Campbell continued its torrid pace through the OIA softball tournament Thursday night with an 11-0, mercy-rule pounding of Pearl City at McKinley’s new stadium.
The Sabers (13-1), who are ranked No. 2 in the Honolulu Star-Advertiser’s Top 10, moved to Friday night’s league championship game against No. 4 Mililani at McKinley.
For the second day in a row, Campbell’s offense clicked and its pitching only allowed one hit. On Wednesday, the Sabers clipped Leilehua 12-0 in five innings.
"Campbell is a well-rounded team," said Chargers coach Chad Obara, whose team is tied at No. 6 with Kaiser in the state’s Top 10. "They can swing the bat. They’ve got power. They’ve got speed. They’ve got excellent pitching and defense. Everything they hit found a hole. Everything we hit didn’t."
It was also the second game in a row the opposing coach said his or her team would have needed to play a near-perfect game to beat the Sabers. Mules coach Stacy Araki started that streak Wednesday.
Campbell pounded away for eight runs in the first inning and never looked back. Chardonnay Pantastico led off with a single and followed with a three-run triple as the 10th of 12 batters in the inning. Caragh Morris, who finished 3-for-3, helped the rally with a two-run single.
The potent offense is not going to sway coach Michael Hermosura into believing his Sabers are good enough right now. He insists they must improve against the Trojans on Friday.
"We gotta be better," Hermosura said. "We’ve got to be driving onward and can’t afford to relax. Mililani is a very tough team."
Pitcher Elisa Favela earned her second win in as many days. She went the full five innings after throwing four against Leilehua, when she combined with Dani Cervantes on a one-hitter.
On Thursday, Favela notched the one-hitter by herself.
"We won it as a team," Favela said. "And we jumped on top of their pitchers and made the plays when we needed them."
With single runs in the second, third and fourth, Campbell polished off the win. Darian Robinson belted an RBI single in the second.
Natalie Kang had the only hit for Pearl City (10-4-1), a line shot to center in the second.
Pearl City will play in the third-place game Friday at 3 p.m. at Kaiser and will participate as one of the OIA’s six teams in the states.
At McKinley |
No. 6 Pearl City |
000 |
00 |
— |
0 |
1 |
5 |
No. 2 Campbell |
811 |
1x |
— |
11 |
8 |
0 |
Kristin Frost, Tyanna Kaaialii (1) and Hope Casarez. Elisa Favela and Kiana Ulufale. W–Favela. L–Frost.
Leading hitters–Campbell: Chardonnay Pantastico 2-3, 3b, 3 RBIs, 2 runs; Caragh Morris 3-3, 2 RBIs, 2 runs; Darian Robinson 2 RBIs; Elisa Favela RBI; Nashlynn Anguay RBI.
Mililani 11, Kaiser 1
With a nasty curveball, Aubree Kim pitched a one-hitter and struck out 13 as No. 4 Mililani tripped previously unbeaten Kaiser in the OIA softball semifinals.
Despite the fact that she is the reigning All-State pitcher of the year, Kim talked about Thursday’s win at McKinley’s new stadium over the sixth-ranked Cougars as a mini breakthrough performance.
"To me, I’ve had a tough regular season," she said. "So after yesterday (a 12-2 quarterfinal win over Castle), I thought about what I wanted to do. I focused on slowing it down and going for more movement."
It worked, and the timing is right for her because the Trojans (12-1-1) face OIA West rival Campbell (13-1), the second-ranked team in the Honolulu Star-Advertiser’s Top 10, for the OIA title Friday night at 7 at McKinley.
Kim struggled in the first inning and allowed a run, but she got out of a bases-loaded jam with a strikeout. Things got easier from there. Kaiser had only three more base-runners and none of them got past first.
She finished strong, striking out the side in the sixth to end it and hand the Cougars (13-1) their first loss.
"The teams in the West are hands down better," Kaiser coach Mitch Matsumoto said. "More kids play ball there. We play the hand we’re dealt with. Mililani is a really good team."
Kylie Bello’s grand slam over the fence in center field keyed a six-run second inning for the Trojans for a 7-1 lead.
