Punahou softball coach Bob Makahilahila could only shrug as he recounted some of the telling plays in Wednesday’s matchup with ‘Iolani.
After the ‘Iolani offense scratched out a lead, the ninth-ranked Raiders protected it with diving stops in the infield and tough catches in the outfield to highlight a 4-2 win over No. 6 Punahou.
“When that happens, what can you do?” Makahilahila said. “Give them the credit, they made the plays when they needed to.”
After Punahou took a 1-0 lead in the second inning, ‘Iolani put together two-out, two-run rallies in the third and fourth innings, and the Raiders’ defense helped junior pitcher Taylor Garcia-Perreira fend off the Buffanblu the rest of the way as ‘Iolani improved to 2-1 in the ILH Division I season.
“I think by far this is the best game we’ve played so far,” Garcia-Perreira said. “We had really good communication and did what we needed to do and the defense backed me up really well.
“I loved their effort. They’re all diving and moving for every ball. It really helped me out a lot.”
‘Iolani’s infield play included a diving snag by second baseman Lindsay Teruya on a sharp grounder up the middle to get a force out at second in the fourth inning. First baseman Alex Masaquel also made a diving catch of a short popup that inning.
In the fifth, center fielder Brielle Asato raced in to make a sliding grab of a sinking liner, and right fielder Alyssa Liilii ended the game with a shoestring catch in the seventh.
“This infield struggled last year as underclassmen. Through the summer they worked hard and they’re playing stellar defense right now,” second-year ‘Iolani head coach Corey Okamura said.
“They know how hard their pitchers are working, so they take pride in playing great D for their pitcher.”
After Punahou took the lead on an RBI single by freshman Heaven Wong in the bottom of the second inning, Asato, ‘Iolani’s speedy leadoff hitter, sparked the Raiders’ rally in the third.
She reached on an infield single, stole second and went to third on a wild pitch. Kaulawena Reis-Moniz then drove in Asato and scored the go-ahead run on Masaquel’s single to left.
The Raiders manufactured two more runs with two out in the fourth as pinch hitter Vesi Liilii circled the bases on a walk.
Pinch runner Karley Devens had advanced to second and took off for third on ball four to Liilii. A wild throw allowed Devens to score and Liilii headed for second as the relay came back to plate. The throw to second also went into the outfield and Liilii sprinted home to give the Raiders a 4-1 lead.
“The lower half of our lineup lacks power, so we have to be aggressive,” Okamura said. “The kids like to run bases and they’re not afraid to make mistakes.”
Punahou senior Jaci Young kept the Raiders from adding to the lead, and the Buffanblu crept closer on Arianna Hashimoto’s RBI single in the sixth inning. Wong led off the seventh with a single to bring the tying run to the plate, but ‘Iolani got two force outs at second and ended the game with Alyssa Liilii’s catch while running toward the infield.
“It’s always a battle with Punahou,” Okamura said. “We have a young team, I think this will do a lot to build their confidence.”
At Punahou
‘Iolani (2-1) 002 200 0 — 4 4 0
Punahou (2-1) 010 001 0 — 2 7 4
Taylor Garcia-Perreira and Cassie Ho. Jaci Young and Kylie Popovich. W—Garcia-Perreira. L—Young
Leading hitters—Iol: Brielle Asato, 2-4, 2 SB; Kaulawena Reis-Moniz, RBI; Alex Masaquel, RBI. Pun: Thalen Masada, 2B; Shelbie Fujinaga, 2B; Arianna Hashimoto, 2-3, RBI; Heaven Wong, 2-3, RBI.
No. 1 Kamehameha 15,
Sacred Hearts 4, 6 inn.
Rachel Ogasawara hit a grand slam in the fourth inning as the Warriors mercy-ruled the Lancers.
At Kamehameha
SHA (0-3) 102 001 — 4 3 3
KS (3-0) 100 40(10) — 15 12 3
Kaua Huihui-Awa, Nichelle Chang (6) and Jamie Toler. Chris Hipa, Kamalani Dung (3) and Rachel Ogasawara.
W—Hipa. L—Huihui-Awa. L—Dung.
