Kaienna Fuentes-Arellano and Taylor Mendoza blasted home runs, while freshman pitcher Lily Perreira scattered eight hits and went the distance as No. 3-ranked Campbell overpowered No. 7 Leilehua 14-3 on Tuesday afternoon at Ka‘ala Neighborhood Park.
The Sabers improved to 6-1 in the OIA West behind a hitting attack that exploded for six runs on six hits in the fourth inning and seven runs on seven hits in the fifth off Leilehua pitcher Breeann Leong. The visitors amassed 15 hits.
Fuentes-Arellano finished 3-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs scored. She credited work in the weight room for her power at the plate. The team works out twice per week, and on Saturdays at 6:30 a.m. when there is no game.
“We lift as a team and I also have weight training class,” said Mendoza, who was 2-for-3 with a triple, three RBIs and two runs scored in addition to her homer. “On Saturdays, we’re working while everyone else is sleeping.”
Perreira permitted three runs, had no strikeouts and did not issue a walk. Leilehua had runners in scoring position in the second and third innings, but came up empty. She also had a two-run single in the fourth inning to spark Campbell’s momentum.
Leilehua is led by first-year head coach Brandi Leong, older sister of pitcher-shortstop Breeann, a Hawaii Hilo commit. Coach Leong replaced longtime coach Wendell Au, who stepped down. Au led Leilehua to the state title in 2018 when Brandi Leong was a senior and All-State selection. The current Mules squad has two club players, a big drop from championship year.
In all, four players from the ’18 title team, including Leong, are coaching together for the Mules.
“JV season (in the winter) was our first time. It’s different now,” Leong said. “The way we were coached is different from the way these girls like to be coached. That’s the hardest thing. Our main thing is to bring out their inner confidence to want to win, to have that attitude where they can beat any team.”
The Mules broke the ice in the bottom of the first. Leadoff hitter Ciara Fortuno drilled a double to deep center and advanced to third base on a passed ball. Isabella Mercado’s sacrifice fly to left brought Fortuno home for a 1-0 Leilehua lead.
In the bottom of the second, the Mules had two runners in scoring position, aided by two Campbell errors, but Meadow Tammarine flied out for the third out.
The visiting Sabers tied the score in the top of the third. Perreira led off with a walk and Shyla Gabrillo singled. Courtesy runner Dalexy Sanchez kept churning and was safe at third base, and Gabrillo reached second base on the throw to third.
After Kayla Whaley grounded out, Fuentes-Arellano singled to left, scoring Sanchez. Leong then retired Sophia Alo on a groundout to end the inning.
The Sabers’ momentum continued into the top of the fourth. Nohea Pantastico led off with a single and Breena Malama was hit by pitch while squaring up to bunt. After a sacrifice bunt by Taileen Aso‘au, Perreira grounded a single to center, scoring Pantastico and courtesy runner Sophie Angeles for a 3-1 Campbell lead.
Leong had a 1-2 count on Mendoza, who sent an opposite-field triple to right, plating the courtesy runner. Sanchez.Whaley followed with a line drive single to center, scoring Mendoza for a 5-1 lead.
Fuentes-Arellano, who had struck out in her first at-bat, then swatted Leong’s first pitch high over the left-center fence for a two-run home run, opening the lead to 7-1.
“I was looking inside because that’s all she was throwing me,” Fuentes-Arellano said.
Leilehua edged closer with one run in the bottom of the fourth. Arria Vierra led off with an infield single, advanced to second base on a sacrifice bunt by Raechele Freitas and scored on a single to right by Shaleea Ancheta-Ballesteros.
Campbell tacked on a run in the fifth. Sanchez sent a pinch-hit single to center field, stole second base and scored on a single by pinch hitter Skylynne Gonzalez for an 8-2 lead.
Mendoza then parked a two-run home run over the center-field fence, stretching Campbell’s lead to 10-2.
That ended the afternoon for Leong, who went 4 1/3 innings, allowing 10 runs on 10 hits with five strikeouts and one walk.
Facing Fortuno, who moved to the circle from shortstop, the Sabers loaded the bases with three singles. Alo grounded to third, but the infielder Mercado’s throwing error allowed Gabrillo to score from third base for an 11-2 lead.
Pinch hitter Hayden Nagamine then singled to right, plating Whaley and Fuentes-Arellano for a 13-2 cushion.
Sanchez’s ground-rule double brought Alo in for a 14-2 lead.
The Mules wouldn’t quit. Fortuno, a commit to Lewis and Clark, led off the bottom of the fifth with a clout over the right-field fence for a solo homer.
Breeann Leong and her teammates were surprised when Au stepped down. Playing for her older sister was equally surprising.
“It’s a dynamic like no other. I never expected us to be in the coach and player position. It helps because I looked up to her, watching her play,” she said. “I wanted to be like her.”
Fortuno, a speedy left-handed hitter with power, expects the young Mules to bounce back from the loss.
“As a team, we always keep that mindset where we have 24 hours to think about it, and the next practice we flush it and work on our goal,” she said. “Mindset is really important to us. Keeping the energy us is really important to us. Nobody likes to lose, it’s a regular-season game, not a championship game. We won’t dwell on it too much.”
Campbell will visit Waianae on Thursday. Leilehua will travel to Kapolei, also on Thursday.
