Cherise Horita was a third-grader the last time Kalani won a softball title.
The junior pitcher made sure that drought ended on Saturday night, drilling a two-run homer and pitching a complete game as Kalani edged Aiea 4-3 for the OIA Division II softball crown at Tiger Softball Stadium.
“This is what we worked for, four years of hard work,” Kalani coach Kellen Hussey said. “There’s nothing for us to talk about now. We just had to stay in the moment and that’s what our players did.”
Kalani (14-0) rode the sterling pitching talent of Horita all season, but she was only human early on.
“Honestly, it was nerve-wracking. TV nerves. It was our first time being on TV,” the right-hander said.
She was in a groove by the fifth inning, however. Horita allowed eight hits, struck out seven and walked just one.
Aiea (11-5) got a complete-game effort from Kehaunani Arke, who gave up four runs on eight hits. She struck out two, walked two and hit one batter.
After two scoreless innings, the Lady Falcons brought three runs home in the third. April Kochi led off with an infield single before Horita blasted her homer to left.
“All year, she’s been tough (as a pitcher), but she bats first because she’s our best hitter,” Hussey said.
There was more in the third frame. Toni-Lynn Ibara singled with one out and Jazlyn Furuta drilled a two-out double to left center, scoring Ibara.
On the mound, Horita was sailing along until the top of the fourth. With two outs, Mikayla Gonzales and Jada Valenciano singled. Rachelle Strom-Okimoto lined a double past the first-base bag, driving both base runners home to tie the game at 3.
Kalani threatened in the bottom of the fifth. Horita led off with an opposite-field single and was forced out at second on grounder by Shandi Matsumoto. Ibara singled to left, putting runners at third and second. Kylie Pagud’s sac fly to left brought Matsumoto home from third for a 4-3 lead.
Mikelle Gonzales led off the top of the sixth for Aiea with a double, but was thrown out at third when Mikayla Gonzales missed on a bunt attempt.
Na Alii got their chance in the top of the seventh. Horita whiffed two batters before Jaenah Padasdao doubled to right. Jernie Padasdao lofted a deep fly to right, but Eeron Wong hustled to the corner to haul in the final out.
