Kapolei can rest easy knowing its backup plan works just fine.
With stellar pitcher Winona Pauline chased out of the circle after five innings, Kapolei beat Campbell 6-4 in an OIA Red West softball game in eight innings, using a stout offense and a relief pitcher. The Hurricanes usually are content to win games 3-0 and call it good.
"They got the job done," Kapolei coach Tony Saffery said. "(Campbell pitcher Summer Palipti) had a really good strategy attacking us on the outside. I just had them hug up on the plate a little bit. It’s good to get it done with the bat once in a while."
Mikela Manewa doubled to left field with one out in the top of the eighth inning for the telling blow.
Manewa drilled the first pitch to score Rachel McKean from second and Stacia Mahoe from first to give the Hurricanes their third lead of the game.
Campbell kept fighting back but couldn’t muster an answer in the bottom of the eighth, when Kapolei relief pitcher Kaycee Navarro forced Tiana Rosario to fly out to left field to strand a runner and end the game.
Navarro earned the win with three innings of relief of Pauline, who started the game feeling the effects of three straight starts but still went five innings and struck out 11 Sabers.
Pauline threw 26 innings in the past four games, striking out 53 batters and holding Waianae hitless with 17 Ks.
"She was feeling a little strain in her elbow," Saffery said. "We have a lot of softball left, I would rather her ice it down and prepare for Saturday (when Kapolei and Campbell tangle again at Central Oahu Regional Park on OC-16)."
The Sabers countered Pauline’s dominance by going to a "slash" offense and scored twice to tie it in the bottom of the third. Sharae Esprecion drove in Palipti with a triple to centerfield, and Kawehi Kahana plated Palipti with a sacrifice fly. Both were well-struck balls, a rarity against Pauline lately.
Pauline gave up another run-scoring triple to Kahana in the fifth, but stranded her there before being sent to first base.
Navarro stranded two runners in her first inning, gave up a long home run to Kahana in the seventh and held the Sabers scoreless in the eighth.
"(Navarro) is a legitimate starter," Saffery said. "She did a super job, I think she was nervous at first and got hit hard a little but she settled down and got the job done."
The Hurricanes took advantage of six errors by the Sabers, who seemed to be rushing to make plays despite their pedigree as reigning OIA champs and a program that has been to the state tournament every year since 2005 and won it all in 2010.
"We’ve got a young ballclub," Campbell coach Michael Hermosura said. "But we have seniors who are state champions who are coming around to lead the team and we are going to battle. We are a feisty team."
At Campbell
Kapolei (6-2) |
002 |
000 |
22 |
— |
6 |
9 |
2 |
Campbell (6-3) |
002 |
010 |
10 |
— |
4 |
7 |
6 |
Winona Pauline, Kaycee Navarro (6) and Aimee Aipa. Summer Palipti and Kayce Konohia. | W–Navarro. L–Palipti.
Leading hitters, Kap: Stacia Mahoe, 1-4, 3 runs; Mikela Manewa 2-5, 2B, 2 runs; Pauline 3-5, 2 RBI. Camp: Kawehi Kahana, 1-3, 3B, HR, 2 RBI; Sharae Esprecion 2-3, 3B, RBI, run.
Leilehua 8, Aiea 0
Maegan Tupinio pitched a three-hitter with one walk and five strikeouts as the Mules beat Na Alii. Tupinio also batted 3-for-4 with a homer and three RBIs, and Jazmyn Dangaran went 3-for-4 with a double and two RBIs.
At Kaala Elementary School field
Aiea (1-10) |
000 |
000 |
0 |
— |
0 |
3 |
1 |
Leilehua (4-5) |
002 |
411 |
X |
— |
8 |
14 |
1 |
Raisa Strom-Okimoto and Kendra Chong. Maegan Tupinio and Jasmine Villegas, Kelina Nakai (6). W–Tupinio. L–Strom-Okimoto.
Leading hitters–Aiea: Lauren Tauanuu 2b. Leilehua: Jazmyn Dangaran 3-4, 2b, 2 runs, 2 RBIs; Tupinio 3-4, HR, 2 runs, 3 RBIs; Krystin Kubo 2-3, 3b; Villegas 2b; Tihani Palomares 2-3; Chenoa Au 2b.
OIA RED EAST
Kaiser 8, Kaimuki 6
Shawna Kuroiwa hit a go-ahead three-run homer in the fifth inning as the Cougars beat the Bulldogs. The blast made it 7-6 and Kaiser added an insurance run in the sixth.
Kaimuki (5-4) |
104 |
010 |
0 |
— |
6 |
4 |
3 |
Kaiser (4-5) |
040 |
031 |
X |
— |
8 |
12 |
4 |
Ehlen Awaya and Seplynn Aikau. Kim Dilda and Sadie Karratti-Abordo. W–Dilda. L–Awaya.
Leading hitters–Kaimuki: Julia Soares 2-4. Kaiser: Shawna Kuroiwa 3-4, 2b, HR, 3 RBIs; Chelsea Lima 2-4; Rainelle Matsuoka 3-4.
ILH
Maryknoll 8, ‘Iolani 5
Shearyna Labasan tripled in the tying run with two outs in the sixth inning and scored the go-ahead run on Erica Inagaki’s single as the Spartans beat the Raiders.
Daryane Domen and Shayna Ige each drove in two runs for Maryknoll, which added two insurance runs in the seventh.
Labasan struck out 10 in a complete-game performance.
‘Iolani’s Kirstyn Namba batted 3-for-4 with four RBIs.
At ‘Iolani
Maryknl. (4-6) |
000 |
312 |
2 |
— |
8 |
10 |
4 |
‘Iolani (3-6) |
002 |
300 |
0 |
— |
5 |
8 |
5 |
Shearyna Labasan and Carolann Toyama. Taylor Garcia-Perreira, Nani Taniguchi (6) and Kirstyn Namba. W–Labasan. L–Garcia-Perreira.
Leading hitters–Maryknoll: Toyama 3-4, 2 2bs, 2 runs; Daryane Domen 2-2, 2 runs, 2 RBIs; Shayna Ige 2 RBIs; Labasan 3b, 2 runs. ‘Iolani: Namba 3-4, 4 RBIs; Taniguchi 2-4; Sara Watanabe 2 runs.