Whether with her bat or her glove, Kapolei shortstop Laugatausala Pedebone certainly did her part to back up her pitcher on Wednesday.
The senior hit two home runs and played flawless defense behind Sadie Kapaku-You in the top-seeded Hurricanes’ 5-0 win over Leilehua in the quarterfinals of the DataHouse/HHSAA Division I Softball Championship at Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium.
Kapolei led 1-0 in the bottom of the third inning when Pedebone launched a two-run homer into the net beyond the fence in left center. She hammered another pitch to nearly the same spot when she came up again in the fifth.
“When I went up to bat I was just looking for something to drive, that was it,” Pedebone said.
In the field, Pedebone, who signed to play at Eastern Arizona next season, cleanly handled six chances to contribute to Kapaku-You’s two-hit shutout, including a game-ending 6-4-3 double play. In all, Kapaku-You got 16 outs on ground balls while throwing just 62 pitches and the Hurricanes advanced to face Pearl City in today’s 7 p.m. semifinal at RWSS.
Kapolei won both of its regular-season meetings with Pearl City, but coach Tony Saffery reminded the Hurricanes those results matter little heading into another matchup with an OIA West rival.
“Like I told the kids about Leilehua, I had them erase the two games we had with them and focus on the now.” Saffery said. “Because I said this is a different atmosphere, it just brings the best out of the kids and the coaches.”
Hitting in Manoa seems to bring out the best in Pedebone as well.
Going back to last year’s state tournament, Pedebone is now 9-for-14 with 12 RBIs and five home runs in her last five games at RWSS after going 2-for-3 and driving in three runs on Wednesday.
“I just hope I can continue doing it tomorrow,” Pedebone said with a shrug.
The Hurricanes had a bye in the first round after winning the OIA championship with a win over Mililani on April 30 and advanced to the state semifinals for the first time since 2012.
“We went really hard (in practice),” Kapaku-You said. “We won (the OIA), but we wanted to focus on states more and we knew we had to come out strong and I think our team did that today.”
After Mililani and Pearl City advanced to the semifinals behind no-hit performances earlier in the day, Kapaku-You struck out three and walked one and held Leilehua to an infield single until sophomore Kaena Nistal doubled to center field with one out in the seventh. After a walk, Pedebone scooped up a sharp grounder to start the game-ending double play.
“I know if they put it on the ground, they’ll make the play,” said Kapaku-You, who also singled in her first two plate appearances. “I trust them.”
Mililani 6, Maui 0
A day after striking out 16 in a win over Kaiser, Trojan senior Aubree Kim was even more dominant in throwing a no-hitter against the fourth-seeded Sabers.
Kim struck out 17, including the last seven batters she faced, while throwing 109 pitches. In 14 innings in the tournament, she’s accounted for 33 of her 42 outs on strikeouts and got 15 swinging on Wednesday.
“Amazing today. Different Aubree from (Tuesday),” Mililani coach Rose Antonio said. “Looked like she was just trying to hit her spots and not overthrow and what an accomplishment today for her.”
Kim struggled with her command early and threw 157 pitches in Tuesday’s win over Kaiser. She walked the first batter she faced on Wednesday, then struck out the side on her way to her second career no-hitter in the state tournament.
“The first couple innings (against Kaiser) I was trying too hard, trying to throw too hard,” Kim said. “(Against Maui) tried to get more spin instead of speed.
“Today it felt a lot better than yesterday. Even thought the numbers were almost the same today, it felt way, way better.”
Mililani did all of its scoring in the first three innings with the aid of four Maui errors. Tarah Aniya and Tristan Cozo contributed RBI doubles in Mililani’s three-run third inning.
Pearl City 14, Waiakea 0, 5 inn.
Tyanna Kaaialii and Kristin Frost faced one batter over the minimum in the Chargers’ third no-hitter in their last six games and Pearl City rolled into the semifinals.
“It’s the farthest (the seniors have) gone. It means a lot to us and we’re going to come out our hardest,” said Frost, who also doubled and drove in two runs.
Kaaialii struck out the side in the first inning and Frost took over the second. Frost retired all 12 batters she faced, seven on strikeouts, to earn the win. They combined on a no-hitter against Moanalua in the first round of the OIA playoffs on April 27 and Kaaialii no-hit Kaiser the following day.
Pearl City took control with a five-run outburst in the top of the first inning highlighted by Hope Casarez’s RBI double. Ana Cabato drove in three runs for the Chargers.
