Palehua Silva drove in five runs, including four on a grand slam, as No. 4 Maryknoll overpowered No. 9 Kamehameha 11-1 in six innings on Saturday at Sand Island State Recreation Area.
Maryknoll will play the Punahou-‘Iolani winner on Thursday in a battle of unbeatens in the ILH round-two double-elimination softball tournament. Kamehameha (12-12 overall), which beat Mid-Pacific on Monday, will face the Punahou-‘Iolani loser on Tuesday in an elimination game.
The Punahou-‘Iolani game on Saturday was postponed due to intermittent weather.
After her second-inning granny, Silva did not get a swing for the rest of the game. Kamehameha intentionally walked her in her final two plate appearances. The grand slam came on a hanging changeup from Kamehameha pitcher Rylie Teramoto.
“We had two outs on that. The ball might have gone a little higher, a little lower, but Palehua is Palehua. You cannot make that mistake,” Kamehameha coach Mark Lyman said. “You make that mistake she will make you pay every single time. We shouldn’t have put ourselves in that position to come up with the bases loaded. We had our opportunities on offense. We could’ve played better defense. We have to shore up our pitching a little bit. We had too many walks.”
Silva’s versatility with the bat was invaluable. She had an opposite-field RBI single in the first inning. The big swat in the second frame was as much patience as power.
“I knew (the changeup) was coming. I just had to sit on it and trust my bat,” Silva said.
Kassi Cruz went the distance for Maryknoll (13-7 overall), allowing no earned runs on five hits. The right-hander struck out seven and walked three. Kamehameha stranded seven batters, batting 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position.
“I felt good this game. My screwball was working. That’s my best pitch. I felt confident, and we started off strong in the first inning,” Cruz said. “That got our confidence going. We knew what we could do. I trusted the people behind me and I trusted my catcher (Silva).”
Teramoto went three innings for Kamehameha, allowing five earned runs on five hits with four strikeouts, five walks and two hit batters.
Maryknoll was 8-4 in the regular season. Kamehameha was 6-6, finishing in third place. With three state-tournament berths allotted to the ILH — regular-season winner Punahou has sealed one of them — the progress of fourth seed ‘Iolani has the close attention of Kamehameha, Maryknoll and MPI.
“From the first pitch to the end of the game, Kassi was in it all the way. She held them down when they had runners in position,” Spartans coach John Uekawa said. “The ILH is one of the toughest leagues in the state. Every game is a challenge. Kamehameha is a darn good team.”
Both teams had scoring opportunities in the first inning. Lexi Ahlo-Garcia led off for Kamehameha with a single, raced to second base on an outfield error and advanced to third on a wild pitch. However, Cruz retired the next three batters and the Warriors came up empty.
Reyni Hiraoka led off the bottom of the first and was hit by pitch. After stealing second base, Hiraoka scored on an opposite-field double to right by Silva on a 1-2 pitch, giving Maryknoll a 1-0 lead.
A big five-run second inning by the Spartans came with two outs. Kaiya Miller led off with a walk, and Teramoto retired the next two batters. She then walked No. 9 hitter Kaitlyn Napoleon. Hiraoka’s infield single allowed Miller to race home from second base for the first run of the inning.
After Kyla Abad walked to load the bases, Silva stepped in and swatted an 0-1 changeup high and deep beyond the left-field fence for a grand slam for a 6-0 lead.
Cruz continued to pitch at her best with a runner in scoring position. Naleo Kelly tripled to deep right with two outs in the top of the fourth inning, but Jade Kiyan ended the inning with a fly ball to right.
Maryknoll missed on a golden opportunity in the bottom of the fourth. Hiraoka singled and Abad walked. Peahi Grilho-Armitage replaced Teramoto and intentionally walked Silva to load the bases with no outs. Grilho-Armitage then retired the next three batters, including a 4-2 forceout at home plate, as the Spartans emerged without a run.
Kamehameha got on the scoreboard in the top of the fifth. Maika Kiakona reached base on a throwing error by Maryknoll’s third baseman, Miller, on a tough play. Grilho-Armitage followed with a bunt that appeared to glance off her chest, but she was ruled safe at first base. After Nakano walked to load the bases with one out, Ahlo-Garcia sent a sacrifice fly to left, bringing Kiakona home from third base.
Maryknoll tacked on two more runs in the bottom of the fifth. Teramoto retired the first two runners, then walked Napoleon. After Hiraoka singled, Abad singled to center, scoring Napoleon from second base. A fielding mishap in center field allowed Hiraoka to sprint home and score, opening Maryknoll’s lead to 8-1.
