Waiakea eagerly waited to match its BIIF softball dynasty against that of Kamehameha’s all season long.
Its anticipation finally showed when its backs were against the wall in the bottom of the seventh inning. To hear Waiakea talk, at that point, faith and friendship forged together to form an unstoppable force.
Waiakea’s four-run rally included hits, walks and errors, but the how of its 8-7 victory Monday at its field probably wasn’t as important as the why.
“They really have confidence in themselves to pick each other up,” coach Bo Saiki said.
In erasing a pair of five-run deficits, Waiakea’s first five batters reached in the seventh, and a harmless out brought home the winning run as the three-time defending BIIF Division I champion continues to vie for a second consecutive undefeated league season. That would match the unbeaten run of six-time D-II champion Kamehameha (8-2) in 2015-16.
“These are the kind of battles we look for,” said sophomore Johnacy Mackwelung, who drove in the tying run with a single. “We’re just a team that works hard. We push through these kind of things.”
Waiakea (12-0) was held to single digits in the run column for the first time this season by Brooke Baptiste, who was working on a three-hitter when Waiakea went to work in the seventh.
Jolene Hirata coaxed a walk, and she scored all the way from first when Alize Ka’apana’s hit was misplayed in the outfielder. Shaily Moses doubled to center to make it 7-6.
“We were all having fun, but when it came down to it we all knew what we had to do and the time when we needed do it,” said Moses, who also hit an RBI single in the fifth to spur the comeback. “We buckled down. That’s the kind of can-do attitude we have.”
Halee Sweat, who earned the win with four innings of stellar relief, reached on an error, advancing Moses to third, where she scored on Mackwelung’s hit to left.
“We just needed to be smart,” Sweat said.
Sweat came home with the winning run on a Kamehameha mental error. Kelsie Imai hit a grounder, and Kamehameha could have tried to tried to cut down Sweat at the plate, but instead it got a meanlingess out at first.
“It happens,” Kamehameha coach Akea Kiyuna said. “(Brooke) was working, Waiakea made all the adjustments. Kudos to them for making the adjustments.”
Taylor Sullivan drove in four runs with three hits, ripping a three-run triple in the second to put Kamehameha ahead 5-0, and in the fourth she doubled to bring in Jessica Cameros, who reached on a single, then scored on a wild pitch as Imai was chased with Waiakea trailing 7-2.
Sweat, a co-sophomore ace along with Imai, allowed only two hits with two walks. Imai accounted for Waiakea’s first run, tripling and scoring on wild pitch in the second, finishing with two hits.
Waiakea has its Senior Day on Saturday in the regular-season final against Hilo, then the rivals meet in the best-of-three BIIF semifinals.
“Bring your tissues on Senior Day,” Moses said. “We’re all sisters and a big family.
“I’m crying, and it ain’t stopping.”
Speaking of never ending – that would best describe Kamehameha’s week. Because of rainouts and problems with their home field, Monday was the start of a stretch that will see first-place Kamehameha play seven games in eight days, and perhaps none of them at home.
Kamehameha is a half-game in front of Konawaena (8-3) ahead of their game Thursday, which likely will be moved to Keaau High, according to Kamehameha athletic director Kimo Weaver.
“It’s just a different thing we have to overcome, but the girls are working hard,” Kiyuna said. “They challenged a tough team today, which is good. Made us have to work for it.”
Ka’u 23, Pahoa 11: Lei Chun Galban Kin led the offensive attack with two hits, and CeAndre Silva-Kamei pitched a three-hitter at Pahoa.
Kealakehe 18, HPA 2: Kealakehe utilized a 14-run first inning to take control early in a four-inning TKO victory over Hawaii Prep on Monday afternoon in cloudy Kona weather.
The Waveriders amassed 13 hits in the contest, with five players accounting for multiple RBIs. Lisan Mudong and Malia Cosare each had a trio of runs batted in to lead the way, while Zayanna Sanchez and Jami Tan accounted for three runs apiece.
Tiare Apina accounted for an RBI for Ka Makani, notching one of three Hawaii Prep hits off of Kealakehe pitchers Telsea Taketa and Nanea Kaluau.
Taketa pitched the first inning, allowing one hit. Kaluau allowed two hits and two runs, both earned.
Konawaena at Kohala: The game was postponed by rain and rescheduled for April 16.
