Punahou thwarts Baldwin's late rally | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

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JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO@STARADVERTISER.COM
SPT - Punahou's Paige Kawai scores ahead of the throw to Baldwin pitcher Sanae Nakoa to make it 2-0 in the top of the fourth inning of an HHSAA softball game between the Punahou Buffanblu and the Baldwin Bears on Wednesday, May 8, 2013 at Wahine Softball Stadium in Manoa. Punahou won 7-4 to advance.

Punahou’s coaches place considerable trust in catcher Kylie Popovich behind the plate. In a tense situation on Wednesday, Popovich trusted her instincts to help the Buffanblu fend off Baldwin’s comeback bid.

The Bears loaded the bases with one out in the seventh inning, perhaps one well-placed hit away from closing a three-run gap. But Popovich ended the drama by blocking a swinging third strike in the dirt, then firing to third for a game-ending pick-off to close out a 7-4 win in a Division I quarterfinal of the Datahouse/HHSAA Softball State Championship.

DIVISION I SOFTBALL STATE TOURNAMENT

At Rainbow Wahine Stadium

WEDNESDAY, MAY 8

Consolation

5: Kapolei 3, Lahainaluna 2

Quarterfinals

6: Moanalua 19, Hilo 0, 5 inn.

7: Punahou 7, Baldwin 4

8: Kamehameha 5, Leilehua 1

9: Campbell 7, Mililani 1

THURSDAY, MAY 9

Consolation

10: Keaau vs. Waipahu, 11 a.m.

11: Hilo vs. Leilehua, 1 p.m.

12: Baldwin vs. Mililani, 3 p.m.

Semifinals

13: Punahou vs. Campbell, 5 p.m.

14: Moanalua vs. Kamehameha, 7 p.m.

FRIDAY, MAY 10

Consolation

Kapolei vs. G10 winner, 1 p.m.

Fifth place

G11 vs. G12 winners, 3 p.m.

Third place

G13 vs. G14 losers, 5 p.m.

Championship

G13 vs. G14 winners 7 p.m.

"It was a dropped third strike; I just checked third and she just happened to be there," Popovich said.

"I was freaking out a little bit at the end, but we got through it."

Popovich, a senior, handles pitch-calling duties for the Buffanblu, and helped two Punahou pitchers post 10 strikeouts and hold off third-seeded Baldwin to advance to today’s 5 p.m. semifinal game at Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium.

"She knows the game," Punahou head coach Bob Makahilahila said. "She doesn’t just play it, she knows the game."

Punahou senior Jaci Young, who struck out 14 in Tuesday’s 6-1 win over Waipahu, had seven more K’s over five shutout innings and returned to the circle in the seventh for the final two outs.

"Jaci was lights out when she was on the mound," Baldwin coach Steve Morton said. "For us, we’re young, we’ve got more games to go and hopefully we can make a statement while we’re still on Oahu."

Punahou’s baserunning helped the Buffanblu build a 3-0 lead and Ari Hashimoto’s three-run double in the fifth provided some insurance.

Punahou leadoff batter Thalen Masada stole two bases in the first inning and scored from third on a pop-up in the infield, drawing a throw to the plate that sailed high. With runners on second and third in the fourth inning, Paige Kawai scored on a wild pitch and Hashimoto followed when the throw to the plate got away.

"We had a couple games where we were over-aggressive and we were getting thrown out," Hashimoto said. "So we worked in practice on being aggressive but being smart and it showed."

Hashimoto’s double to center field in the fifth stretched the lead to 6-0, and she scored when Amber Popovich followed with a single and stayed in a rundown long enough to allow Hashimoto to score from third.

"This really is a team," Makahilahila said. "The whole team is contributing and it’s good as a coach because you can put different people in and feel good that they’re going to do their jobs."

Baldwin broke the shutout with two runs in the fifth, scoring on Alysha Sakamura’s RBI groundout and Kylie Rose Dickson’s double. The Bears scratched out another run in the sixth and opened the seventh with three consecutive singles. Lilyan Bermudez was hit by a pitch with one out to cut the deficit to 7-4 and bring the potential winning run to the plate.

At Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium

Punahou (17-3)	100	240	0	—	7	11	3
Baldwin (12-4)	000	021	1	—	4	7	3

Jaci Young, Nicole Nishizawa (5), Young (7) and Kylie Popovich. Sanae Nakoa and Sarah Abe. W–Young. L–Nakoa.