Campbell 8, Kamehameha 0
Danielle Cervantes capped a day of sparkling pitching performances by matching Kim with a season-high 17 strikeouts and the defending champion Sabers set up an all-OIA West semifinal round with a one-hit shutout of the second-seeded Warriors.
Cervantes, a junior right-hander, took a no-hitter into the sixth inning before giving up a two-out line-drive single to Kalaihoku Kaneshiro. She finished with three walks and struck out 10 of the last 13 batters she faced.
“Danielle threw her game,” Campbell coach Michael Hermosura said. “She wants the ball more and more and I pretty much expected this. … She hit her spots and she threw the pitches I asked for and everything was jumping off her hand.”
Campbell catcher Jocelyn Alo went 3-for-4 and homered to right center in the top of the seventh. Third baseman Darien Robinson contributed an RBI double in Campbell’s four-run rally in the third inning and added a two-run opposite field homer in the seventh.
Campbell faces Mililani in the 4:30 p.m. semifinal at RWSS with the Kapolei-Pearl City matchup to follow. The Sabers won both regular-season meetings with the Trojans.
“It means so much to me,” Cervantes said of delivering on the state tournament stage. “This whole season all our girls have worked very hard and and I feel like we just need to stay humble and keep working and get to where we need to be.”
TODAY’S SCHEDULE
DIVISION I SEMIFINALS
At Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium
>> No. 2 Campbell vs. No. 4 Mililani, 4:30 p.m.
>> No. 1 Kapolei vs. No. 6 Pearl City, 7 p.m.
FIFTH PLACE SEMIFINALS
At McKinley High field
>> Leilehua vs. Waiakea, 4 p.m.
>> No. 3 Kamehameha vs. No. 10 Maui, 6 p.m.
DIVISION I CONSOLATION CHAMPIONSHIP
At Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium
>> No. 5 ‘Iolani vs. Lahainaluna, 4 p.m.
DIVISION II QUARTERFINALS
At Patsy Mink Softball Stadium in Kahului
>> Pac-5 vs. Kalani, Noon.
>> No. 9 Nanakuli vs. Farrington, 2:15 p.m.
>> Kamehameha-Hawaii vs. Aiea, 4:30 p.m.
>> Lanai vs. St. Francis, 6:45 p.m.
DIVISION II CONSOLATION SEMIFINALS
At Patsy Mink Softball Stadium in Kahului
>> Molokai vs. Konawaena, 10 a.m.
DIVISION I QUARTERFINALS
No. 4 Mililani 6, No. 10 Maui 0
At Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium
Mililani |
213 |
000 |
0 |
— |
6 |
7 |
0 |
Maui |
000 |
000 |
0 |
— |
0 |
0 |
6 |
Aubree Kim and Markie Okamoto. Cira Bartolotti and Kaycee Arase.
W—Kim. L—Bartolotti.
Leading hitters—Mil: Tarah Aniya 2-4, run, RBI, 2B, SB; Keri Togami 1-3, run, RBI; Tristan Cozo 1-3, run, RBI.
No. 6 Pearl City 14 Waiakea 0, 5 inn.
At Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium
Pearl City |
|
531 |
41 |
— |
14 |
12 |
1 |
Waiakea |
|
000 |
00 |
— |
0 |
0 |
3 |
Tyanna Kaaialii, Kristin Frost (2) and Hailey Yamaguchi. Kristi Hirata, Kiana-Rae Baruela (4), Alyssa Hara (5) and Taylor Nishimura.
W—Frost. L—Hirata.
Leading hitters—PC: Ana Cabato 2-4, run, 3 RBI; Hope Casarez 2-3, 3 runs, RBI, 2B, SB; Noel Saunders 2-2, 2 runs, 2 RBI; Frost 2-2, 2 runs, 2 RBI, 2B, SB.
No. 1 Kapolei 5, Leilehua 0
At Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium
Leilehua |
000 |
000 |
0 |
— |
0 |
2 |
2 |
Kapolei |
102 |
110 |
x |
— |
5 |
9 |
1 |
Kaena Nistal, Chasity Stalcup (5) and Staisa Micky. Sadie Kapaku-You and Lili Kaimi-Montira.
W—Kapaku-You. L—Nistal.
Leading hitters—Kapo: Laugatausala Pedebone 2-3, 2 runs, 3 RBI, HR; Kapaku-You 2-4, run. Lei: Nistal 1-3, 2B.
No. 2 Campbell 8, No. 3 Kamehameha 0 At Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium
Campbell |
014 |
000 |
3 |
— |
0 |
11 |
2 |
Kamehameha |
000 |
000 |
0 |
— |
0 |
1 |
4 |
Danielle Cervantes and Jocelyn Alo. Mahina Sauer, Luana Low (3) and Kyler Stephens.
