For a second day in a row, the Campbell Sabers proved they are at their best when they’re chasing from behind.
Campbell’s eight-run fifth inning, capped by Kaienna Fuentes-Arellano’s two-run shot to center, got the job done in a 12-10 win over third-seeded Maui champion Baldwin in a Division I quarterfinal game Wednesday in the DataHouse/HHSAA Softball State Championships at Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium.
Fuentes-Arellano also pitched two innings to pick up the win. Sophie Alo also homered for Campbell (20-4-2 overall), which advanced to the semifinals and will play Maryknoll today at 4:30 p.m.
Baldwin (21-4-2) meets Kaiser today at noon on McKinley’s field.
Leading 6-3 in the top of the sixth, Baldwin replaced Hope Batulayan-Cadorna with Shai Brown in the pitcher’s circle. After Brown walked the bases loaded, Nanea Pantastico walked on four pitches, forcing in Fuentes-Arellano from third. That cut the lead to 6-4.
Batulayan-Cadorna returned to the pitcher’s circle but Dalexy Sanchez then socked a two-run double to left, tying the game at 6.
Skylynne Gonzalez, pinch-hitting for Lily Perreira, followed with a triple to left, scoring Pantastico and Sanchez for an 8-6 lead.
Taylor Mendoza’s groundout brought Gonzales home from third base, and it was 9-6.
The damage wasn’t done. Kayla Whaley singled with two outs and Fuentes-Arellano homered to straightaway center, opening the lead to 11-6.
Mililani 4, Kamehameha 0
Sophomore Hinano Bautista spun a four-hitter to lead the top-seeded Lady Trojans over the Warriors in the final game of the day at RWSS.
Mililani (27-1-1) takes on Punahou in today’s 7 p.m. semifinal.
Makanalei Watkins-Villegas had two run-scoring singles to spark the Trojan attack.
Bautista and the Trojans clung to a 1-0 lead after three innings before they added single runs in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings against the ILH’s third-place team. She did not strike out a batter and walked just one Trojan, posting her second shutout in the state tourney.
Maryknoll 11, Kaiser 1, 5 inn.
Kasi Cruz pitched a one-hitter and drove in two runs as the ILH champion Spartans advanced. Sheyzelle Iokia went 2-for-3 with a home run, double, five RBIs and two runs scored.
Palehua Silva added a three-run home run. Maryknoll (17-7) scored four runs in the first inning and five in the second.
Cruz struck out three and walked four.
The Spartans meet Campbell in the semifinal round at 4:30 p.m. today at RWSS.
Kaiser (16-9-1) plays Baldwin today at noon at McKinley.
Punahou 10, Hilo 0
Paige Brunn fired a one-hitter as Punahou hammered BIIF champion Hilo, 10-0, in six innings on Wednesday at RWSS.
The senior struck out five and walked two for her second complete-game win in as many days.
ILH runner-up Punahou will meet Mililani in today’s semifinal at 7:30 p.m.
Taryn Ho hit a two-run homer, her second tater in as many days. Since just two runs in three ILH playoff games, Punahou has scored 24 in two state-tournament games with the return of third baseman Li‘i Brown, the clean-up hitter.
Hilo came in with former Maryknoll pitcher Molly Davi in the circle. Since moving back home to Hilo for her sophomore year, Davi had a stellar BIIF season, igniting the Vikings program. She met her match in Punahou, however, allowing eight earned runs on 10 hits. She fanned three and walked three.
In BIIF play, Davi was 11-0 with a 0.00 ERA, 153 strikeouts and eight walks in 67 innings. In preseason, she was 1-2 with a 5.02 ERA, 31 strikeouts and one walk in 15 1-3 innings against Kauai, Nanakuli and Mililani.
The Vikings will return all but two graduating seniors next year.
D-II quarterfinals
Waimea 14, KS-Hawaii 3, 5 innings
Kamaile Valente batted 3-for-4 with two doubles and four RBIs, and Kealohi Pundyke drew four walks and scored four times as the Menehunes beat the third-seeded Warriors at McKinley.
Waimea will face Pearl City in today’s semifinals at 11:30 a.m. at Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium.
Pearl City 13, Radford 7
Saunette Oshiro batted 2-for-3 with three runs and three RBIs, and Maile Oda went 3-for-4 with two runs and two RBIs as the second-seeded Chargers beat the Rams.
Harlyn Barry and Lilyanni Mata each drove in two runs for Pearl City, which led 9-1 after two innings.
Pac-Five 15, Lanai 1, 5 inn.
Kylie Oshita pitched three scoreless innings and three relievers helped finish off a two-hitter with eight strikeouts as the Wolfpack defeated the fourth-seeded Pinelasses.
Dahlia Gangano and Mauliola Zuttermeister each drove in three runs for Pac-Five, which will face Kapaa in today’s semifinals at 2 p.m. at Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium.
Kapaa 15, Kailua 1, 5 innings
Charlize Kenney batted 3-for-4 with two homers and seven RBIs, and Karlee-Rose Keale allowed one run over four innings as the top-seeded Warriors of the Kauai Interscholastic Federation routed the Surfriders.
Sienna Yamashita scored three runs and Jaicie Martinez drove in three for Kapaa.
