Misha Carreira allowed just one hit over six innings as No. 6 Mililani overpowered Kapolei 8-1 on Friday afternoon at the Hurricanes’ field.
Mililani improved to 5-2 in the rugged Oahu Interscholastic Association West standings. Kapolei, playing without two infield starters, is now 2-5.
Carreira struck out five but also walked five as she got accustomed to the mound.
“The mound is high, not flat. You’ve just got to adjust,” Lady Trojans coach Rose Antonio said. “We got timely hitting today, and that’s all we need. Kapolei’s tough. They were missing players this time.”
Kapolei baseman Kiley Ozaki is on a college trip and second baseman Elora Tonaki has the flu. The Hurricanes have just two starting seniors but have enough talent to make a late-season run and reach the state tournament.
“We’ve got to do a better job of hitting the ball on game day,” coach Stacie Mahoe said. “We just need to work on our mental game in the box.”
The Lady Trojans kept the pressure on from the start against starting pitcher Tatum Guzman, scoring single runs in the first and second innings, and then two in the fourth, fifth and sixth frames.
In the top of the first inning, the visitors got walks from leadoff hitter Tarah Aniya and Maya Yoshiura, and after they advanced on a passed ball, Aniya scored on an infield error for a 1-0 Mililani lead.
Kapolei loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom of the first after Sadie Kapaku-You singled and Lili Kaimi and Dallas Pollard-Brownell walked. Carrier then struck out Chanelle Makinney to end the threat.
In the second, Jerae Keliikoa singled with one out, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Maya Saneishi, and scored on a double to center by Aniya.
In the fourth, Keliikoa reached base on an infield single and courtesy runner Ashlyn Kashima advanced to second on a ground out by Saneishi. Aniya came through again, singling to center to score Kashima for a 3-0 Trojans lead.
Aniya reached second base on the throw home by Kapolei, and then scored on Yoshiura’s single to center.
Meanwhile, Carreira found her footing and was in the midst of retiring 11 batters in a row.
The Trojans tacked on two runs in the fifth for a 6-0 lead.
Cherise Mori singled to left, Taylor Schmerbauch reached base on a bunt single, and both advanced on a groundout by Keliikoa. Saneishi, the No. 9 hitter in the lineup, then singled to center to plate the two runners and give Mililani a 6-0 lead.
In the top of the sixth, Yoshiura led off with a single and Merilas “Mama” Rivera bombed a 2-0 pitch deep to left for a two-run shot.
After Shannon Pascua-Stanton’s line drive to the left-center gap was speared by Ashley Membrere for the first out, Guzman moved to third base and was replaced by Kapaku-You, the shortstop.
Kapolei scratched out its lone run in the bottom of the seventh against reliever Cheyenne Ardona, a 6-foot junior. Lisa Takenaka reached on an infield single, moved to third on a couple of wild pitches, and scored on a groundout by Guzman.
Mililani returns to the diamond next Friday, when Nanakuli will visit. Kapolei will visit No. 2 Campbell next Friday.
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