Leading hitters–Punahou: Thalen Masada, 2-4, 3 sb; Young, 2-3; Ari Hashimoto, 2-3, 2B, 3 RBIs; Amber Popovich, 2-3. Baldwin: Skylynne Ellazar, 3-4, 2B; Alysha Sakamura, RBI; Kylie Rose Dickson, 2B, RBI; Lilyan Bermudez, RBI.

Kamehameha 5, Leilehua 1

Warriors sophomore Kamalani Dung struck out 14 in a complete-game victory and top-seeded Kamehameha moved on to face Moanalua in a semifinal today at 7 p.m.

Kaya Naiwi gave Kamehameha the lead in the second inning with a leadoff home run to left field. Naiwi also contributed an RBI single in the Warriors’ four-run third-inning rally.

Leilehua broke through in the fourth on Kyla Larson’s home run to center field. The Mules put two runners on in the seventh, but Dung ended the game with her third strikeout of the inning.

Leilehua (10-8)	000	100	0	—	1	8	1
KS (15-2)	014	000	x	—	5	6	0

Taezha Ann Cordero, Chasity Stalcup (3) and Kyla Larson. Kamalani Dung and Rachel Ogasawara. W–Dung. L–Cordero.

Leading hitters–Leilehua: Chenoa Au, 2-4; Larson, HR; Tihani Palomeras, 2-3. Kamehameha: Dung, 2-3, RBI; Kaya Naiwi, 2-3, HR, 2 RBIs; Jordan Sanchez, 2 RBIs.

Campbell 7, Mililani 1

Three home runs and Summer Palipti’s complete-game effort powered the second-seeded Sabers to their fourth consecutive appearance in the state tournament semifinals.

Campbell faces Punahou today at 5 p.m.

Sabers third baseman Kawehi Kahana launched a home run to left field in the bottom of the second inning to give Campbell the lead. The Sabers led 4-0 after Caragh Morris added a two-run homer to center in the fifth. The Sabers put two more runners on and Jessica Arata hit Campbell’s third homer of the game.

Mililani (15-2)	000	001	0	—	1	5	1
Campbell (11-5)	020	050	x	—	7	7	2

Joen Baker, Aubree Kim (3), Baker (6) and Kacie Oshiro. Summer Palipti and Kiana Ulufale. W–Palipti. L–Baker.

Leading hitters–Mililani: Oshiro, 2B; Kylie Bello, RBI. Campbell: Tiana Rosario, 2B; Palipti, 2B; Caragh Morris, HR, 2 RBIs; Kawehi Kahana, 2-3, HR, 2 RBIs; Jessica Arata, HR, 3 RBIs.

Moanalua 19, Hilo 0, 5 inn.

Makamae Kaleikini went 3-for-4 and drove in three runs, while Miki Sylva knocked a three-run homreun as Na Menehune routed the fourth-seeded Vikings in five innings.

Moanalua advances to today’s 7 p.m. semifinal vs. No. 1 Kamehameha.

Moanalua (15-2)	209	62	—	19	22	0
Hilo (15-3)	000	00	—	0	2	1

Cyanne Fernandez, Leisha Yamaguchi (3), Ariel Ajimura (5) and Chrissi Omalza. Aliesa Kaneshiro and Shyanne Higa-Gonsalves. W–Fernandez. L–Kaneshiro.

Leading hitters–Moan: Kiana Mattos-Felicil 3-3, 2 RBIs; Makamae Kaleikini 3-4, 2 2b, 3 RBIs; Omalza 3-4, RBI; Yamaguchi 3-4, 2 RBIs; Fernandez 3-4, 3 RBIs; Caitlyn Ramiscal 2-5, 2 RBIs; Jadeen Sakauye 2b, 2 RBIs; Miki Sylva HR, 3 RBI. Hilo: none

Consolation

Kapolei 3, Lahainaluna 2

Lahainaluna (12-5)	000	010	1	—	2	6	0
Kapolei (10-8)	012	000	3	—	3	7	2

Note: 2 outs, 1 runner LOB when the game ended.

Hope Morikawa and Mele Pasikala. Kacee Navarro and Alecia Kupihea. W–Navarro. L–Morikawa.

Leading hitters–Lah: Tobi Bonifacio 2-3. 2b, 2 runs; Morikawa 2-3. Kapo: Rachel McKean 2-3, 2b, RBI; Makana Meyers 2-3; Kayla Higa 1-1, 2 RBIs.

Punahou thwarts Baldwin’s late rally

DIVISION I SOFTBALL STATE TOURNAMENT