Experience in itself is not a talent, but it can be just as valuable.

The Roosevelt Rough Riders know this well. Senior ace Jaeda Cabunoc scattered five hits as No. 3 Roosevelt rallied for a 3-2 win over Kaiser on a windy Tuesday afternoon at the Lady Cougars’ field.

They did it the hard way, losing shortstop Maya Nakamura to injury in the first inning, and did not gain a lead until the sixth inning. Nakamura took a bad hop on a grounder to the forehead and laid motionless until the play was done.

“I’m not going to lie. When she was down, I was worried,” Cabunoc said. “She’s a strong link, she keeps our infield together, but it made our other veterans step up.”

Kylie Kawamura’s two-out single in the sixth inning gave the Rough Riders the lead for good. Roosevelt improved to 11-0 in Oahu Interscholastic Association East Division play as Cabunoc endured a season-long battle with lower back pain. She struck out two and walked three, providing the consistency and stability Roosevelt needed against a game Kaiser squad.

All three runs against Kaiser fireballer Primrose Aholelei — one in the third and two in the sixth — were unearned thanks to two infield throwing errors. Aholelei allowed just four hits, struck out five and walked five.

Kaiser’s all-freshmen infield has been superb most of the season, but the difference between a seasoned team and first-year varsity starters showed.

“We normally make those plays,” Kaiser coach Mitchell Matsumoto said.

The Lady Cougars seemed to get over it quickly, applauding each other during the postgame chat. Kaiser is now 7-4 in the East with one game remaining, the senior celebration on Thursday against Kaimuki.

“The game had no bearing on the standings. This is already past us,” Matsumoto said.

Kaiser took a 1-0 lead in the first inning. Precious Aholelei singled with one out, Ivane Aholelei walked, and Jaymi Gurr’s ground ball to shortstop took a bad hop. The ball caromed off the forehead of Nakamura, who laid motionless on the ground as Aholelei rounded third base and scored. Nakamura, one of the top players in the state, walked off the field and did not return.

“We found a rock on the ground there,” said Cabunoc, who then retired Primrose Aholelei and Jordyn Tagudon to end the inning.

Roosevelt tied it in the top of the third. Hoku Ching walked with one out, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Nakamura’s replacement, Fayth Kawamura, and scored when Kylie Kawamura’s grounder to shortstop Shea Higa turned into an errant throw to first, allowing Ching to score.

Kaiser regained the lead in the bottom of the third. Precious Aholelei’s flyball to deep center turned into a triple when the center fielder, Ching, lost the ball in the sun. With one out, Gurr sent a fly ball into foul ground near the right-field line, scoring Aholelei for a 2-1 lead.

In the top of the sixth, Jadalee Takara led off with a walk and a stolen base. With one out, pinch hitter Sunny Halsey walked. Aholelei struck out Ching for the second out, bringing Fayth Kawamura to the plate.

Kawamura grounded to short, where Higa made another high throw to first, allowing Takara to score from second base with the tying run. Kylie Kawamura then singled to left, bringing Riley Doi home with the go-ahead run.

In the bottom of the seventh, Cabunoc walked Tehani Keola-Aquino with one out. After a sacrifice bunt by Shea Higa, Cabunoc retired Alexis Oshiro on a flyball to center, ending the game.