Junior pitcher Marley Dyer stepped up on senior day for ‘Iolani, leading the fifth-ranked Raiders to a 7-2 Interscholastic League of Honolulu softball victory over visiting St. Francis.
“Yeah, so much!” Dyer blurted out Wednesday, when asked if she is going to miss the seven graduating seniors. “Oh my God … I’m not going to cry (even though she was about to). We had a hard time (keeping emotions in) today.”
Following the victory, it was difficult to track down Dyer, who finally emerged from the middle of a mob of friends, parents, well-wishers and coaches saying aloha to the seniors.
Dyer pitched four innings for the win, giving up four hits while striking out four, but it was her RBI double in the sixth that opened the floodgates and turned a close two-run (4-2) game into a more comfortable five-run lead.
“Marley threw a great game,” ‘Iolani coach Dean Yonamine said. “When she’s on like today, she can be tough. She had a good screwball and rise ball. She also came up with the big hit (near) the end; she was huge for us today.”
Ninth-ranked St. Francis got a bit sloppy in the second inning and the Raiders pounced for a 4-0 lead. A walk, two illegal pitches, a passed ball and the game’s only error all worked against the Saints, and ‘Iolani’s Marcee Nakamura and Macy Uehara — two of the celebrating seniors — pulled through with RBI singles.
“We made a few miscues, but my girls, they take accountability for their mistakes,” St. Francis coach Randy Langsi said. “That’s what I’m most proud of with this team. They’ll say, ‘Coach, it’s my fault.’ That’s the growth and maturity of this team. A few cleanups here and there and we’ll be right on track.”
Thanks to the victory, the Raiders (7-2-1) got a bit closer to Kamehameha (7-1-1) for the top spot in the ILH. They continue to work on qualifying for the Division I state tournament. The Saints (5-4) are preparing for the D-II states.
Despite the four-run deficit, St. Francis didn’t cave in. Skye Ah Yat’s RBI fielder’s choice in the fifth and Kailee Mahelona’s run-scoring single in the sixth cut ‘Iolani’s lead to 4-2.
But ‘Iolani quickly pulled away. Ashlyn Okamoto started ‘Iolani’s three-run sixth with a double off the fence in center and she came home four batters later on Dyer’s double down the right-field line. Uehara followed with a two-run single to help ice it.
The Saints stranded at least two runners in the third, fourth, fifth and sixth innings. They loaded the bases in the fourth, but did not clutch up.
“Maybe they were trying a little too hard,” Langsi said. “It’s something we need to look at, so they can embrace the moment and not put too much pressure on themselves. Basically, it’s what you live for. Games like this keep us competitive. Each pitch and each moment against ‘Iolani and in our next few games, if we can stay competitive, it will help us in states. We’re not looking past (those next few games).”
The Raiders’ Nakamura earned the save in relief of Dyer, giving up just one run in three innings. St. Francis starting pitcher Sierrah Kupihea went two innings and took the loss.
Kenna Santos, a St. Francis senior, had two hits, including one via a bunt that helped produce the Saints’ second run.
“She has speed and uses it on both sides of the ball,” Langsi said. “If we get her on, she’s a threat. She’s a steady Freddy player — never up, never down and that shows her maturity.”
ILH SOFTBALL
>> No. 5 Iolani 7, No. 9 St. Francis 2
At Iolani
St. Francis (5-4) 000 011 0 2 7 1
Iolani (7-2-1) 040 003 x 7 8 0
Sierrah Kupihea, Kailee Mahelona (3) and Kalyn Higa. Marley Dyer, Marcee Nakamura (5) and Kai Barrett. W — Dyer. L — Kupihea. SNakamura.
Leading hitters — St. Francis: Kenna Santos 2-3. Iolani: Macy Uehara 2-4, 3 RBIs; Ashlyn Okamoto 2b; Kawai Scanlan 2-2, 2 runs; Dyer 2b, RBI.
>> No. 8 Punahou 7, Mid-Pacific 3
At Mid-Pacific
Punahou (5-4) 104 002 0 7 9 1
Mid-Pacific (0-9) 000 300 0 3 9 1
Bailey Akimseu and Janell Sato. Kaalea Hanawahine, Michaela Fonoti (3) and Lia Nakamoto. W — Akimseu. L — Hanawahine.
Leading hitters — Punahou: DAsha Saiki 2-3, 2b, 3 runs; Sato 3-3, 3 RBIs; Jolie Fujita 2b, run, RBI; Akimseu 2b, RBI; Alyssa Rasmussen 2b, 2 RBIs. Mid-Pacific: Beyli Correa 3-4; Skylar Tanaka 2b, run, RBI.
>> Maryknoll 8, Pac-Five 7
At Ala Wai
Maryknoll (5-4) 120 221 0 8 14 4
Pac-Five (2-7) 040 021 0 7 10 4
Kahilu McNicoll, Sydney Kamakaiwi (6) and Baylie Kahele. Megan Yoshioka and Mikayla Chun. W — McNicoll. LYoshioka. S — Kamakaiwi.
Leading hitters — Maryknoll: Kanoe Tanigawa 3-4, 2b, 3 RBIs; Logan Carlos 2-4, 2 runs; Nohea Hee 2-4, RBI; Kahele 2-4, run, RBI; Kaylah Santos 2-3, HR, 3 runs, 2 RBIs; Kamalei Labasan 2b, run. Pac-Five: Kalyn Kershner 2-4, run, RBI; Mailani Davis 2-3, 2b, RBI; Camryn Okada 2-3, run, RBI.
