Kaiser’s penchant for coming through with two out propelled the Cougars to a comeback victory over Roosevelt on Thursday.

The seventh-ranked Cougars scored all of their runs on two-out hits to rally past the Rough Riders 8-4 at Stevenson Middle School and remain undefeated in the OIA Red East softball race.

"That’s kind of their rallying cry, ‘two outs, so what,’ " Kaiser coach Mitch Matsumoto said.

Kaiser battled back from a 3-0 deficit and catcher Tiana Ching-Lake delivered a two-out, two-run single to break a 4-4 tie in the top of the seventh. With runners on second and third, Ching-Lake’s looping hit had just enough steam to fall into shallow right to drive in the go-ahead runs and Kaiser (9-0) extended its lead over the Rough Riders (5-3) in the standings.

"It was a scary one right there," Ching-Lake said. "Once I saw it fall in, I just kept running."

The Cougars added two more runs on back-to-back triples to give reliever Crystal Ching-Lake a cushion to work with in the bottom of the seventh. She earned the win in relief of starter Seli Aholelei, who gave up five hits and struck out four over five innings.

The Cougars fell behind in the bottom of the first when an error and a single put two runners on for Katie Debusca. The Rough Rider third baseman drilled a shot to right field that rolled to the fence for an inside-the-park home run.

Matsumoto said the early deficit might have been too much to overcome last season, when many of the Cougars’ top contributors were sophomores. "Now they’re all juniors and they’re taking ownership of the team," he said.

Kaiser got on the board with Aholelei’s two-out RBI double in the third inning and Chelsea Soong delivered a single to center with runners on second and third in the fourth. Marissa Oda scored for Kaiser but Roosevelt center fielder Tyra Wallrabenstein’s throw to the plate arrived ahead of Kai Hasegawa to keep the Rough Riders ahead for the moment.

But Kaiser jumped ahead with a two-run fifth inning with Rainelle Matsuoka and Hasegawa driving in runs, again with two out.

Roosevelt answered with Wallrabenstein’s double to left center to score Mckenna Nishimoto and Rough Rider freshman Mari Foster retired the Cougars in order in the sixth.

Kaiser’s Elyse Tsutsui led off the seventh with a double and Matsuoka’s single put runners on second and third. It appeared Foster might escape when she fielded a bouncer for the first out and came back with a strikeout.

Ching-Lake fell behind in the count before her soft liner fell in just behind the infield. She continued to third on an error and Kayla Russell and Soong followed with triples to add to the lead.

At Stevenson Middle School

Seli Aholelei, Crystal Ching-Lake (6) and Tiana Ching-Lake. Mari Foster and Destiny Holani. W–C. Ching-Lake. L–Foster.

Leading hitters–Kaiser: Aholelei, 2B, RBI; Elyse Tsutsui, 2B; Rainelle Matsuoka, 2-4, RBI; Kai Hasegawa, 2-4; T. Ching-Lake, 2 RBIs; Kayla Russell, 3B, RBI; Chelsea Soong, 2-4, 3B, RBI. Roosevelt: Tyra Wallrabenstein, 2B, RBI; Holani, 2-3; Katie Debusca, HR, 3 RBIs.

Castle 15, McKinley 4, 5 inn.

Kacie Lam pitched a complete game and went 2-for-4 with a triple and six RBIs as the Knights beat the Tigers.

Lam had an RBI single and a two-run single in the first inning and added a three-run triple in the fourth.

At Castle

Jillian Cristobal, Maelani Taumua (4) and Majorlyn McMillan. Kacie Lam and Taylor Ah-Mook Sang. W–Lam. L–Cristobal.

Leading hitters–McKinley: Cristobal 2-3, 2b, HR, 2 RBIs; McMillan 2b. Castle: Darrien Dacosin 3-4, HR; Paige Matsuki 2-3, HR, 3 RBIs; Kaylee Ishii 2-4, HR, 2 RBIs; Ah-Mook Sang 3-4, 2b; Ariel Hendricks 2-3; Lam 2-4, 3b, 6 RBIs; Shea Kauanui 2-4.

Kailua 11, Kaimuki 0, 5 inn.

Dyani Cummings-Lani pitched a two-hit shutout with seven strikeouts to lead the Surfriders over the Bulldogs in five innings.

Akamulei Makua led Kailua with three hits, including a triple.

At Kaimuki

Dyani Cummings-Lani and Denise Nagayama. Dacy Amond and Brandi Pfeiffer-Kekoa. W–Cummings-Lani. L–Amond.

Leading hitters–Kailua: Akamulei Makua 3-4, 3b; Moani Kupahu 2-3; Delcie Williams 3-4; Jewels Chang-Kaipo 2-3.

OIA RED WEST SOFTBALL

No. 3 Campbell 9, Waipahu 0

Danielle Cervantes struck out nine as the Sabers blanked the Marauders.

Campbell’s Cydney Curren and Caragh Morris recorded two hits each.

At Waipahu

Danielle Cervantes and Kiana Ulufale. Shevan DeFreitas and Shandell Palencia.

W–Cervantes. L–DeFreitas.

Leading hitters–Campbell: Cydney Curren 2-3, RBI, run; Caragh Morris 2-3, run; Kiana Ulufale 3 RBIs.

No. 6 Pearl City 8, Kapolei 2

The Chargers racked up 11 hits in a rout of the Hurricanes.

Cheyne Obara led Pearl City with three hits, while Noelle Saunders added two doubles. Tyanna Kaaialii recorded nine strikeouts in the win.

At Pearl City

Sadie Kapaku-You, Laugatausala Pedebone (6) and Alecia Kupihea. Tyanna Kaaialii and Hope Casarez, Hailey Yamaguchi (3). W–Kaaialii. L–Kapaku-You.

Leading hitters–Kapolei: Kapaku-You 2-3, 2b. Pearl City: Taylor Shigeta 2-3, 2 runs; Noelle Saunders 2-4, 2b, 3 RBIs, 2 runs; Darian Obara 2-4, RBI; Yamaguchi 2-3, 2b, 2 runs; Cheyne Obara 3-3, RBI, 2 runs.

Leilehua 10, Waianae 3

Chasity Stalcup struck out seven to lift the Mules over the host Seariders.

Leilehua’s Shanaye Mattson homered in the top of the fourth inning to cap a six-run inning.

At Waianae

Chasity Stalcup and Staisa Micky. Bailey Pittman and Kayla Hensley. W–Stalcup.

L–Pittman.

Leading hitters–Leilehua: Tiana Cantero-Kawelo 2-4, 2 runs; Reilyenne Nahulu 3-3, 2 RBIs, 2 runs; Gwen Maeha 2-3, 2b, 3 RBIs; Chelsea Lobitos 2b, 2 RBIs, run; Shanaye Mattson HR, 2 RBIs, run; Ashley Salausa 2b, RBI, run. Waianae: Willie-Ann Perez 2-4, RBI; Mahina Chong 2b, 2 RBIs; Breani Simpson-Baker 2-3, run.

ILH SOFTBALL

No. 5 Punahou 3, St. Francis 2

Punahou’s Nicole Nishizawa pitched seven innings with eight strikeouts, five hits and five walks.

At Punahou

Tiare Guerrero and Taiana Creekmur. Nicole Nishizawa and Sara Buck.

W–Nishizawa. L–Guerrero.

Leading hitters–St. Francis: Sammie Ofoia HR, 2 RBIs, run. Punahou: Sarah Sumida RBI.