The defending state champion Mid-Pacific Owls still have an ace.

Kayla Au allowed only one batter in the three through nine spots to reach base, and No. 7 Mid-Pacific beat No. 5 Maryknoll 2-1 on Monday at Sand Island.

“Hats off to her, you have to give her a lot of credit because when we needed to get the hits, she got the outs,” Maryknoll coach John Uekawa said. “She really worked the inside on us today and all of the credit goes to her.”

Au improved to 6-3 this season by throwing a first-pitch strike to 21 of the 27 batters she faced and forcing Maryknoll to pop up 13 times. She only struck out one batter, but didn’t walk any. It has been the story of the senior’s season; she doesn’t blow away batters like her predecessor, Keiki Carlos, did on the way to a state title last year, but she is nearly as effective as long as her defense holds up behind her.

“She’s a senior, she has been waiting three years for Keiki to graduate and now is her shot, so she is making the best of her opportunity,” Mid-Pacific coach Alan Inaba said.

The Owls jumped on Maryknoll from the start, with Taylor Ann Oda reaching on an error and Nicole Lopez bringing her home on a line-drive home run that snuck over the fence in right field.

“Shaeryna (Labasan) is a good pitcher. All I knew is that I had to get my bat on the ball,” the right-handed Lopez said. “I felt it off the bat, but it surprised me a little bit because I have never got it over on the right side before.”

Lopez nearly drove in another run on a deep fly to right in the third, but Kasey Magdadaro made a successful diving catch in foul ground. Jenna Kumabe tagged up and scored from third, but was judged to have left the base early after an appeal. Lopez hit a home run against Maryknoll in the teams’ previous meeting, a 4-2 win for the Spartans.

“(Lopez) is a beast,” Inaba said. “Whenever she gets her bat on the ball, she is going to hit it hard somewhere.”

The Spartans tried to answer in their half of the first, but Shayna Ige grounded back to the pitcher with runners on second and third, and Daryanne Domen got caught between third and home. Mid-Pacific nabbed Bree Soma trying to return to second and got Domen out at home for the inning-ending double play.

Maryknoll finally got to Au in the fifth, when Labasan and Soma hit back-to-back doubles to score a run. The Spartans stranded Soma when Carolann Toyama grounded back to the pitcher on an inside fastball. Toyama went 3-for-3 with two RBIs in the first meeting between the teams, but was 0-for-3 on Monday.

“She’s a really good hitter,” Au said. “It was kind of a relief when she hit it back to me, but my defense made some amazing plays, so it helped me focus a lot.”

The Spartans spent the final two innings trying to get just one runner on base to give Labasan another crack at it, but Au retired Maryknoll in order in both frames. Labasan went 3-for-3 with two doubles, and the game ended with her in the on-deck circle.

The Owls improved to 7-4 and host Saint Francis on Friday. The Spartans fell to 10-3 and lost for the first time in five games since falling to Kamehameha on March 20. Maryknoll visits Kamehameha again on Wednesday.

At Sand Island
Mid-Pacific (7-4)    200    000    0—2    3    1
Maryknoll (10-3)    000    010    0—1    6    2
Kayla Au and Nicole Lopez. Shearyna Labasan and Carolann Toyama.
W—Au. L—Labasan.
Leading hitters—MPI: Lopez 1-3, HR, 2 RBI. Mkn: Labasan 3-3, 2 2B; Bree Soma 2-3, RBI.

No. 1 Kamehameha 9, Sacred Hearts 0
Maelia Zablan and Misty Ho‘ohuli both cranked home runs as the Warriors blanked the Lancers.

At Crane Park
KSK (10-1)    212    023    0    —    9    11    1
SHA (3-8)      000    000    0    —    0      3    2
Fahren Glackin and Rachel Ogasawara. Jordyn Waracka and A. Kolea.
W—Glackin. L—Waracka.
Leading hitters—KSK: Maelia Zablan 2-3, HR, 2 RBIs, run; Misty Ho‘ohuli 2-3, HR, 2 runs; Lia Tom 2-3; Rachel Dumlao 2-4, 2b, run. SHA: Colby Rosado 1-2.

No. 5 Punahou 6, No. 10 ‘Iolani 5
The Buffanblu plated two runs in the top of the seventh inning and hung on as the Raiders’ rally in the bottom of the frame fell short.
Kylie Popovich had two hits and drove in two runs for Punahou. Arianna Hashimoto and Vanessa Va‘a also had two hits. Alex Masaquel had two hits, a homer and two RBIs for ‘Iolani.

At Ala Wai Community Park
Punahou (9-3)    100    111    2    —    6     9     1
‘Iolani      (7-6)    210    000    2    —    5    11    3
Jaci Young and Kylie Popovich. Taylor Garcia-Perreira, Vevesi Liilii (7) and Cassie Ho.
W—Young. L—Garcia-Perreira.
Leading hitters—Pun: Popovich 2-4, 2 RBIs; Arianna Hashimoto 2-3, RBI; Vanessa Va‘a 2-4. RBI; Sarah Sumida 1-2, 2 runs. Iol: Alex Masaquel 2-4, HR, 2 RBIs, run; Cassie Ho 2-4, RBI; Karlen Devens 2b, run; Spencer Oda 2 runs; Brielle Asato RBI, run.

St. Francis 17, WestPac 0, 5 inn.
Danielle Antolin, Ashley Kahapea-Wagner, Korrie Matsumura and Taiana Creekmur all homered as the Saints slammed the Wolverines in a game called after five innings.

At Kamamalu Park
Westpac   (0-10)    000    00    —    0       2     6
St. Francis (5-6)    632    6X    —    17    12    0
Danielle Ford and Shelby Poole. Rachel Carlos, Rasela Vili (4) and Kelsie Hee.
W—Carlos. L—Ford.
Leading hitters—WP: none. StF: Danielle Antolin 3-3, HR, 2 RBIs, 3 runs; Ashley Kahapea-Wagner 2-3, HR, 4 RBIs, 3 runs; Vili 1-1, 3b, RBI; Korrie Matsumura 1-2, HR, 2 RBIs; Taiana Creekmur 1-2, HR, RBI; Carlos 1-1, 3 runs.

MIL baseball
Baldwin 10, King Kekaulike 0