Small ball gave way to big bats in McCully.
The plan worked well. The third-ranked Raiders lashed 13 base hits and never trailed in an 11-9 win over No. 5 Kamehameha on an overcast Monday afternoon at Ala Wai Field 2.
Leadoff batter Milla Fukuda went 4-for-5 and Keely Kai belted a three-run homer as ‘Iolani improved to 4-1 in ILH play (8-2-1 overall) and is now on a three-game win streak and in sole possession of first place. ‘Iolani’s last defeat came at the hands of Kamehameha’s sluggers, a 12-7 loss on the hill at Kapalama Heights.
Fukuda is one of the returnees from the powerhouse squads coached by Benny Agbayani and his staff.
“We only have one returning coach, so it was a big jump in the beginning, but I love Coach Chad (Cordero). Our whole team loves Coach Chad and the whole staff. It’s really fun this year,” Fukuda said.
Cordero sat out the game with a one-game suspension after being ejected during ‘Iolani’s 8-7 win at Punahou.
“Part of our game plan today was to go ahead and just keep swinging away,” assistant coach Kevin Lopes said. “We know we can go to (small ball) when we need to, but we’ve been working all week and they’re hitting the ball solid. Swing away.”
“Kamehameha’s an excellent team. One through nine, they all have something to offer,” assistant coach Kenedi Lopes said.
Kamehameha matched ‘Iolani’s hit count with 13, but Warriors pitchers combined to issue seven walks.
“We can’t walk them like that. We have good offense and we can play good defense, but that’s too many walks,” Warriors coach Mark Lyman said.
‘Iolani scored two runs in the first inning and two more in the second against Kamehameha starting pitcher Jordyn Blackstad. Harley Acosta’s RBI single brought Fukuda home, and Mia Carbonell scored from third base when Kamehameha catcher Daycee Williams’ throw to second on a steal attempt by Acosta sailed high.
In the second inning, Carbonell came through with a single to score Kai, and Fukuda scored on the same play when the ball got past Kamehameha left fielder Mikaela Scarborough.
The Warriors scored three times in the top of the third frame, getting a two-run single by Nevaeh Telles, who came home on a triple to center by Williams.
Leading 5-4 entering the bottom of the fourth inning, ‘Iolani exploded for five runs off Kamehameha’s second pitcher, Kiani Soller. Acosta singled to bring home Carbonell, then scored on a single by Lehua Acoba.
Kai later blasted her three-run homer to left, opening the Raiders’ lead to 10-5.
“I was just looking for a pitch that I could drive. Stay on top of the ball,” Kai said. “The big thing was trying not to fall behind in the count. Being aggressive at the plate. They’re a very talented team. We knew we had to come out firing and jump on them early.”
Molly Dyer replaced Kiara Baba in the circle in the top of the fifth, when the visitors scored three runs on four hits, three of them infield singles, and an ‘Iolani error.
Blackstad reentered the game in the fourth and had relative success in her second go-round. ‘Iolani got a triple from Heather Salausa-Galletes, who scored on a sacrifice fly by Madisyn Ueyama for an 11-8 Raiders lead in the bottom of the fifth frame.
Dyer surrendered a two-out triple to Mariah Antoque in the top of the sixth but retired Telles on a fly ball to preserve ‘Iolani’s three-run lead.
After Blackstad retired the Raiders in order, Kamehameha got a one-out, solo home run from Marley Espiau in the top of the seventh. Jewels Hanawahine followed with a double to left and Kezia Lucas walked.
Dyer then retired Scarborough and Bobbie Cambra on fly balls to end the slugfest.
‘Iolani will host Mid-Pacific on Wednesday and travel to play Maryknoll on Saturday. Kamehameha will meet Punahou on Thursday at McKinley’s Tiger Softball Stadium.
At Ala Wai 2
Kamehameha (10-3-2, 3-3) 003 230 1 — 9 13 3
‘Iolani (9-2-1, 5-1) 221 510 x — 11 13 1
Jordyn Blackstad, Kiani Soller (3), Blackstad (5) and Daycee Williams. Kiara Baba, Molly Dyer (5) and Mia Carbonell. W—Baba. L—Blackstad. Sv—Dyer.
Leading hitters—KS: Mariah Antoque 1-3, triple, walk, run; Navaeh Telles 2-4, double, RBI; Williams 2-4, RBI, run, triple; Marley Espiau 3-4, HR, 3 RBI, 2 runs; Jewels Hanawahine 2-4, RBI, double; Kezia Lucas 1-2, RBI, SF, walk; Bobbie Cambra 2-4, RBI, run, double. Iol: Milla Fukuda 4-5, 2 runs; Carbonell 1-4, 2 runs, walk; Hunter Salausa-Galletes 2-4, triple, double, run; Harley Acosta 2-3, 2 RBI, run, walk; Keely Kai 1-3, HR, 3 RBI, 2 runs, walk.
