The power company from Mililani surged in the nick of time.
Fourth-ranked Mililani scored seven runs in the top of the seventh inning to break open a tie game, outlasting No. 5 Roosevelt 9-2 in OIA semifinal play on Tuesday at McKinley Softball Stadium.
Mililani has won five OIA crowns under coach Rose Antonio, the most recent in 2015. Tuesday’s win by Mililani (11-3) ended Roosevelt’s 10-game win streak. The Rough Riders had already clinched one of the OIA’s six state-tournament berths. Roosevelt was the last team from the East to win the league title, in ’09.
“Our team didn’t give up, but Mililani hit the ball and we didn’t,” Roosevelt coach Clay Okamura said. “We’ve got to fix it.”
Mililani turned on its power with seven runs on eight hits in the final inning. After pinch hitter Katie Carlos singled with one out, Maya Yoshimura later drove in the go-ahead run with two outs to give Mililani a 3-2 lead. Then the Trojans exploded with three-run homers by Markie Okamoto and Taylor Schmerbauch off Roosevelt starting pitcher Jaeda Cabunoc, who had allowed just four hits through the first six innings.
It was a gritty performance by Cabunoc, who struck out two, walked one and hit two batters. Mililani ace Misha Carreira was just as gritty, allowing a lead-off home run to Roosevelt’s Maya Nakamura. Carreira went the distance, allowing just four hits, striking out 10, walking three and hitting one batter. She got better as the game went on, striking out the side in the sixth and seventh innings.
“We had to take care of it one game at a time,” Antonio said. “We’re finally getting timely hits. Roosevelt is a great team. Coach Clay and his staff are doing a great job.”
Trailing 1-0, the Trojans scored twice in the top of the third to take the lead. With two outs, Merilis “Mama” Rivera singled to the opposite field, scoring Jerae Keliikoa and Maya Saneishi.
Roosevelt tied the game at 2 in the bottom of the fifth when Mika Emoto came through with two outs, singling to center to score Megan Taguchi.
In the top of the seventh, Carlos singled up the middle with one out, went to second on a sacrifice bunt by Tarah Aniya and scored on a single to left by Yoshimura to give the Trojans the lead, 3-2. After Rivera doubled to left, Okamoto stepped in, worked the count to 2-1 and then drilled the next pitch over the center-field fence for a three-run blast.
Shannon Pascua-Stanton and Tracie Okamura singled, setting up a three-run tater by Schmerbauch over dead center for a 9-2 lead.
It was an emotional night for Okamoto, Mililani’s senior catcher. Yesterday was the anniversary of her great-grandmother Ellen’s death. Her great-grandfather Leonard died on Ellen’s birthday four years ago. Okamoto couldn’t hold back the tears once she thought about them.
“I know they’re both watching over me,” she said.
Pearl City 1, Campbell 0, 9 innings
For the third time this season, the Chargers stymied the Sabers, once again in a classic pitchers’ duel. Noel Saunders’ double to deep left field scored Jaeda McFarland just ahead of the tag at home plate to give Pearl City the semifinal win.
Tyanna “Peanut Butter” Kaaialii went the distance, throwing a no-hitter with 13 strikeouts and 11 walks. Five of those bases on balls were intentional to Campbell slugger Jocelyn Alo.
Dani Cervantes, who had a no-hitter through eight innings, was the hard-luck losing pitcher. She allowed one run on two hits, all in the ninth, with eight strikeouts and four walks.
Pearl City (11-2) will meet Mililani in the OIA Division I title game on Tuesday.
OIA Division I softball playoffs
No. 4 Mililani 9, No. 5 Roosevelt 2
At McKinley
Mililani (11-3) 002 000 7 — 9 12 0
Roosevelt (11-3) 100 010 0 — 2 4 1
Misha Carreira and Markie Okamoto. Jaeda Cabunoc and Haylie Uetake. W—Carreira. L—Cabunoc.
Leading hitters—Mil: Maya Yoshimura 2-4; Merilis Rivera 2-4, 2b, 2 RBIs; Okamoto HR, 3 RBIs; Tracie Okamura 2-4; Taylor Schmerbauch HR, 3 RBIs; Maya Saneishi 2-3. Roos: Maya Nakamura HR; Mika Emoto 2-3.
No. 1 Pearl City 1, No. 3 Campbell 0, 9 inn.
At McKinley
Camp (11-4) 000 000 000 — 0 0 1
PC (11-2) 000 000 001 — 1 2 1
Dani Cervantes and Jocelyn Alo. Tyanna Kaaialii and Hailey-Alexis Yamaguchi. W—Kaaialii. L—Cervantes.
Leading hitter—PC: Noel Saunders 2b.
No. 10 Leilehua 10, Moanalua 4
At Moanalua
Leilehua (10-5) 012 016 0 — 10 12 3
Moanalua (10-5) 003 001 0 — 4 4 2
Kamryn Kamakaiwi and Gigi Araki. Mari Kimoto, Jada Young (6) and Raven Rosa-Lasco. W—Kamakaiwi. L—Kimoto.
Leading hitters—Lei: Brandi Leong 2-5; Pomai Nahulu 2-5, 2 runs; Ashley Salausa 3-4, 2b, 3 runs; Araki 2-4; Kamakaiwi HR, 2 RBIs. Moan: Kellie Kitano-Maguire 3b, 2 RBIs.
Kapolei 4, Kailua 1
At Kailua
Kapolei (5-10) 002 020 0 — 4 7 0
Kailua (9-5) 000 001 0 — 1 2 1
Sadie Kapaku-You and NA. Dyani Cummings-Lani and Keani Yamamoto. W—Kapaku-You. L—Cummings-Lani.
Leading hitters—Kapo: Prestyne Kaimi-Montira 2-3, 2b; Kiley Ozaki 2-4, HR, 3 RBIs. Kail: Harley Texeira 2b.
OIA Division II softball playoffs
Kalani 12, Radford 8
At Kalani
Radford (8-4) 000 103 4 — 8 16 3
Kalani (9-2) 600 015 x — 12 14 0
Abigail Wilson and Hetrick. Cherise Horita and Jazlyn Furuya. W—Horita. L—Wilson.
Leading hitters—Rad: Wilson 2b, 3-4; Farias 2-4, 2 runs; Tavarez 3-4, 2b, HR, 3 runs, 3 RBIs; Baileigh Susak 2-4, 3 RBIs; Seel 2-4; Trigler 2-3, 2b. Kaln: Furuya 2-3; Shandi Matsumoto 3-4, 2b, 2 runs; Horita 2 RBIs; Toni-Lynn Ibara 2-3, 3 runs; Kylie Pagud 2b, 2 runs; Chelsie Nakamura 2-3, 3 RBIs; Diamond DeMello 3-4, 2b, 3b, 2 RBIs.
