Season after season, Kamehameha added to its BIIF softball dynasty, but like clockwork, the Warriors were never able to muster much success after leaving the Big Island.
Until now.
Freshman Dioni Lincoln sparked the seven-time BIIF champions with two doubles and four RBIs, and No. 2 seeded Kamehameha held off Kalani 8-7 on Thursday at Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium to advance to the HHSAA Division II championship game for the first time.
Yes, Lincoln knew about the title game drought. No, she didn’t care.
“Our goal is to play the perfect game,” Lincoln said. “That means everyone not having mental errors and everyone picking each other up.”
She called the semifinal win against the third-seeded Falcons of the OIA “a pretty good game.”
The Warriors (20-3) will be back in search of perfection in the title game at 4:30 p.m. Friday against Saint Francis, which rallied in the second semifinal to thwart an all-BIIF final, scoring four runs in the seventh to down Konawaena 8-7.
“We saw the that (Saint Francis) had a lot of fight,” Lincoln said.
So to do the Warriors, who are assured of their highest state finish after placing third in 2006, 2007 and 2015.
Senior Jessica Cameros pitched 4 2/3 innings to get the victory and Brooke Baptise got out of trouble in the fifth and recorded seven outs for the save.
The first four batters in Kamehameha’s lineup – Kuulei Ili, Kawehi Ili, Lincoln and Cameros – combined for eight hits and all eight RBIs, helping the Warriors pitchers overcome 11 walks.
“We were really proud of Jessica and the way she pitched,” Lincoln said, “especially since she didn’t get a lot of calls.”
Inheriting a bases-loaded situation in the fifth, Baptiste walked two batters as the Warriors saw their lead cut to 7-6, but she got out of the inning with a force out.
Lincoln doubled home Kuulei Ili (3 for 4), who reached on a single, for an important insurance run in the top of the seventh.
Baptiste worked around a walk, a hit and and error and an unearned run in the bottom of the inning as Kamehameha became the first BIIF softball team to reach a state final since Hilo won the crown in 1978 under current UH-Hilo coach Callen Perreira.
Lincoln stroked a two-run double in the third, scoring Kuulei Ili, who reached on a walk, and Kawehi Ili, who singled, and Cameros followed with a single to bring in Lincoln.
“I knew in the first couple of innings we really needed to score runs,” Lincoln said. “We watched Kalani (beat Waimea 6-3 in the quarterfinals Thursday) and saw they could hit the ball.”
Cameros drew a bases loaded walk as the Warriors tacked on a run in the fourth, and senior Taylor Sullivan’s lead off walk in the fifth, singles by Jolie Kim and Kuulei Ili and an error fueled another three-run rally in the fifth.
Cameros was charged with six run on seven walks and five hits with two strikeouts.
