Ua Nakoa-Chung likes to stay hungry.
The Maryknoll ace skipped breakfast, as usual for a morning game, and fireballed her way to a four-hitter in a six-inning, 11-1 rout of Kamehameha on Saturday morning in a showdown at Sand Island State Recreation Area.
Maryknoll is now the sole leader in the Interscholastic League of Honolulu, with a 5-0 record. Kamehameha dropped to 4-1.
“The key for us is that we play the game we’re supposed to be playing. This is one of the most complete games we’ve had against one of the best teams in the ILH,” Maryknoll coach John Uekawa said. “Ua is coming around. In the last couple of games, she’s been settling down and coming into her own.”
Nakoa-Chung had some bumps along the way, but with a one-hit, five-inning shutout of ‘Iolani on Wednesday and this gem against the talented Warriors, she is the best pitcher in the ILH halfway through the regular season. She struck out six, walked three and hit one batter using her deep arsenal of pitches.
“She kept us off balance. She pitched a great game,” said Kamehameha coach Leo Sing Chow, a former All-State pitcher for the Warriors. “We didn’t make our adjustments.”
Confidence makes all the difference.
“I was just feeling it. The last game, I was very confident, and I felt if I kept it rolling I would have the same result,” Nakoa-Chung said. “I’m not a morning person, but when it comes to game time, I’m up and ready.”
The Spartans scored in bunches, with four runs in the second inning, four more in the fifth and three in the sixth to put an end to the contest via 10-run (mercy) rule. It was a stunning finish to a matchup of powerhouses.
Nakoa-Chung was a menace to Kamehameha’s power hitters. At the plate, Maryknoll launched three home runs, including one by leadoff batter Carys Murakami in the fifth inning. Aloha Akaka also homered, her second in as many starts, during the second inning.
Senior catcher Liliana Thomas smacked a homer in the fifth. The Arizona State signee has four long balls this season.
Neither team committed an error.
“It’s back to the drawing board. We will need a lot of hard work, and we’ll refocus,” Sing Chow said. “We’ll get another chance.”
Kamehameha won’t dwell on its first loss for very long. The Warriors play ‘Iolani on Monday afternoon at the Raiders’ field.
Maryknoll will host Punahou on Wednesday.
At Sand Island
Kamehameha (4-1)100000—140
Maryknoll (5-0)040043—11120
No outs in the sixth inning, 10-run rule.
Madison Rabe, Momi Lyman (5) and Nikki Donahue. Ua Nakoa-Chung and Liliana Thomas. W—Nakoa-Chung. L—Rabe.
Leading hitters—Kamehameha: Haley Agena 1-1, 2 walks, run; Donahue 1-3, RBI. Maryknoll: Nelly McEnroe-Marinas 1-2, double, 2 walks, 2 runs; Thomas 1-3, HR, walk, 3 RBI, 2 runs; Jenna Sniffen 2-3, 2 runs, walk; Nakoa-Chung 1-3, 2 RBI, walk; Daylee Williams 2-3, run; Logan Gaspar 1-2, triple, run, walk; Aloha Akaka 1-3, HR, 2 RBI, run.