At McKinley |
No. 4 Mili. (12-1-1) |
160 |
112 |
— |
11 |
14 |
1 |
No. 6 Kais. (13-1) |
100 |
000 |
— |
1 |
1 |
1 |
Aubree Kim and Markie Okamoto. Crystal Ching-Lake and Tiana Ching-Lake. W–Kim. L–C. Ching-Lake.
Leading hitters–Mililani: Keri Togami 2 runs, RBI; Maya Yoshiura 2-3, RBI; Kyle Bello 2 runs, grand slam, 4 RBIs; Kristen Ishii 3-4, RBI; Merilis Rivera 2b; Tristan Kozo 2-3, 2 RBIs; Shannon Stanton 2-2. Kaiser: T. Ching-Lake RBI.
OIA D-I CONSOLATION
Leilehua 9, Kailua 3
Chasity Stalcup scattered nine hits in a complete-game performance and the Mules benefited from seven errors.
At Kailua |
Leilehua |
200 |
205 |
0 |
— |
9 |
5 |
0 |
Kailua |
020 |
100 |
0 |
— |
3 |
9 |
7 |
Chasity Stalcup and Staisa Micky. Dyani Cummings-Lani and Denise Nagayama. W–Stalcup. L–Cummings-Lani.
Leading hitters–Leilehua: Stalcup 2b. Kailua: Harley Texeira 2-3; Tiani Lastimosa 2-3, HR.
Kapolei 18, Castle 6, 5 inn.
Sadie Kapaku-You pitched a complete game and also hit a two-run homer as the Hurricanes racked up 14 hits to defeat the Knights and punch their ticket to states.
At Castle |
Kapolei |
611 |
64 |
— |
18 |
14 |
2 |
Castle |
003 |
03 |
— |
6 |
6 |
7 |
Sadie Kapaku-You and Lili Kaimi. Asia Igafo, Kacie Lam (2) and Taylor Ah-Mook Sang. W–Kapaku-You. L–Igafo.
Leading hitters–Kapolei: Makana Meyers 2-5; Shaycelynn Ho’ohuli 3-5, 2b, RBI; Kapaku-You 2-4, HR, 2 RBIs; Kamrynmae Kanae 3-3, 2 RBIs. Castle: Ah-Mook Sang 3-3, HR, 3 RBIs; Igafo 2-3; Lam 3b, 2 RBIs.
DIVISION II SEMIFINALS
Aiea 13, Kalaheo 1, 5 inn.
Desi Li’ili’i and Poamai Tuli combined to allow three hits as Na Alii thumped the Mustangs in the OIA Division II semifinals.
At Aiea |
Kalaheo |
100 |
00 |
— |
1 |
3 |
3 |
Aiea |
901 |
3X |
— |
13 |
11 |
0 |
Jacqui Howard, Michelle Sasaki (4) and Sasaki, Howard (4). Desi Liilii, Poamai Tuli (4) and Kailie Alama. W–Li’ili’i. L–Howard.
Leading hitters–Kalaheo: Autumn Grant 2-2; Howard 3b. Aiea: Li’ili’i 2-3; Alama 2-2, HR, 3 RBIs; Chantel Shimabukuro 2-3, 2b; Tess Tavale 3-3, two 2bs.
Nanakuli 18, Waialua 3
Cheyenne Lute recorded seven strikeouts as the Golden Hawks routed the Bulldogs in five innings.
At Nanakuli |
Waialua |
200 |
10 |
— |
3 |
2 |
3 |
Nanakuli |
385 |
2X |
— |
18 |
10 |
3 |
Danielle Maxwell, Keahi Pang (4) and Laola Pang. Cheyenne Lute, Autum McCoy (4) and Kaila Burnett, Keani Mahinu (4). W–Lute. L–Maxwell.
Leading hitters–Nanakuli: Lute 3-3, 2b, 3b, 4 RBIs; Daria Kawaahau 2b, 4 runs; Mahina Piilani 2b, 2 RBIs; Chalyssa Belford 2b, 2 RBIs; McCoy 2b, RBI.