KEALAKEHE — Kealakehe softball had rolled over teams in the Big Island Interscholastic Federation (BIIF) all season, but on Tuesday afternoon at the Waveriders’ home field, it had a problem.
No. 1-seeded Kealakehe trailed 11-7 at the bottom of the seventh inning against No. 2 Waiakea in part two of Game 3 of the best-of-three BIIF Division I Championship series, and an island title was on the line.
The two teams originally met Monday at Walter Victor to decide the series, but a rainout at the bottom of the fourth inning called for a make-up at Kealakehe High School the following day. The game resumed in the top of the fifth, tied 5-5.
The Waveriders scored the first two runs of the afternoon after left fielder Katherine Keizer logged a two-run double, but the Warriors had plans of bouncing back. Waiakea responded with a six-run inning to go up four runs at the top of the sixth — sparked from two Kealakehe errors, a Meghan Spencer RBI single, a Kaitlyn Miura RBI ground out and a Jayda Kaimi RBI double.
With the Warriors just three outs away from securing a second straight BIIF DI title, the Waveriders found life again. Center fielder Caitlyn Nakamura smacked a line-drive triple to left field to drive home sibling Kayleigh Nakamura. After a couple of Kealakehe players were struck by pitches, the Waveriders found themselves in an opportunistic bases-loaded situation. Catcher Malia Polimino was walked, forcing another Kealakehe run to cut Waiakea’s lead to two.
After the Warriors made a pitching change with one out, Waveriders’ shortstop Rihanna Joaquin lined a single to center field to score Keizer — keeping the bases loaded. After Emalia Emmsley was walked in the ensuing at-bat, Saige Telles crossed home plate to tie the game.
Freeda Tosie struck out next, but Kayleigh Nakamura was beamed by a pitch in the following at-bat — automatically sending home Polimino in the walk-off run for Kealakehe to win 12-11.
“The girls strove to win and didn’t give up, so I am very proud of them for that,” ‘Riders coach Jerry Hiraishi told West Hawaii Today postgame.
Keizer finished with three hits to lead both teams, while Joaquin and Emmsley had two hits apiece for the Waveriders. Teammates Tosie, Caitlyn Nakamura and Kayleigh Nakamura made up for the rest of Kealakehe’s hits with one each. Emmsley was the game’s winning pitcher — going seven innings and giving up six runs across Monday and Tuesday’s intervals.
Waiakea finished with seven hits — three shy of its competition. Shortstop Lexi Santiago led the group with two hits, followed by first baseman Tehani Chinen, left fielder Spencer, catcher Jhayda Rose Turner, center fielder Maddie Kodani and designated hitter Kaimi with one apiece. The team went through two pitchers — Miura and Spencer.
After bouncing back from a 23-3 Game 1 loss and winning the next two, the Waveriders finished the 2024 BIIF season nothing short of dominant — going 13-1 and outscoring opponents 187-65. They’ve secured a spot in the Hawaii High School Athletic Association (HHSAA) Division I tournament, slated to begin Tuesday at Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium and McKinley High School on Oahu. Kealakehe has yet to receive its first-round opponent.
