Zoie Recolan was completely vulnerable, but prepared for her moment.
The junior delivered a line drive base hit to bring home Alesia Ranches from third base as Campbell rallied with three runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to edge Pearl City 5-4 on Friday night at the DataHouse/HHSAA Softball State Championships before a packed house at Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium.
It was a fitting moment for Campbell (15-4), the two-time defending state champion. Not only did they beat Pearl City (13-4) after losing three close regular-season games to one of their OIA West rivals, but they got the biggest hit of the game from Recolan. The first baseman was partly responsible for a Pearl City run in the top of the sixth with an errant throw to second base that allowed the Chargers to open their lead to 4-2.
On top of all that, Recolan had been struggling as she stepped into the batter’s box in the bottom of the seventh.
“I’ve been in a slump the last five games,” said Recolan, who was 0-for-5 in the state tourney before her game-winning hit. “At first, I said, ‘Just relax.’ I tend to get anxious. Then I had two strikes. ‘Oh my God, I can’t let my team down.’ ”
The Sabers opened the inning with a walk by Jocelyn Alo — she was walked by Pearl City ace Tyanna “Peanut Butter” Kaaialii four times — and an infield single by Chloe Domingo. Ranches then grounded a single to right on an 0-2 pitch, scoring Alo to cut the score to 4-3.
Caisha Nunes then laid down a sacrifice bunt, and Chargers first baseman Bryanna Passi fired to third base for a forceout attempt, but Domingo beat the throw. With the bases loaded, Nikki Corla’s infield single to shortstop allowed Domingo to score the tying run, setting up Recolan’s game-winner.
“I couldn’t tell them much,” Chargers coach Chad Obara said after his team’s postgame meeting. “I know it hurts. Campbell did what they had to do to pull it out. They found holes.”
For Campbell, it was a seventh consecutive ride into the semifinal round. Tonight’s game will be a third straight march into the final.
“I knew the girls had it in them. Even with the errors, they played their hearts out,” Sabers coach Michael “Shag” Hermosura said. “I knew they were down, but as coaches, we pick them up and stay positive, and help them find their inner selves and compete.”
It was a test of perseverance for both ace pitchers. Campbell’s Dani Cervantes, who had been outdueled by Kaaialii in losses of 2-1, 1-0 (eight innings) and 1-0 (nine innings) during OIA play, found herself smiling instead of shedding tears this time.
“I know what Pearl City is capable of, but I also believe in my girls so much. Losing the lead was pretty nerve-wracking, but everyone knew we could come back,” the senior said.
Cervantes allowed three earned runs on 10 hits with five strikeouts and one walk. Kaaialii permitted four runs on seven hits in six innings plus, fanning five and walking nine.
Kaaialii struggled early, issuing two walks as Campbell got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the first inning. Trinity Favela led off with a single, and Alo and Domingo walked to load the bases. Ranches singled to center, bringing Favela home for a 1-0 Campbell lead.
Kaaialii got Nunes on a fielder’s choice grounder, struck out Corla and got Recolan to fly out to end the inning.
The Chargers threatened in the top of the second, loading the bases against Cervantes with no outs on singles by Hailey-Alexis Yamaguchi, Kaaialii and Noel Saunders. However, Cervantes retired the next three batters, getting her glove in the air to slow a line drive by Taylor Shigeta for a 1-6-3 putout.
Campbell loaded the bases in the bottom of the second with one out. Kaaialii fanned Domingo for the second out, but walked Ranches on a full count, forcing in Anastasia Iosia from third base for Campbell’s second run of the game.
While Cervantes got into a groove on the mound, the Sabers loaded the bases in the bottom of the third and came up empty. Favela grounded to third base, where Kylie Tasaki, the third baseman, fired home for a force out. The catcher, Alexis Yamaguchi, then faked a throw to first base and rifled the ball back to Tasaki, who tagged out Iosia for the third out.
Campbell stranded eight baserunners in the first three innings.
After stranding a runner in scoring position in the fifth, the Chargers took their first lead in the sixth with help from Campbell. Jaeda McFarland singled, Darian Obara reached on a bunt single, and Alexis Yamaguchi laid down a sacrifice bunt. The throw to first by the catcher, Alo, sailed wide of the target, allowing McFarland and Obara to round the bases to tie the game at 2.
With courtesy runner Maiki Au at third base, Noel Saunders slapped a one-out single to center, giving Pearl City a 3-2 lead. Two of the runs were unearned.
The Chargers added an insurance run in the top of the seventh. Taylor Shigeta led off with an infield single and Tasaki laid down a sacrifice bunt. After the putout, first baseman Recolan’s throw to second base hit the dirt and skipped into left center, permitting Shigeta to score.
Mililani 14, Kamehameha 4, 6 innings
Trojans senior Shannon Pascua-Stanton drove in seven runs and Mililani set up a fourth straight all-OIA West state tournament final.
