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This time, Maryknoll left no doubt.
The fifth-ranked Spartans sent 15 batters to the plate in the bottom of the fourth inning, scoring 10 runs en route to a 12-1, TKO win over No. 2 Kamehameha on Wednesday afternoon at Sand Island Recreation Area.
By winning the tiebreaker game, Maryknoll claims the No. 2 seed in the ILH’s upcoming double-elimination playoff round. The teams finished the regular season tied at 5-3 over the weekend.
“We feel fulfilled. We’re starting to peak and the timing is good,” Spartans coach John Uekawa said. “Staying healthy is the key right now. We’re going to give them a couple days off, make them rest a little bit. The second seed is big. Enormous.”
Jenna Sniffen went all five innings on the mound for Maryknoll, allowing just two hits with six strikeouts. She walked four, but pitched well with runners on base.
“She’s calmed down a little bit more instead of going that true grit, John Wayne kill-at-all-costs kind of stuff. She’s understanding that pitching is a lot of pitches, not just one play,” Uekawa said. “We’re trying to limit her pitch count, not to exceed 100.”
Kamehameha’s lone run in the second inning was unearned.
“The communication between me and the rest of our coaches is a key factor in these past couple of wins. I feel like having. confidence in my team and knowing that they can provide me with run support and comfort, knowing what I’m capable of and trusting my defense, knowing that they can help me out instead of me doing it myself,” said Sniffen, a sophomore.
Maryknoll stymied Kamehameha for a second time in three days. On Saturday, Kamehameha had a chance to finish the regular season in a tie with first-place ‘Iolani, but lost at home to Maryknoll, 9-3.
The Spartans are on a roll with five wins in a row. They have won six of their last seven since opening the regular season 0-2.
“Today, we were really unselfish. We use the term, ‘pass the bat along,’ and that’s exactly what we did,” said Ua Chung, who drove in two runs and scored twice. “We’re on a roll right now. I feel good, our team feels comfortable, we feel confident in ourselves. We just have to take one game at a time.”
Kamehameha opted to start Li‘i Sulusi on the mound rather than Madison Rabe. The Warriors and Spartans were due to play yet another time next Monday in the playoff tournament.
“It’s hard to play every other day. We’re going to play them on Monday anyway,” Kamehameha coach Mark Lyman said. “We gave Madison a rest and gave the other pitchers some much-needed work.”
Uekawa was surprised.
“I really, really felt that we were going to face Maddie. It was surprising that they threw somebody else,” he said.
Unlike Saturday’s game when Maryknoll belted three home runs, a balanced hitting attack prevailed on a breezy, sunny afternoon. Eight of its nine batters had at least one hit. Carys Murakami continued her tear with a double, single and RBI.
The Spartans jumped to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first frame. Murakami led off with a double to center and Breyli Agbayani- Shibao walked. With one out, Sniffen walked to load the bases and Makena Nera followed with a walk, forcing in Murakami from third base for the game’s first run.
Ua Chung followed with a sacrifice fly to left field, bringing Agbayani-Shibao home for a 2-0 lead.
The Warriors scored in the top of the second. Nicole Donahue led off with a double to left and courtesy runner Kainani Jacang raced around third base to score when Mariah Antoque’s ground ball was botched by Maryknoll shortstop Nellian McEnroe-Marinas.
Sniffen walked Rabe, but got Rylee Gaudia to ground into a force out, then struck out Kylee Matsuda and Destiny Lum.
The Spartans nearly scored in the bottom of the third. McEnroe-Marinas doubled to right with one out, and Sniffen singled to center. The throw from Haley Agena to Donahue at home plate was on point to get McEnroe-Marinas.
Kamehameha loaded the bases in the top of the fourth with one out, but Sniffen whiffed Matsuda and Lum popped out to end the threat.
Then came the gargantuan bottom half of the fourth for Maryknoll. Sulusi and Kiani-Taylor Soller combined to allow six hits with three walks and three hit batters.
Chung led off with a double, Chloe Chung singled and Haylee Cathcart walked to load the bases. With one out, Murakami singled to left, scoring Ua Chung.
After Agbayani-Shibao’s ground ball to second scored Chloe Chung, there were two outs and Kamehameha was close to limiting the damage.
However, Sulusi hit McEnroe-Marinas on the leg and Sniffen walked with the sacks filled, scoring Cathcart from third base.
Nera followed with an RBI single to score Murakami. Ua Chung, batting for a second time in the fourth, was hit by pitch, scoring McEnroe-Marinas.
The new pitcher, Soller, walked Chloe Chung, scoring Sniffen as Maryknoll expanded its lead to 8-1.
Cathcart then singled to right, bringing Sniffen and Nera home. After Jacie Hayata-Ano doubled to left, plating Chloe Chung and Cathcart, the margin was 11 runs. It was Hayata-Ano’s first base hit of the season.
Facing the same team for a third game in a row, or the same pitcher, is rare and, most times, difficult.
“At one point, you’re going to think they’re going to catch on to your pitch sequence,” Sniffen said. “That’s when I have to trust in Ua (Chung) and believe that she can pick me up if they do.”
At Sand Island
Kamehameha (10-4. 5-3) 010 00 — 1 2 0
Maryknoll (14-3, 5-3) 200 (10)x — 12 9 1
Li‘i Sulusi, Kiani-Taylor Soller (4) and Nicole Donahue. Jenna Sniffen and Haylee Cathcart. W—Sniffen. L—Sulusi.
Leading hitters—KS: Donahue 1-2, double, walk. MS: Carys Murakami 2-3, double, RBI, run; Nellian McEnroe-Marinas 1-2, double, HBP, run; Makena Nera 1-2, 2 RBIs, run; Ua Chung 1-1, double, 2 RBIs, 2 runs, SF; Cathcart 1-2, 2 RBIs, 2 runs, HBP; Jacie Hayata-Ano 1-3, 2 RBIs, double.
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