The Warriors kept knocking on the door. With a walk and two singles, they loaded the bases with one out in the top of the sixth, but Cruz retired Grilho-Armitage on a pop fly and then struck out pinch hitter Addison Wong to end the threat.
In the bottom of the sixth, Maryknoll got a two-run double by Karley Sapolu. After a throwing error on Kamehameha catcher Bobbi Cambra on a throw to second base, Sapolu advanced to third. She scored the game-ending run on a sacrifice fly to right by Napoleon.
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ILH
Saturday
Varsity I Double-Elimination Tournament
At Sand Island Park
Maryknoll 11, Kamehameha 1, 6 inn.
W—Kasi Cruz.
Leading hitters—Mary: Reyni Hiraoka 3-3, 3 runs; Palehua Silva 2-2, HR, 5 RBIs; Karley Sapolu 2b, 2 RBIs. KS: Naleo Kelly 2-3, 3b.
At Punahou
‘Iolani vs. Punahou, ppd. Game will be made-up Monday.
OIA EAST
Saturday
At McKinley
Kalani 18, Moanalua 10
W—Naomi Stremick. Leading hitters— Kaln: Stremick 2-5, 2b, 2 runs; Layna Faria 4 runs; Ashlyn Sera 3-3, HR, 4 runs, 2 RBIs; Haley Ching 4-5, 2 HRs, 5 runs, 7 RBIs; Shya Morinaga HR, 2 RBIs; Kira Yamaguchi 3 RBIs; Kyla Castro 2 RBIs. Moan: Ava Anzai 3-4, 2 2bs, 3 runs; Alia Atagi 2-5, 2b; Kaylah Sato 4-5, 2b, HR, 2 runs, 5 RBIs; Hunter Jackson 2b, 2 runs.
OIA WEST
Saturday
At Nanakuli
Waianae 17, Nanakuli 6, 5 inn.
W—Hurley-Rae Ah Chong-Kane.
Leading hitters—Wain: Brylee-Rose DeMello 3-4, 2 HRs, 3 runs, 5 RBIs; Karma Pestana 2b, 3 runs; Hayden Viela 2-2, 2 HRs, 2 runs, 4 RBIs; Bailey Chee 2-4, 2 2bs; Caylee Isham 2 runs; Ah Chong-Kane HR, 2 runs; Ry-N Uyeda 2-4, 2 runs, 2 RBIs. Nan: Jhanz Kaawa-Kawai 2-2, 2 HRs, 3 runs, 3 RBIs; Keani Naehu 2b, 2 RBIs; Ariel Barrozo-Carrillo 2b.
OIA DIVISION II
Saturday
At Waipahu Pearl City 16, Waipahu 1, 4 inn.
W—Lilyanni Mata (three-hitter, eight strikeouts).
Leading hitters—PC: Phoenix Sky Lumabao HR, 2 runs, 3 RBIs; Maile Oda 2 runs; Samantha Nakamatsu 2 runs; Harlyn Barry 2 runs; Mata 2-2; Haley Shinjo 2-3, 2b, 2 runs, 2 RBIs; Giselle Enriquez 2-2, 2b, 2 runs, 3 RBIs; Saunette Oshiro 2b. Waip: Haylee Ah Keni 2b.
At Aikahi Community Park field
Radford 15, Kalaheo 0, 5 inn.
W—Karlee Cordeiro (three-hitter, four strikeouts).
Leading hitters—Rad: Si’itia Baughn 2 runs, 2 RBIs; Emma Hoolulu HR, 4 RBIs; Meghan Castro 2 RBIs; Brandie Pahia-Obra 2-3, 2b, 2 runs; Bella Futch 2b. Kalh: Ivi Young 2b; McKenna Dalby 2b.
At Lanakila District Park field
Kahuku 15, Farrington 14, 8 inn.
W—Kulani Welch-Hutchins.
Leading hitters—Kah: Kalena Welch-Hutchins 3-4, 2b, HR, 3 runs, 4 RBIs; Ginger Moore HR, 4 RBIs; Kairah Padeken-Hagi 3-4, 2 runs; Kulani Welch-Hutchins 2-5, 2b, 2 runs, 2 RBIs; Raeana Wayas-Heffernan 3-5, 2b, 2 runs; Kyla Andrews 4-5, 3 runs; Leacy Mark 2-4. Farr: Avah-Winona Tuupoina 2b, 2 RBIs; Trinity Lasit 2-4; Shaenna Auld 4-5, 2b, 3 runs, 2 RBIs; Rosearie Misioka 5-5, 2 RBIs; Chloe Seei 2-3, 2 runs; Kristy Killion 2 RBIs.
