Campbell stays unbeaten with baseball win over Pearl City

Shag Hermosura has a certain standard for fundamental softball.

The coach’s persistence may be one of the major reasons why defending champion Campbell is still the team to beat. The Sabers got a solid effort from ace Elisa Favela, who benefited from a key four-run third inning by her teammates in a 10-5 win over dangerous Pearl City on Tuesday night at Patsy T. Mink Central Oahu Regional Park.

The four-run inning vaulted Campbell to 4-0 in the merciless Oahu Interscholastic Association West Division standings. They did it with veteran leadership; standout returnees Chardonnay Pantastico (home run), Cydney Curran (2-for-3, two RBIs, two runs scored) and Caragh Morris (2-for-4) fueled the hitting attack.

“We’re doing all right. We’re not quite there,” Hermosura said. “Some of our players are being complacent at practice. They forget their fundamentals and some of the underclassmen are pushing them hard.

That led to the starting debut of left fielder Trinity Favela, sister of Elisa. The younger sister made a diving catch on a line drive to the gap by Pearl City’s Noel Saunders in the top of the sixth inning.

Pearl City slipped to 1-3 despite another hearty effort against another West powerhouse.

“I’m proud of the team. They came here to compete and they did that from the start,” Chargers coach Chad Obara said.

Curran, who went 2-for-3 at the plate, was the key in the third frame with a two-run double to left. The wild inning was punctuated by two huge illegal pitch calls against Chargers pitcher Tyanna Kaaialii.

The first illegal pitch negated a third strike on Pantastico, who later reached base on an infield error. The illegal pitch, which is treated like a balk, also allowed Morris to score the inning’s first run.

After Curran’s clutch double to left scored Trinity Favela and Pantastico, Elisa Favela was at the plate with an 0-2 count. Her flyout to right was negated by another illegal pitch call — it becomes an automatic ball in addition to a free base for baserunners — and Curran scored from third base on the pitch.

It was enough to unnerve Obara, who sternly yelled at the base umpire while questioning the call in the circle. By the time the inning was over, Campbell had a 9-5 lead and Pearl City never recovered.

The Chargers bolted to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first when Kristen Frost doubled and came home on a double to right by Kylie Tasaki. Kaaialii’s grounder to third was dropped, then thrown away by Darien Robinson, permitting Tasaki to score.

The powerful Sabers answered with four runs in the bottom of the first on a sunny, breezy evening in Waipio. Pantastico and Curran walked, then scored on catcher Jocelyn Alo’s double to center to tie the game. Alo scored on a wild pitch, and Sierra Mariano came home on a single to left by Trinity Favela for a 4-2 lead.

They increased the lead to 5-2 in the bottom of the second with an RBI single by Elisa Favela that scored courtesy runner Kiani Telles.

In the top of the third, Pearl City scored three times to tie the game. Hope Casarez and Kaaialii singled to set up a two-out, three-run home run by catcher Hailey-Alexis Yamaguchi, tying the game at 5.

That set up a surreal bottom of the third.

“Our team battled through all adversity,” Obara said.

The technicality of an illegal pitch seems to boil down to this: A pitcher cannot have both hands together with one holding the ball as she steps back to deliver a pitch. If the hands are apart, there is no illegality.

“It’s maybe 3 inches,” Obara said. “If that. It’s a little slide when she dropped her head down on the first couple (of illegal pitches). They should get rid of the rule. It has no effect on the pitch.”

Hermosura didn’t disagree, but shrugged just a bit.

“That’s something we work on to make sure (the illegal-pitch call) doesn’t happen,” he said.

Dani Cervantes, who pitched the final inning for Campbell, also had one called on her.

“A lot of umpires look away on it, but this one called it,” Hermosura said.

ILH DIVISION I BASEBALL

No. 1 Saint Louis
vs. No. 3 Punahou

The game between the Crusaders and Buffanblu was called in the fourth inning with Saint Louis leading 1-0.

No. 7 Kamehameha 3, Maryknoll 0

Hunter Breault spun a one-hit shutout with four strikeouts as the Warriors beat the Spartans.

Logan Salcedo and Micah Hee each had two hits and a run scored to lead Kamehameha offensively.

