‘Iolani’s Ailana Agbayani accomplished an extremely rare feat Friday by pitching a complete game as her team’s third pitcher of the game.
Agbayani also batted 3-for-5 with three runs scored and Harley Acosta and Lexie Tilton both hit solo homers as visiting ‘Iolani held off Kamehameha 11-9 in an ILH softball game.
“She is one player we can trust when she takes the mound. She’s a big-time player. She’s going to find a way to win,” said ‘Iolani coach Benny Agbayani, who also is the father of Ailana.
The No. 1 Raiders started Molly Dyer, who was removed after walking both batters she faced on 11 pitches.
Allie Capello entered and walked the three batters she faced on 21 pitches, and was lifted in favor of Agbayani.
“I wasn’t really expecting to go in that early,” Agbayani said. “I just went in and did my job and they still had my back, cheering me on.”
Agbayani, a BYU commit, went the rest of the way, allowing six runs on six hits and five walks with seven strikeouts on a cold, windy day.
“Sometimes when I was on the mound, I felt the wind pushing me, so I really had to stand my ground and be strong and pitch the ball,” she said.
In all, ‘Iolani drew eight walks and Kamehameha, which is tied for No. 2 in the state, had 10. There were eight combined walks in the first inning, which took 45 minutes to complete.
“It was a tough strike zone and I tell them when it’s a tough strike zone you have to work harder, but I’m proud of the pitchers who went ahead of (Agbayani). You have to find the rhythm and timing,” said Agbayani, the coach.
‘Iolani (3-0) took a 10-4 lead after 5 1/2 innings, but Kamehameha (3-1) scored two in the sixth to cut its deficit to four. Acosta’s homer in the seventh put the Raiders ahead 11-6.
In the final inning, Agbayani allowed three runs to score and had a runner at third, but got a swinging strikeout to end it.
“We were just trying to fight,” said Kamehameha coach Mark Lyman. “I’m just glad they found a little something at the end there, but we have a little more to go.”
In the middle of Kamehameha’s rally in the seventh, Destiny Lum got a hit to left, which scored Rylee Gaudia, but Raiders left fielder Tilton threw to shortstop Kennadie Tsue and her relay to third baseman Harley Acosta was in time to get the runner trying to go from first to third for the second out.
“That was big. Kennadie came up big,” said Agbayani, the coach. “She checked the runner and threw to the right base. I tip my cap to her because that was a crucial play at that moment.”
The Raiders took a 5-3 lead in the third on Hunter Salausa-Galletes’ double to center, which scored Tilton and Agbayani.
‘Iolani scored four runs in the fifth, which made it 9-4. The first seven Raiders’ batters hit singles, including three on bunts.
“We take what they give us and we stuck to our game plan,” said the elder Agbayani. “When we needed that big hit, they come through.”
Tilton’s homer in the sixth made it 10-6.
The play of the game came in the top of the seventh when Kamehameha center fielder Haley Agena went back on a ball hit by Capello and made a leaping catch while falling over the fence.
“We have a really short fence here, so we know what we have to do when we get there,” Lyman said. “Find the ball first and find the fence after.”
At Kamehameha
‘Iolani 11, Kamehameha 9. W—Ailana Agbayani. L—Madison Rabe
Leading hitters—‘Iolani: Agbayani 3-5, 3 runs; Harley Acosta 2-4, HR, 2 RBIs; Hunter Salausa-Galletes 2-3, 2b, 3 RBIs; Milla Fukuda 2-3; Lexie Tilton 3-3, HR, 3 runs. Kamehameha: Haley Agena 2-3, 2b; Rylee Gaudia 2 runs; Destiny Lum 2-3, 2b.