Leading hitters—SHA: Jordyn Waracka 1-3; Tori Nakashima 2b. KS: Dung 2-2, HR, 2 runs, 2 RBI; Hipa 2-3, 2 HR, 3 runs, 4 RBI; Rachel Dumlao 2-3, 2b, run, RBI; Ogasawara 2-4, HR, 2b, 2 runs, 6 RBI; Maelia Zablan 2-4, run; Kaya Naiwi HR, 2 runs, RBI.
No. 5 Maryknoll 4,
Mid-Pacific 2
The Spartans rallied for three runs in the sixth inning to defeat the visiting Owls.
Maryknoll’s Shearyna Labasan pitched a complete game for the win.
At Maryknoll
Maryknoll (2-1) 100 003 0 — 4 7 3
Mid-Pacific (1-1) 000 110 0 — 2 9 2
Shearyna Labasan and Carolann Toyama. Kayla Au and Nicole Lopez.
W—Labasan. L—Au.
Leading hitters—Mryk: Kasey Magdadaro 2-3, run; Toyama 3-3, 2 2bs, 2 RBIs, 2 runs. MPI: Lopez 2-4, HR, RBI, run; Gabriel Hollinger 2-2.
No. 7 St. Francis 13,
Westpac 1, 5 inn.
Rachel Carlos’ two-run triple highlighted an eight-run third inning as the Saints defeated the Wolverines in five innings.
At Central Oahu Regional Park
Westpac (0-2) 000 10 — 1 2 1
St.F (2-1) 128 11 — 13 12 3
Danielle Ford and Annamarie Licina. Rachel Carlos and Kelsie Hee.
W—Carlos. L—Ford.
Leading hitters—StF: Santos 4-4, 3b, 3 RBI, 2 runs; Hee 2-4, HR, RBI; Shaye Simms 2b; Korrie Matsumura 2b.
OIA red east
Tuesday
No. 9 Moanalua 3, Kailua 2
At Moanalua
KAILUA (2-2) 000 100 1 — 2 2 1
MOANALUA (4-0) 101 000 1 — 3 7 3
Teah Kauhi and Delcie Williams. Leisha Yamauchi and Chrissi Omalza.
W—Yamauchi. L—Kauhi.
Leading hitters—Moan: Makamae Kaleikini 4-4, 2b, 3b.
oia red west
Tuesday
Waipahu 9, Pearl City 4
At Pearl City
WAIPAHU (2-1) 100 000 8 — 9 4
PC (1-2) 012 010 0 — 4 5
Shevan DeFreitas and not reported. Kristin Frost, Cydny Rivera and not reported.
W—DeFreitas. L—Frost.
Leading hitters—Waip: Pedebone Laugatausala 3-4, 2 runs, RBI. T. Niuatoa 2 RBIs. PC: Robi Kami 2-4, 2 runs.
BASEBALL
OIA red east
Kaiser 4, Kalani 3
The Cougars scored the winning run in the bottom of the seventh for a victory over the Falcons.
At Kaiser
KALANI (0-2) 000 210 0 — 3 5 3
KAISER (2-1) 001 011 1 — 4 7 1
Reece Kakugawa, Chase Sumida (7) and Chase Sumida, Royce Yamamoto (7). Makana Lyman, Noah Sakatani (5), Kelan Yoshioka (7) and Kelan Yoshioka, Makana Lyman (5).
W—Yoshioka. L—Sumida.
Leading hitters—Kaln: Royce Yamamoto 2-4, 2b, RBI; Chase Sumida 3b, RBI. Kais: Jeshua Bitanga 2-4, RBI; Kelan Yoshioka 2b; Aaron Oda RBI.
Castle 2, Roosevelt 1
Christian Kapeliela threw a complete game with four strikeouts as the Knights edged the Rough Riders.
At Roosevelt
CASTLE (3-0) 110 000 0 — 2 4 1
ROOSEVELT (1-2) 001 000 0 — 1 6 3
Christian Kapeliela and Ryan Mohika, Edison Sakata, Mika Caris (6) and Jonah Sasahara.
W—Kapeliela. L—Sakata.
Leading hitters—Cast: Micah Camara 2-3, RBI. Roos: Kainalu Pitoy 2-3; Reece Okura RBI.
OIA red west
No. 5 Campbell 9,
Waipahu 1
Ian Kahaloa recorded the win and drove in two runs, and Tryzen Patricio went
2-for-3 as the Sabers used a nine-run fifth inning to defeat the Marauders.
