In every at-bat and every pitch, Kaena Nistal sees her teammates.
The senior came through when called upon on Wednesday, socking a three-run home run and a two-run single, and hurling two perfect innings as unseeded Leilehua ousted ILH champion Maryknoll 10-5 at Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium.
Leilehua advanced to the Division I semifinals of the DataHouse/HHSAA Softball State Championships and will meet rival Mililani in a 4:30 p.m. matchup today. Leilehua (13-4) had not reached the semifinals since 2014, when none of the current Mules were in high school.
“It feels good. We’ve worked on our hitting and we’re very confident in ourselves. We’ve got each other’s backs,” said Nistal, whose homer turned a 6-4 lead into a five-run cushion. “I was looking at my team because they really support me.”
Nistal pitched the last two innings in relief of winner Alyssa Abe.
Maryknoll (11-6), the No. 2 seed, fell in the quarterfinals for the second year in a row. Like every foe of Leilehua, the Lady Spartans faced what some have termed a “murderers’ row” of hitters. Maryknoll pitchers Kahilu McNicoll and Aloha Akaka limited the Mules to nine hits, but Leilehua made its swings count.
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“We were just being disciplined at the plate, don’t chase the high pitch. Any fireball pitcher, the key is not to swing at the pitches they want you to swing at. Swing at what you envision to hit,” Mules coach Wendell Au said. “In the past, when we falter in games, it’s a lot of pop flies. We just want to stay down.”
The Mules scored five runs in the first two frames. In the first inning, Brandi Leong led off with a homer to left. Kayla Hale singled, and Gianna Araki and Nistal walked to load the bases. Mules ace Kamryn Kamakaiwi, who transferred from Maryknoll last year, walked to force in a run. McNicoll got the next three batters to escape more damage.
In the second, three runs crossed the plate for Leilehua on Nistal’s homer to left. Leong (bunt single) and Hale (error) scored on the big hit.
During the bottom of the second, however, Kamakaiwi left the game after pitching 11⁄3 innings. Abe replaced her and was met by Nohea Hee, who doubled to left, scoring two runs. With two outs, Kanoe Tanigawa singled to center, plating two more runs and Maryknoll was within 5-4.
The Mules added a precious run in the fourth when Araki walked, advanced to second on a wild pitch, and later scored on another wild pitch.
Then came the fifth, when Leilehua scored three huge runs. Alyssa Asuncion led off with a double and scored on a pinch-hit single by Reilyenne Nahulu. After Leong and Araki walked, Nistal socked a two-run single to left, bringing home Nahulu and Leong for a 9-4 Mules lead.
Mililani 4, Waiakea 3
Unseeded Mililani’s Cinderella run continues. Cherise Mori’s two-run single in the top of the seventh gave the Trojans the lead, and right fielder Ashlyn Kashima’s leaping catch and game-ending throw to third base to nail Waiakea baserunner Alize Kaapana pushed the Trojans into the semifinal round.
After committing two errors to spot the Trojans a run in the first inning, Waiakea scored twice in the third to take the lead. Two Mililani errors on the same play opened the door.
Kaapana scored on the play to tie the game at 1, and Alyssa McKeague came home on Shaily Moses’ single to left for the lead.
Kelsie Imai, Waiakea’s multi-sport sophomore standout, doubled, stole third and scored on a wild pitch for a 3-1 Waiakea lead.
The Trojans cut the lead to one run in the sixth. Tracie Okamura doubled and Kobe Brown followed with a double, and Mililani trailed 3-2.
That set up the go-ahead runs one inning later against hard-luck losing pitcher Halee Sweat.
Punahou 10, Lahainaluna 4
ILH runner-up Punahou (11-5) needed a comeback in the sixth inning for the win. Down 4-3, the Buffanblu got six runs, boosted by Bri Alejo’s RBI single and a three-run home run from Bailey Akimseu. It was Akimseu’s second homer in two games at the tourney.
For most of the day, it was tough sledding against Lunas junior ace Seraya Casco, who allowed just six hits through five frames.
“Casco did a great job and stayed away from us,” Punahou coach Boy Eldredge said. “I kept thinking every inning, we’re going to take off, and she kept us under control for five innings. When they’re struggling and not hitting the ball the way they should, they’re down and we tell them stop the frustration and just play and have fun,” Eldredge said.
Kennedy Ishii pitched the last five innings, allowing no runs on four hits with two strikeouts and no walks.
Campbell 10, Pearl City 7
The three-time defending state champion Sabers were in control from the start. The teams met twice during the regular season with the Sabers (14-2) winning both times 5-4 and 5-2. This time, they scored five runs in the first inning and opened the lead to 10-3 before hanging on for dear life.
In the top of the seventh, the Chargers put two runners on base, and then Taylor Au ripped a deep line drive that was speared by Campbell center fielder Alesia Ranches. Cheyne Obara’s bloop single then loaded the bases.
Taryn Fujioka then lined out to third, ending the scorefest.