W—Cervantes. L—Sauer.
Leading hitters—Cam: Alo 3-4, run, 2 RBI, HR; Darien Robinson 2-3, 2 runs, 3 RBI, 2B, HR.
DIVISION I CONSOLATION SEMIFINALS
At McKinley High Field
No. 5 ‘Iolani 5, Lahainaluna 0
Kaiser 5, Kealakehe 0
DIVISION II FIRST ROUND
Aiea 17, Konawaena 3, 5 inn.
Na Alii exploded for 17 runs, all in the first inning, to down the Wildcats in five.
Aiea drove in 15 runs on 10 hits and played stout defense, making no errors.
Konawaena starter Tiani Lastimosa was chased in the first inning without recording a single out, allowing 14 runs (10 earned) before yielding to Andi Uemura.
Aiea catcher Testimoni Tavale had three hits and three RBIs, both game highs.
At Pasty Mink Softball Stadium
Konawaena |
|
000 |
30 |
— |
3 |
3 |
3 |
Aiea |
|
(17)00 |
0x |
— |
17 |
10 |
0 |
Tiani Lastimosa, Andi Uemura (1) and Teizha Kaluna. Pomaikaikekioka Tuli, Mikelle Gonzales (4) and Testimoni Tavale.
W—Lastimosa. L—Tuli.
Leading hitters—Kon: Erin Kaimuloa Bates 1-1, 2 RBI. Aiea: Chantell Shimabukura 2-3, 3 runs, 3 RBI; Tavale 3-3, 3 RBI; Mikelle Gonzales 2-2, 2 runs, 2 RBI.
Kalani 5, Molokai 2
The Falcons got past the Farmers behind a solid performance on the mound from ace Cherise Horita, who struck out nine and walked one in a complete game effort.
Syndey Rawlins led the Molokai offense with a run scored and was the only player on either team that logged multiple hits with two.
At Pasty Mink Softball Stadium
Molokai |
000 |
110 |
0 |
— |
2 |
5 |
2 |
Kalani |
003 |
200 |
x |
— |
5 |
5 |
1 |
Kysha Kawano, Cami-Leigh Horner (3) and Tai Yamamoto, Sydney Rawlins. Cherise Horita and Kylie Pagud.
W—Horita. L—Kawano.
Leading hitters—Mol: Horner 1-2, run, RBI; Rawlins 2-3, run. Kaln: Horita 1-3, RBI; Shandi Matsumoto 1-2, run.
Farrington 3, Kohala 0
Despite getting outhit 8-4, the Governors took advantage of five Cowgirl errors and advanced to face top-seeded Nanakuli in Thursday’s quarterfinals.
Kohala starter Mikayla Kekoa allowed three unearned runs, struck out five and walked none while Cowgirls shortstop Antonette Fernandez had a game-high two hits.
Kaipo Castillo tossed a complete-game shutout for Farrington, scattering eight hits with no walks and two strikeouts.
At Pasty Mink Softball Stadium
Kohala |
000 |
000 |
0 |
— |
0 |
8 |
5 |
Farrington |
001 |
002 |
x |
— |
3 |
4 |
1 |
Mikayla Kekoa and Kyrah Soh. Kaipo Castillo and Kaycie Okada.
W—Castillo. L—Kekoa.
Leading hitters—Koh: Antonette Fernandez 2-3. Far: Kylie Carganilla 1-3, run; Jhermaine Mariano 1-3, run.
St. Francis 13, Kauai 3, 5 inn.
The Saints turned a 1-1 tie in the fourth inning into a mercy rule victory after scoring a combined 12 runs in the third and fourth inning.
Sammie Ofoia went 3-for-3 with two runs, two RBIs and a triple as St. Francis amassed 14 hits.
Tammie Yoshimura and Shanie Querto each had a team-high two hits for the Red Raiders.
At Pasty Mink Softball Stadium
St. Francis |
|
001 |
48 |
— |
13 |
14 |
1 |
Kauai |
|
100 |
20 |
— |
3 |
7 |
5 |
Shaye Simms, Tiare Guerrero (4) and Taiana Creekmur. Kailee Nii and Tammie Yoshimura.
W—Simms. L—Nii.
Leading hitters—STF: Sammie Ofoia 3-3, 2 runs, 2 RBI, 3B; Simms 2-4, 2 RBI; Kaena Keliinoi 2-4, 2 runs. Kai: Yoshimura 2-3, RBI; Shanie Querto 2-2, RBI.