched two innings of relief to get a save and Ka Makani won a slugfest in Kapaau.
Analei Emmsley hit two solo homers for the Trojans (2-9), finishing 4 for 5.
Kiai Lindsey earned the win for HPA (2-9). Sara Heymann had a double and single, and she and Apina each drove in a run.
For Ka’u, Alysha Gustafson-Savella (triple, double), Chaunalisa Velez (two doubles) and Shanastie Hu-Blanco (triple) each finished with three hits, Reishalynn Jara posted a triple and a double, and Lei Chun Galban Kin had two hits.
Waiakea at Kealakehe
The game was postponed because of a lack of umpires, and was rescheduled for 3 p.m. Thursday at Kealakehe.