Justice Yamashita, player not reported (4) and Chayson Dulatre. Hunter Breault and Revan Wong.
W—Breault. L—Yamashita.
Leading hitters—Mryk: Shane Himeda 1-3. KSK: Logan Salcedo 2-2, run; Micah Hee 2-3, run.

ILH SOFTBALL

‘Iolani 12,
Sacred Hearts 1, 5 inn.

The Raiders took control in the bottom of the third, scoring seven times as ‘Iolani cruised past the Lancers.

Kawaiuluhonua Scanlan scored two runs and collected five RBIs, and added a home run.

Kaua Huihui-Awa and Divine Victorino. Aleia Agbayani and Cassie Ho.
W—Agbayani L—Huihui-Awa
Leading hitters—SHA: Jaimee Manupuna 2-2, run. IOL: Kawaiuluhonua Scanlan 2-2, 2 runs, 5 RBI, 2B, HR.

OIA DIVISION I WEST SOFTBALL

No. 1 Campbell 10,
No. 8 Pearl City 5

Tyanna Kaaialii, Kristin Frost (1), Kaaialii (2) and Hailey-Alexis Yamaguchi. Elisa Favela, Dani Cervantes (7) and Jocelyn Alo.
W—Favela. L—Kaaialii.
Leading hitters—PC: Frost 2-4, 2B, run; Yamaguchi 1-3, HR, 3 RBIs, run. Camp: Chardonnay Pantastico 1-3, HR, RBI, 2 runs; Cydney Curran 2-3, 2B, 2 RBIs, 2 runs; Jocelyn Alo 1-2, 2 RBIs, 2 runs; E. Favela 2-4; Caraugh Morris 2-4, run.

OIA DIVISION I EAST SOFTBALL

No. 6 Kaiser 22,
Kaimuki 12, 5 inn.

The Bulldogs broke out for 10 runs in the fifth inning, but were unable to overcome the Cougars’ huge early lead, as Kaiser defeated Kaimuki.

Seli Aholelei had a big day offensively to lead Kaiser, going 3-for-3 with four runs scored, seven runs batted in, and a two-run homer in the second inning.

Lei Mauricio, K. Sefo (5) and catcher not reported. Crystal Ching-Lake, Primrose Aholelei (4) and Tiana Ching-Lake.
W—C. Ching-Lake. L—Mauricio.
Leading hitters—Kaim: Kaela Nera 2 runs, 5 RBI, HR (GS); Sefo 2 runs, 2 RBI, HR. Kais: Seli Aholelei 3-3, 4 runs, 7 RBI, 2B, HR; T. Ching-Lake 2-2, 2 runs, RBI, 2B, 3B; Marissa Oda 2 runs, 3 RBI; Tahani Kahawai-Robertson 2 runs, 2 RBI.

Roosevelt 8, Moanalua 2

Mari Foster was a one-woman wrecking crew for the Rough Riders, leading Roosevelt past Na Menehune.

Foster earned the win with a complete-game effort, then helped herself offensively, scoring three runs and bringing home three more, while adding a triple and home run.

Mari Foster and Haylie Uetake. Shanelle Lum, Kyler Tsukada (4) and Raven Rosa-Lasco.
W—Foster. L—Lum.
Leading hitters—Roos: Foster 2-4, 3 runs, 3 RBI, 3B, HR. Moa: Makamae Kaleikini 3-4, run, 2 RBI, HR; Rosa-Lasco 2-3, run, 2B.

OIA DIVISION II SOFTBALL

Waialua 18,
Farrington 13

The Bulldogs collected 18 runs on 18 hits to outlast the Governors in a high-scoring shootout.

Andrea Dicion led the way for Waialua, going 6-for-6 with five runs scored, eight RBIs and two home runs.

Candace Basilio, Kaedy Hatchett (6) and Lea’a Puleiala. K. Castillo, K. Miller (4), K. Carganilla (5) and K. Okada.
W—Basillio. L—Castillo.
Leading hitters—Wail: Andrea Dicion 6-6, 5 runs, 8 RBI, 2 2B, 2 HR; Basilio 4-6, 4 runs, RBI; Christel Agtina 3-6, 2 RBI, 2 2B; Hatchett 2-6, 3 runs; Gemelie Hatchie 2 RBI. Farr: Okada 2-4, 2 runs, 3 RBI, 3B.