‘Iolani proved that good things come in threes, scoring four or more runs in three separate innings to overrun Maryknoll 15-6 on Friday afternoon at home and claim the ILH double-elimination tournament. The Raiders, who were the ILH regular season champions, also clinched the ILH title with the tournament win.
Led by seniors Ailana Agbayani and Allie Capello, ‘Iolani sprinted out to a big lead early with five first-inning runs. The Raiders then put themselves ahead for good with a five-run fifth inning and a four-run sixth inning.
“I just tried to put the ball in play,” Agbayani said. “I know that every girl on the team is fast, so wherever I hit it, they can score. I just tried to keep it simple at the plate, not try to do too much. It all worked out in the end.”
Agbayani collected a pair of hits, driving in four. Capello made the most of her lone hit, a two-run home run blast in the first inning. She later collected a third RBI on a bases-loaded walk.
Agbayani and Capello also led the team defensively, sharing the mound and holding a potent Maryknoll lineup to six runs. The duo shut the Spartans out in five of the seven innings, including three straight scoreless innings to end the game.
“The defense begins with whoever is in the circle, and that’s Allie and Ailana,” ‘Iolani coach Benny Agbayani said. “They’re two seniors that have a lot of experience playing softball, and just having them in the circle and having the defense make those plays, that’s a big part of the game. A lot of times, defense wins ball games.”
“I was just working down in the strike zone to make them hit ground balls,” Capello added. “I knew my defense was behind me, and that they can make the plays. So that’s what I as focusing on, rather than striking them out.”
‘Iolani peppered left field to build its early lead. Leadoff hitter Lexie Tilton opened the bottom of the first frame with a triple that reached the left field fence. Agabayani doubled to deep left field to score Tilton. Agbayani scored on Capello’s blast over the left field fence and into the Ala Wai.
The barrage continued. With one out, Kaylee Matsuda was hit by a pitch to load up the bases for the Raiders, leading to Harley Acosta’s score on a wild pitch. With the bases still loaded, Tilton walked on a full count to score Matsuda.
Maryknoll took back a run in the second inning on Ua Nakoa-Chung’s solo home run. The Spartans had their chance to further cut into the lead, with the bases loaded on two outs. A ground out ended that opportunity however.
The Raiders responded to the score in the bottom of the third. Matsuda was hit by the first pitch she saw. She made her way around the bases, reaching second on a sacrifice bunt and then stealing third, then scored on Milla Fukuda’s RBI groundout to first base.
Breli Agbayani-Shibao, who led Maryknoll with two hits and three RBIs, hit a triple that just barely sailed past the center fielder’s glove, which cleared the bases. Jenna Sniffen singled to right field to score Agbayani-Shibao, followed by Makena Nera’s single through to left field to tie it.
Meanwhile, the Raiders offense got hot at just the right time. The first four hitters all got on base to open the bottom half of the fifth inning. The fourth batter, Fukuda, reached first on a bunt that also scored pinch runner Keely Kai. Tilton’s sac bunt scored Matsuda from third, and Agbayani singled through to center field to score Kennedie Tsue and Fukuda. A pitching change for Maryknoll couldn’t stem the tide, as pinch runner Julia Mizo promptly scored on a passed ball wrap up a five-run inning.
In the bottom of the sixth, pinch runner Logan Uechi opened the scoring, reaching home on another passed ball. With the bases loaded, Agbayani and Capello were each walked to score a run, and Acosta’s single made it 15-6 for the Raiders.
“Even when the pressure is on us, we just work together, trust in ourselves, and trust in each other,” Agbayani said. “Even though we won today, we’re going to keep grinding, because the season is not over yet. We may see this team again.”
