Bobbi Cambra homered, tripled and drove in four runs as No. 6 Kamehameha overwhelmed ‘Iolani 11-3 Thursday afternoon at the Raiders’ field.
Cambra also scored two runs as the Warriors supported starting pitcher Peahi Grilho with lots of offense. Her run-scoring triple in the first inning was a rocket that barely left the ground, reaching the fence. The home run in a four-run fifth inning wasn’t quite as square.
“Honestly, the triple felt better. I didn’t think (the home run) was going. I kind of got jammed,” said Cambra, a third baseman. “I feel good. Today, we just focused on playing for the people next to us and the people who can’t be here right now.”
Catcher Kezia Lucas and second baseman Landri Nakano missed the game due to illness/injury. Leadoff hitter Lexi Ahlo-Garcia went 3-for-5 with an RBI double and two run-scoring singles, scoring two runs. She moved from third base to fill in for Nakano at second, while Cambra moved from first base to fill in at third.
“The field is really nice. I would say it’s the best out of all the ILH,” Ahlo-Garcia said. “I feel good. I finally hit the ball. This was a great team win. We balled out.”
Grilho hurled four innings, permitting one run on three hits. She also walked three batters. Grilho utilized a curve, drop, changeup and screwball.
“I was in that focused mindset,” she said.
Coach Mark Lyman’s Warriors squad improved to 2-2 in ILH play (7-7 overall) and will play at Mid-Pacific on Monday.
‘Iolani dropped to 1-3 in league play (7-7-1 overall). The Raiders play Maryknoll at Sand Island on Tuesday. It was a gritty effort by the Raiders, who committed three errors but refused to go down quietly. They salvaged a run in the fifth to avoid the mercy-rule TKO, then played flawlessly in the final two frames.
“Despite the loss, there are some positives to take away from this game,” ‘Iolani coach Danny Kimura said. “I’m proud of them on how they fought back today.”
The Raiders were generous hosts, permitting two unearned runs by the visiting Warriors in the top of the first inning. Haylie Reiny sent a one-out ground ball to ‘Iolani shortstop Natalie Ching, who held the ball a second too long before throwing. After Reiny reached base on the error, Cambra blasted a 1-2 pitch to deep right center for a triple, scoring Ching from first base.
Cambra came home on a groundout to second base by Naleo Kelley.
Ena Garcia led off the top of the second with a walk and advanced to second base on a groundout by Grilho. After Ching made a diving catch on a line drive by Malu Logsdon, Garcia scored on Ahlo-Garcia’s two-out double to the left-field corner. The Raiders avoided further damage when third baseman Lexi Muramoto made a diving stop on a hard ground ball by Reiny, throwing to first for the third out.
In the third frame, Kelley singled to center with one out, and Anela Pau lined an opposite-field single to right with two outs to score Kelley. That gave Kamehameha a 4-0 advantage.
The Warriors plated three runs in the top of the fourth against ‘Iolani’s second pitcher, Lehua Acoba. Grilho led off with a double and Logsdon walked. Courtesy runner Jade Kiyan then scored from third base on a double steal for a 5-0 Kamehameha lead.
Ahlo-Garcia’s single to left scored Logsdon from second base.
With two outs, a fielding error by Ching allowed Ahlo-Garcia to score, opening the Warriors’ lead to 7-0.
‘Iolani got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth. Ching led off with a single, Baileigh Aldosa-Kalaola walked, and Alexi Takazawa lined a double to center, scoring Ching.
The Warriors broke it open in the top of the fifth. Rylie Teramoto singled with one out and Ahlo-Garcia singled with two outs, scoring Teramoto. After Reiny singled, Cambra launched a three-run homer to dead center for an 11-1 lead.
The Raiders avoided the 10-run mercy rule by scoring a run in the bottom of the fifth. Chloe Takara led off with a double off Kamehameha’s second pitcher, Teramoto After a single by Kyla Estes and Maia Matsumoto’s walk, the bases were loaded for Hunter Salausa-Galletes. She grounded into a 4-6-3 double play, scoring Takara from third base.
‘Iolani added a final run in the seventh. Maia Matsumoto singled with one out, and after Ching singled, Lexi Muramoto singled to left, plating Matsumoto.
