Kaiser’s third-inning explosion on Thursday gave Seli Aholelei a comfortable cushion to work with in the pitcher’s circle.
Not that the sophomore needed much.
Aholelei struck out seven while holding Castle to two hits and contributed to an offense that scored nine runs in the bottom of the third in the Cougars’ 10-0 home win over the Knights.
Aholelei had a lengthy break between the third and fourth innings when Kaiser sent 15 batters to the plate and scored eight runs before making an out. Aholelei finished off the shutout in the fifth and Kaiser (6-1) remained tied with Moanalua atop the OIA Red East softball standings.
"She was awesome today," Kaiser coach Mitch Matsumoto said. "Her changeup was working really good and her riseball."
Aholelei had a feeling her offspeed pitch was on during warmups and hit her spots consistently while throwing 46 of her 68 pitches for strikes.
"I felt really good," she said. "Usually when I threw my changeup in other games it actually didn’t work out well, but this game I was pretty confident."
Aholelei teams with fellow sophomore Crystal Ching-Lake to form the Cougars’ pitching rotation, a combination that predates their enrolling at Kaiser last school year.
They started playing together in the Palolo softball club at age 9 and made Kaiser’s varsity roster as freshmen, helping the Cougars to the consolation title of last year’s Division II state tournament.
Kaiser requested to move up to the OIA Red this season and traded spots with Kalaheo. The Cougars, who start just two seniors, have made a smooth transition to Division I, their lone regular-season loss coming in a doubleheader split with Moanalua last Saturday.
"We’re actually pretty confident compared to last year," Aholelei said. "We made it to states and we knew what our strength and weaknesses were, so now we’re striving for our best and we’re improving a lot.
"(The state tournament) was a very good experience, especially being a freshman. Half our team were freshmen."
The entire Kaiser lineup contributed to the offense’s production on Thursday. The Cougars drilled five singles in the third and were aided by two errors, three walks and a hit batter. Kai Hasegawa singled in both her plate appearances in the third and scored the Cougars’ first and ninth runs of the inning.
Aholelei had surrendered just one hit before giving up a walk and a single with two out in the top of the fifth. Kaiser right fielder Kayla Russell preserved the shutout with a running grab of Darrien Dacosin’s line drive near the foul line.
The Cougars next travel to the North Shore to take on Kahuku on Saturday. Castle (3-3) faces Moanalua.
At Kaiser
| CASTLE (3-3) |
000 |
00 |
— |
0 |
2 |
2 |
| KAISER (6-1) |
019 |
0X |
— |
10 |
7 |
2 |
Brandee Lake, Asia Igafo (3) and Paige Matsuki, Kaylee Ishii (4). Seli Aholelei and Tiana Ching-Lake.
W—Aholelei. L—Lake.
Leading hitters—Kaiser: Kai Hasegawa, 2-3, RBI; Aholelei, RBI; Marissa Oda, RBI; Rainelle Matsuoka, 2 RBIs; Chelsea Soong, 2 RBIs.
OIA RED EAST
ROOSEVELT 15, KAIMUKI 2, 6 INN.
Tyra Wallrabenstein hit a triple and drove in three runs to lead the Rough Riders past the Bulldogs.
At Kaimuki
| ROOSEVELT (2-4) |
001 |
707 |
— |
15 |
10 |
3 |
| KAIMUKI (0-6) |
100 |
010 |
— |
2 |
6 |
2 |
Katie Debusca and Destiny Holani. Darla Amond and Alhiyah Aiona.
W—Debusca. L—Amond.
Leading hitters—Roos: Danika Stewart 2-5, 3 RBIs; Tyra Wallrabenstein 2-4, 3b, 3 RBIs; Debusca HR, 2 RBIs; D-Dre Wright 2-3, 3b. Kaim: Amond HR; Seplynn Aikau 2-3; Kaela Nera HR; Wailani Nahinu 2-3.
OIA RED WEST
NO. 3 MILILANI 5, PEARL CITY 0
Aubree Kim struck out 14, allowing one hit as the Trojans shut out the Chargers.
At Mililani
| PEARL CITY (2-4) |
000 |
000 |
0 |
— |
0 |
1 |
0 |
| MILILANI (5-1) |
003 |
110 |
X |
— |
5 |
8 |
2 |
Kristin Frost, PB Kaaialii (4) and Robi Kami. Aubree Kim and Markie Okamoto.
W—Kim. L—Frost.
Leading hitters—Mil: Maya Yoshiura 2-2, 2b, HR, 2 runs, 3 RBIs; Kylyn Sasaki 2-2, 2b, RBI, run.
NO. 9 WAIANAE 4, WAIPAHU 0, 6 INN.
Cranci Kamaka had seven strikeouts as the Seariders shut out the Marauders.
