Behind a stellar outing from ace Poamai Tuli and some timely hitting, Aiea squeezed past Kalani for its second OIA Division II softball title in three years.
Na Alii successfully executed back-to-back squeeze plays in the sixth inning to bring home the game’s only runs in the 2-0 championship at McKinley’s pristine field on Tuesday. Aiea (12-0) gets the OIA’s seeded berth in the upcoming HHSAA tournament, where it finished runner-up in 2015.
Tuli punched out 11 Falcons, including the last two in the top of the seventh to complete a three-hitter. She outdueled Kalani’s Cherise Horita, who was great in her own right with nine strikeouts against one walk in a four-hitter.
Tuli did not walk a batter.
“Outstanding. What else can you say, ah?” Aiea coach Alan Higuchi said. “(She) pounded the strike zone. Worked both sides of the plate. Mixed it up with her changeup.”
At one point, Tuli and Horita combined to strike out eight straight batters. Horita fanned seven through three innings, while Tuli was perfect until Jazzy Furuya singled to right to lead off the fourth.
“I (thought) that’s how it was going to be,” Tuli said. “I didn’t think we were going to be on top like how we were at their field (an 11-8 Aiea win on March 21). They’re a great team. They held us most of the game. I give them their props.”
Both teams had their chances for an earlier lead. Aiea stranded runners on second and third in the third inning, while Kalani (9-3) did the same in the fifth.
Higuchi knew if he had a runner on third late in the game, he would put the squeeze on.
He got that in the sixth, when senior Chantelle Shimabukuro led off with a single to center. Tuli was called out for leaving the batter’s box too soon, but Shimabukuro stole second with Mikelle Gonzales at the plate, then advanced to third on Gonzales’ single. Gonzales moved to second on the throw.
Aiea catcher Testimoni Tavale dropped down a perfect bunt on a 1-2 count to bring home the speedy Shimabukuro for the go-ahead score. The shortstop was in well ahead of the throw.
“I just knew I had to get home. I wanted it so bad,” Shimabukuro said. “I knew what I had to execute. I knew my teammate, if she was going to do her job, then I had to do my job.”
Na Alii’s Jaenah Padasdao followed up with another bunt to plate Gonzales.
“They executed better than we did, so that’s how come they won,” Kalani coach Kellet Hussey said. “They executed the bunt better than we executed the bunt, which is normally our forte.
“We knew they was going bunt. But two squeeze plays in a row, nicely done. Perfectly done. With the right person — Shimabukuro is fast.”
Kalani got a one-out double from Toni-Lynn Ibara in the top of the seventh, but Kylie Pagud and Chelsie Nakamura went down swinging to end it.
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At McKinley
>> Kalani (9-3) 000 000 0 — 0 3 1
>> Aiea (12-0) 000 002 X — 2 4 1
Cherise Horita and Jazzy Furuya. Poamai Tuli and Testimoni Tavale. W—Tuli. L—Horita.
Leading hitters—Kaln: Toni-Lynn Ibara 2-3, 2b. Aiea: Tiamay Ueoka 2b.
OIA DIVISION II PLAYOFFS
Third-place game: Waipahu 16, Radford 15
At Radford
>> Waipahu (5-8) 413 410 3 — 16 13 6
>> Radford (8-5) 320 043 3 — 15 10 10
Donna Samuelu, Grace Kaopua (4) and Cierra Colombini. Baileigh Susak, Abby Wilson (5) and Alden Steyeart, Mahea Hetrick (5). W—Kaopua. L—Susak.
Leading hitters—Waip: Orepa Fuiava 2-5, RBI, 3 runs; Colombini 3-5, 2b, RBI, 4 runs; Salavao Veu 1-5, RBI, 2 runs; Kaopua 3-5, HR, 4 RBIs, 4 runs; #26 1-5, 2 RBIs, run. Rad: Wilson 2-4, 2b, RBI, 2 runs; Cici 1-5, 2b, 3 RBIs, 3 runs; Selina Tavarez 2-3, 2 RBIs, 2 runs; Susak 1-4, 2b, 2 RBIs, 2 runs; Puni Seei 2-3, 2b, RBI, 2 runs; Hetrick 1-2, 2b, 3 RBIs.
