The gift was gladly accepted by the Campbell Sabers.
Two crucial Maui errors on one play in the top of the fourth inning allowed Campbell to score three times in a 3-1 win in the opening round of the Datahouse/HHSAA Softball State Championships at Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium on Monday.
Senior Kaiana Kong pitched 32⁄3 innings, allowing one run on four hits with three strikeouts without a walk. Senior Taryn Irimata closed the door, striking out all 10 batters she faced in relief in 31⁄3 innings of work.
Irimata got the win, though the two hurlers split the workload nearly evenly.
“I wanted to go with ‘Ana because I knew she would hold on the opposing team by at least four innings, hopefully five innings,” Campbell coach Shag Hermosura said. “The runner got on third (in the bottom of the fourth inning), I got to make a change, and I’m glad I did. Taryn put the ball where it’s supposed to be.”
Campbell will face top-seeded ‘Iolani today in a 5 p.m. quarterfinal.
“We’re going to go with the flow,” said Irimata, who started on the mound for most of the season.
“I think we complement each other,” Kong said. “She goes high, I go low.”
Kong is a low-ball pitcher, while Irimata can bring high heat. The contrast proved difficult to track for the Sabers from Kahului.
“Both girls did their job,” Hermosura added. “Both are accountable for what they did. We’ll give it another try tomorrow.”
Maui ace Jer-Zee Ragasa had a strong start, striking out three of the first five batters she faced. The powerful right-hander went the distance with one earned run, scattering six hits with six strikeouts and two walks in a hard-luck loss.
In the battle of Sabers versus Sabers, it was the team from Ewa Beach that prevailed by relying on pitching and error-free defense.
Campbell got a runner in scoring position in the top of the third inning but came up empty. Paige Nakashima reached base on an infield error and advanced to second base on a wild pitch, but Ragasa retired Kong on a groundout to end the threat.
In the bottom of the third, Eliana Ulufale led off with a single and Satsuki Dumlao singled with two outs, but Kong got Jacie Chun to fly out to end the inning.
The top of the fourth was a giveaway by Maui. With one out, Leia Duropan and Aleiah Kupihea singled. Kaylisa Nakoa sent a ground ball to third base, but Eliana Ulufale’s throw to second base was off-target, allowing Duropan and Kupihea to score. On the same play, the relay throw misfired, and Nakoa raced home to give Campbell a sudden 3-0 lead.
In the bottom of the fourth, Breani Kahalehau singled with one out. With two outs, Paige Beatty singled to set up runners at the corners. Campbell replaced Kong with Taryn Irimata, who started most of the season on the mound.
Taking off from first base, courtesy runner Kalela Gaspar stole second base, drawing a throw that allowed courtesy runner Aliyah Orikasa to race home from third base for Maui’s first run. Irimata then struck out Ulufale to end the inning.
The MIL runners-up couldn’t catch up to Irimata’s fastball and off-speed pitches.
Kong was effective with fastballs and off-speed pitches. Irimata relied heavily on locating her fastball, which brought a heavy pop to the mitt of catcher Duropan. The screwball wasn’t necessary for the right-hander.
“I was just trying to hit my spots,” Irimata said.
‘Iolani and Campbell have not played yet this season.
“They’re going to be tough. (Coach) Benny (Agbayani) always brings a good team. They bring an experienced team with players who travel.”
‘Iolani is the defending champion. There has been no softball state tournament since 2019.
Maryknoll 11, Leilehua 6
ILH runner-up Maryknoll withstood a rally by the Lady Mules to reach the quarterfinal round. The Spartans will play MIL champion Baldwin today at 2:30 p.m.
Chloe Chun’s inside-the-park home run down the right-field line put Maryknoll on the scoreboard in the bottom of the second inning.
Ua Nakoa-Chung launched a two-run shot over the center field fence for a six-run Spartans cushion.
The Lady Mules made solid contact against Jenna Sniffen, Maryknoll’s starting pitcher, in the top of the fourth. Dynestee Kanae-Huihui doubled with one out and scored on a double down the right-field line by Breeann Leong for Leilehua’s first run.
The Spartans got RBI singles from Nellie McEnroe-Marinas and pitcher Jenna Sniffen in the bottom of the fourth, opening the lead to 8-1.
Leilehua battled back in the top of the fifth with four runs, including a double off the left-center wall by Breeann Leong to clear the bases. That brought the Mules within 8-5 as the mist fell in Manoa.
Maryknoll responded with a sacrifice fly behind first base that allowed Nakoa-Chung to score for a 9-4 Spartans lead.
The Mules cut the lead to four runs in the top of the sixth, but Maryknoll loaded the bases and Chun delivered a two-run ground single up the middle to open the lead to 11-6.
Kaiser 15, Hilo 4
Jordyn Tagudan and Taina Luhia homered as the Lady Cougars overpowered the Vikings. Kaiser finished with 20 base hits and drew nine walks, leaving 15 runners on base. Tagudan and Shea Higa each went 3-for-6, and pitcher Keira Uegawachi went 3-for-4. Uegawachi scattered 10 hits and went the distance with two strikeouts and two walks.
The Cougars put the game well out of reach with six runs in the top of the seventh inning.
Quinn Waiki went 4-for-4 with four runs scored and an RBI, while Kira Alameda also went 4-for-4 with two RBIs.
Kaiser (16-5-1 overall) will meet second-seeded Kapolei at 7:30 tonight in the quarterfinal round. Hilo will meet Maui at 6 tonight at McKinley in consolation play.
Mililani 13, Kalani 3, 5 innings
The Lady Trojans poured in eight runs in the first inning and ace Dani Monroe allowed no earned runs on two hits with five strikeouts and one walk for the win. Taryn Hirano drove in three runs and Jackie Kirkpatrick went 3-for-3 for Mililani (18-5 overall), which will play BIIF champion Kealakehe today at noon in a quarterfinal.
Madixx Muramoto belted a three-run homer for the Lady Falcons (13-6) in the third inning. Muramoto, a junior, is a grand-daughter of former Hawaii baseball coach Les Murakami.
“Everything was working,” Monroe said of pre-game warmups. “The whole team was loose and we have our first state-tournament win.”