At Waipahu
CAMPBELL (3-0) 000 090 0 — 9 5 4
WAIPAHU (1-1) 000 010 0 — 1 5 1
Ian Kahaloa, Jake Mendoza (6), Austin Mariano (6) and Wesley Mendoza. Joshua Maglangit, Tyler Enos (5) and Grayson Fuentes.
W—Kahaloa. L—Maglangit.
Leading hitters—Camp: Tryzen Patricio 2-3, 2 2b, 2 RBI; Kahaloa 2-2, RBI. Waip: Fuentes 2-2.
Aiea 10, Leilehua 9
Na Alii scored the go-ahead run in the bottom of the sixth to defeat the Mules for their first win of the season.
Patrick Villanueva went
3-for-4, scored two runs and drove in two runs for Aiea.
At Aiea
Leilehua (0-3) 023 130 0 — 9 6 5
Aiea (1-2) 431 101 X — 10 10 2
Bronson Smithe, Nick Rivera (4), Jordan Kameda (5), Cody Academa (7) and Ian Kaopua. Trevor Ling, Jaryn Nakamoto (2), Jaycob Alcantra (4), Micah Peter-Valdez (6) and Hunter Yara
W—Peter-Valdez. L—Kameda.
Leading hitters—Lei: Kaopua 2b, run; Smithe 3b, RBI, run. Aiea: Patrick Villanueva 3-4, 2b, 2 RBIs, 2 runs; Peter-Valdez 2b, 2 RBIs; Ling 2-3, 2 runs.
Mililani 5, Kapolei 2
The Trojans used a four-run sixth inning to overcome a 2-0 deficit to defeat the Hurricanes.
Mililani’s Gavin Shon went 3-for-4 with a triple and two RBIs.
At Kapolei
Mililani (2-0) 000 004 1 — 5 7 2
Kapolei (0-3) 000 110 0 — 2 7 2
Christian Namoca, Aron Okamoto (5), Kanoa Hironaka (7) and Dallas Chung, Jamesson Madrid. Robert Oliveros, Chase Domogsac (6), Dylan White (7) and Khaysen Espaniola.
W—Okamoto. L—Domogsac. S—Hironaka.
Leading hitters—Mil: Travis Maekawa 2-4, 2b, 3b; Gavin Shon 3-4, 3b, 2 RBIs; Presley Alcover 2b, 3 RBIs. Kapo: Jordan Macias 2-4, 2b; Espaniola 2-4; Caleb Kaleikini 2-4, RBI.
OIA blue
Waianae 11, Radford 1
The Seariders cruised to a five-inning win over the Rams.
Waianae’s Brandon Cambra picked up the win and also led the offense with three doubles and two RBIs.
At Waianae
Radford (0-1) 000 01 — 1 1 2
Waianae (1-0) 042 14 — 11 10 1
Kevin Kline, Caleb Myers (2), Ethan Harms (4) and Mike Vitto. Brandon Cambra, Jerzy Ramento-Acosta (4), Tavita Lalau (5) and Wayne Silva, Dariom Domingo (5).
W—Cambra. L—Kline.
Leading hitters—Wain: Cambra 3-3, 3 2bs, 2 RBIs; Sheaven Delima-Ferreira 2-4, HR, 2 RBIs; Daniel Kaauwai 2b, 2 RBIs; Cleghorn Borge 2b, RBI.
Kaimuki 10,
Nanakuli 0, 6 inn.
William Higa struck out 10 and went 3-for-3 as the Bulldogs routed the Golden Hawks in six innings.
Austin Inouye slammed a triple, home run and drove in five runs in Kaimuki’s conference opener.
At Kaimuki
Nanakuli (0-1) 000 000 — 0 2 1
Kaimuki (1-0) 340 102 — 10 14 1
Brayden Ramaila, Shayne Serai (6) and Kahekili Barrozo, Trae Hansen (5). William Higa and Cody Takasaki.
W—Higa. L—Ramaila.
Leading hitters—Nan: Hansen 2-2. Kaim: Higa 3-3, 2 2bs, 3 runs; Takasaki 2-3, 2b, 2 runs; Austin Inouye 3-4, 3b, HR, 5 RBIs; Justis Hoopii-Dias 4-4, 2 RBIs.
ALSO
McKinley 4, Kahuku 3
ILH
Division I
Tuesday
Punahou 5, Kamehameha 3