Merilis Rivera and Pascua-Stanton launched two-run home runs in a five-run outburst in the second inning. Pascua-Stanton drove in a run with a bases-loaded walk in the third and hammered a three-run triple in the fifth. Trojans right-hander Misha Carreira struck out eight in a complete-game victory.
The Trojans will attempt to win their first title since 2014 when they face OIA West rival and two-time defending state champion Campbell in today’s 7 p.m. finale at RWSS.
HHSAA DIVISION I SOFTBALL
TOURNAMENT, SEMIFINALS
Campbell 5, Pearl City 4
At Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium
>> Pearl City (13-4) 000 003 1 — 4 10 1
>> Campbell (15-4) 110 000 3 — 5 7 2
Tyanna Kaaialii and Hailey Yamaguchi. Danielle Cervantes and Jocelyn Alo. W—Cervantes. L—Kaaialii
Leading hitters—PC: Jaeda McFarland 2-4, 2b; Darian Obara 2-4; Noel Saunders 2-4; Cheyne Obara 2b. Camp: Alesia Ranches 2-3, 3 RBIs; Nikki Corla 2-4, 2b.
Mililani 14, Kamehameha 4, 6 inn.
At Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium
>> KS (12-4-1) 001 030 — 4 6 3
>> Mililani (14-3) 252 041 — 14 9 0
Rayla Jacobs-Kea, Reese Mokuau (2) and Kyler Stephens. Misha Carreira and Markie Okamoto. W—Carreira . L—Jacobs-Kea.
Leading hitters—Kamehameha: Tausani Tavale, 2B; Alana Cobb-Adams, 2-3, 2 RBIs; Dallas Millwood, 2B, RBI; Gabrielle Tyrell, 2B. Mililani: Maya Yoshiura, 2-2, 2 2B, 2 RBIs; Merilis RIvera, HR, 2 RBIs; Okamoto, 2-3, 3 RBIs; Shannon Pascua-Stanton, 3-3, 2B, HR, 7 RBIs; Maya Saneishi, 2B.
Fifth-place Semifinals
>> Waiakea 6, Maui 1
>> Maryknoll 5, Lahainaluna 0
Consolation
>> Kapolei 4, Kealakehe 1 (5 inn.)
HHSAA DIVISION II SOFTBALL
TOURNAMENT, SEMIFINALS
Aiea 10, Kapaa 4
At Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium
>> Aiea (14-0) 005 500 0 — 10 13 5
>> Kapaa (12-2) 020 020 0 — 4 5 0
Testimoni Tavale batted 2-for-3 with a home run and three RBIs and Chantelle Shimabukuro went 3-for-4 with two runs as Na Alii defeated the Warriors.
Trinty Atuatasi homered and drove in two runs and Mikelle Gonsalves also drove in a pair of runs for Aiea, which will face St. Francis in today’s final at 4:30 p.m. at Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium.
Pomai Tuli and Testimoni Tavale. Kailey Rivera, Leipua Kaui (3) and Sabrina Telles-Kelekoma. W—Tuli . L—Rivera.
Leading hitters—Aiea: Chantelle Shimabukuro 3-4, 2 runs; Tuli 2-4, 2b; Mikelle Gonsalves 2 RBIs; Tavale 2-3, HR, 3 RBIs; Jeanah Padasdao 2 runs; Trinty Atuatasi 2-4, HR, 2 RBIs. Kapaa: Kailey Rivera 2-4, 2b; Tia Takasaki 2b; Leipua Kaui 3b.
St. Francis 9, Kamehameha-Hawaii 0
At Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium
>> KS-Hawaii (17-6) 000 000 0 — 0 4 2
>> St. Francis (10-5) 402 120 x — 9 11 0
Sierrah Kupihea allowed four hits with seven strikeouts over six innings, Skye Ah Yat belted a grand slam in the first and Ka‘ena Keliinoi hit a pair of homers as the Saints beat the Warriors in a semifinal game.
Kolbee Kealoha also homered for St. Francis.
Jessica Cameros, Brooke Baptiste (5) and Kawai Kauahi-Raquel. Sierrah Kupihea, Tiare Guerrero (7) and Kalyn Higa, Ka‘ena Keliinoi (6). W—Kupihea. L—Cameros.
Leading hitters—KSH: Kiarra Lincoln 2b; Cameros 2b. StF: Joerdan Lovell 2-2; Skye Ah Yat HR, 4 RBIs; Keliinoi 3-4, 2 HRs, 2 runs, 2 RBIs; Kolbee Kealoha 2-3, HR; Kenna Santos 3-3.
Fifth-place Semifinals
>> Waipahu 5, Molokai 4 (5 inn.)
>> Radford 9, Kohala 4
Consolation
>> Kalani 7, Honokaa 0 (6 inn.)