At Waipahu
| WAIANAE (4-2) |
001 |
210 |
— |
4 |
8 |
0 |
| WAIPAHU (0-6) |
000 |
000 |
— |
0 |
4 |
1 |
Cranci Kamaka and Breisha Wager, Kamalani Kamai (7). T. Souza-Aikala and S. Palencia.
W—Kamaka. L—Souza-Aikala.
Leading hitters—Wain: Lauren Tauanuu 2-3, 2b, HR, run; Sivia 2b.
NO. 10 CAMPBELL 4, KAPOLEI 3
Kawehia Kahana doubled in the bottom of the seventh to bring in the winning run and help lift the Sabers past the Hurricanes.
At Campbell
| KAPOLEI (2-4) |
000 |
120 |
0 |
— |
3 |
6 |
1 |
| CAMPBELL (4-2) |
100 |
002 |
1 |
— |
4 |
10 |
1 |
Kayla Pedebone and Alecia Kupihea. Elisa Favela and Kiana Ulufale.
W—Favela. L-Pedebone.
Leading hitters—Kapo: Stacia Mahoe 3-4, 3b, RBI; Amayha Dycus 2-2. Camp: Caragh Morris 2-4; Kawehi Kahana 2-2, 2b.
OIA WHITE
AIEA 11, KALAHEO 5
Shantelle Shimabukuro had two hits, inclulding a triple, as Na Alii defeated the Mustangs.
At Aiea
| KALAHEO (3-4) |
000 |
050 |
0 |
— |
5 |
4 |
3 |
| AIEA (6-1) |
105 |
140 |
X |
— |
11 |
11 |
2 |
Jacqui Howard, Michelle Sasaki (4) and Autumn Grant. Kayla Higuchi, Raisa Strom-Okimoto and Kailie Alama.
W—Higuchi. L—Howard.
Leading hitters—Kalh: Howard 2b. Aiea: Shantelle Shimabukuro 2-4, 3b; Tessie Tavale 2b; Tiana Pantil 2b; Riley Tagawa 2-2, 2 2bs.
WAIALUA 16, MCKINLEY 6, 5 INN.
Keahi Pang went 3-for-4 to lead the Bulldogs past the Tigers in five innings.
At Waialua
| MCKINLEY (4-2) |
201 |
21 |
— |
6 |
6 |
4 |
| WAIALUA (4-2) |
257 |
2X |
— |
16 |
14 |
3 |
Jillian Cristobal, Tiare Sugui (2) and Rachel Amor. Kaili Agabin and Shawn Kauwalu, Jeanie Deuz (4).
W—Agabin. L—Cristobal.
Leading hitters—McK: Cristobal 2-3, HR, 2 runs, 2 RBIs; Sugui 3b. Wail: Keahi Pang 3-4, 3 runs, 3 RBIs; Christel Agtina 2-4, 3b, run, 4 RBIs; Agabin 2-4, 2b, 3 runs, RBI; Selena Victoria 2-2, 2 runs; Shaylee Souza 2-4, run.
NANAKULI 11, KALANI 1, 5 INN.
Alexis Meyers hit two home runs and drove in three runs as the Golden Hawks routed the Falcons in five innings.
At Kapolei
| KALANI (0-4) |
010 |
00 |
— |
1 |
4 |
3 |
| NANAKULI (7-0) |
125 |
21 |
— |
11 |
14 |
2 |
A. Toyama and N. Omai, D. Cabildo (4). Emma Kawaiaea and Kauia Burnett and Amy Vitale (5).
W—Kawaiaea. L—Toyama.
Leading hitters—Kaln: T. Chinen 2-3, RBI; J. Furuya 3b. Nan: Precious Meyers 3-3, HR; Alexis Meyers 2-3, 2 HRs, 3 RBIs; Kawaiaea 2-4, 3b, HR, 2 RBIs; Burnett 2-3, HR, 2 RBIs; Raynette Meyers 2-2.
ILH DIVISION II BASEBALL
MARYKNOLL 10, ST. FRANCIS 5
Phillip Aylward went 2-for-2 and drove in three runs to lead the Spartans.
At Central Oahu Regional Park
| MARYKNOLL (7-1) |
026 |
020 |
0 |
— |
10 |
9 |
4 |
| ST. FRANCIS (3-4) |
003 |
000 |
2 |
— |
5 |
8 |
1 |
Joshua Muneno and Brent Hironaga, Mitchell Garcia. Ian Phillips, Tyler Apuna (3), Shawn Baptiste (6) and Laakea Moniz.
W—Muneno. L—Phillips.
Leading hitters—Mryk: Jason Nakamura 2-4, 2b, run, RBI; Phillip Aylward 2-2, run, 3 RBIs. StF: Royce Torres 2-3, Ranan Mamiya 2-2, 3b, 2 runs.
