The smallest player on the field delivered the biggest swing of the season.
With two out in the bottom of the seventh inning, 4-foot-9 Mililani shortstop Jade Yadao-Valdez flared a looper into left field and Keri Togami crossed the plate as the ball fell to the grass, giving the Trojans a dramatic 2-1 victory over Campbell in the final of the DataHouse/HHSAA Division I Softball Championship before a standing-room-only crowd at Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium.
"I knew it wasn’t in the sweet spot, but I saw it in the air, I kept running to see where it landed, it dropped and I knew it was done," Yadao-Valdez said.
Mililani claimed the fourth meeting between the OIA Red West teams this season to capture the program’s third state championship and first since 2009.
The decisive play was scored an error as two Campbell fielders converged on the popup but neither made the catch.
"I just couldn’t believe my eyes," Mililani coach Rose Antonio said. "I’m so proud of our team. Two weeks in a row, two tournaments in a row, we peaked at the right time."
Aubree Kim prevailed in the duel of sophomore aces and struck out six while allowing five hits and two walks to earn her third win of the tournament. Campbell’s Elisa Favela took a shutout into the sixth inning before Mililani rallied to tie the score.
Favela entered the game with a run of 14 consecutive scoreless innings and had allowed just six hits with 19 strikeouts and one walk in three state tournament wins.
Kim hadn’t allowed an earned run in two appearances prior to Friday’s final, working around 19 walks to leave 17 runners on base in wins over Maryknoll and Mid-Pacific. She didn’t see the play that gave her the win on Friday.
"I felt whenever I wasn’t watching they did good so I wasn’t even looking. The only reason I knew was everybody was cheering and everybody was running out," Kim said.
Both starters breezed through the first two innings, allowing one hit each.
The Sabers broke through in the fourth, sparked by Nashlynn Anguay’s leadoff double to right center. She went to third on Sierra Mariano’s infield single with one out. A pitch to Darrien Robinson went to the backstop and Anguay scored the game’s first run.
After retiring the Trojans in order in the fifth, Favela hit Maya Yoshiura to start the bottom of the sixth. Karly Macadangdang bunted Yoshiura to second and Kristen Ishii singled down the third-base line. Antonio sent Brooke Yasuda, pinch running for Yoshiura, around third and Campbell left fielder Ashlyn Yagin appeared to slip while attempting a throw and Yasuda scored the tying run.
Ishii went to third on Tori-Anne Baysa’s flyout to right field, just beating the throw. Yagin then went into the gap to track down Justine Fabela’s fly ball to end the inning.
Mariano singled to lead off the top of the seventh, advanced on a sacrifice and went to third on a wild pitch. Kim caught a popup for the second out and ended the inning by inducing a flyout to left.
Kylyn Sasaki brought the crowd to its feet with a deep fly to right with one out in the bottom of the inning, but Mariano made the catch just short of the fence. Togami then lined a double into the right center gap and Yadao-Valdez’ looper triggered the Trojans’ celebration.
"I was just running and when I heard our side cheering I was so happy," Togami said.
| Campbell (15-5) |
000 |
100 |
0 |
— |
1 |
5 |
1 |
| Mililani (15-3) |
000 |
001 |
1 |
— |
2 |
5 |
0 |
Elisa Favela and Kiana Ulufale. Aubree Kim and Markie Okamoto. W–Kim. L–Favela.
Leading hitters–Cam: Sierra Mariano 2-3; Nashlynn Anguay 2b. Mil: Kristen Ishii 2b, RBI; Keri Togami 2b.
Third place
Mid-pacific 5, Leilehua 2, 6 Inn
| Leilehua (10-11) |
000 |
200 |
— |
2 |
3 |
2 |
| MPI (15-5) |
003 |
20x |
— |
5 |
6 |
4 |
Chasity Stalcup and Celina Lopes, Sadria Akima-Sanborn (5). Breeze-Lyn Morita and Taylor Ann Oda, Lia Nakamoto (6).
W–Morita. L–Stalcup.
Leading hitters–MPI: Jenna Kumabe 2-3, RBI; Lindsey Matoi 2b, RBI; Sarah Onishi 2b, RBI.
Fifth place
Kamehameha 6, Baldwin 0
| Baldwin (15-2) |
000 |
000 |
0 |
— |
0 |
2 |
2 |
| Kamehameha (14-4) |
202 |
011 |
X |
— |
6 |
11 |
1 |
Sanae Nakoa and Skylynne Ellazar. Kamalani Dung and Rachel Ogasawara, Kalei Kaneshiro (7).
W–Dung. L–Nakoa.
Leading hitters–KS: Christine Hipa 3-3, 3 RBIs, 2 HR; Haley Kodama 3-3, HR, RBI; Ogasawara 2-2.
Consolation final–Moanalua 7, Waianae 1
