As Kiani Soller exited the pitcher’s circle after the top of the first inning, the Kamehameha pitcher went into the third base dugout of Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium overwhelmed.
“We came off and she said, ‘Wow, it’s really loud,’ Kamehameha coach Mark Lyman recalled.
In the dugout, Soller was told to calm down and not to worry about the noise after giving up four runs to Mililani in the top of the first.
“That kind of helped me the rest of the game,” Soller said.
Soller also got help from the Kamehameha offense — which came out in the bottom half of the first inning to score six runs — as she held Mililani scoreless over the final six innings in Kamehameha’s 11-4 win in the quarterfinal round of the HHSAA softball championships.
“That really brought my confidence up because I know that they always have my back,” said Soller, who allowed only two hits over the final six innings.
Kamehameha (20-5-2) will play Waianae at Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium tonight at 7 in the semifinal round of the tournament.
“It’s going to be a great game tomorrow because (Waianae’s) a good team,” Lyman said. “They hit the ball hard, they have great players on that team. We’re excited to play them.”
Nevaeh Telles scored three runs for Kamehameha with a 2-for-4 performance at the plate, including a two-run home run in the first inning. Kezia Lucas drove in four runs, going 1-for-1 with a home run and a pair of sacrifice flies.
“I know the kind of players that we have,” Lyman said. “All season long, we’ve played from behind, and I know that they’ll be able to come back and hit the ball hard.”
Mililani’s first three batters of the game reached via a leadoff walk and back-to-back singles. Kaui Garcia’s RBI single put Mililani up 1-0 and Amber Aniya’s three-run home run over the left-field fence put the Trojans up 4-0.
“I thought we were there, but things happened in the bottom of the inning,” Mililani coach Rose Antonio said, noting that Trojans catcher Kodie Ancheta left the game in the first inning with an injury. “That changed the whole complexion because I had to change my defensive lineup.”
Mililani committed three errors in total on Wednesday, including two in the fourth inning that led to three Kamehameha runs crossing the plate.
Telles hit a two-run home run over the center field wall to put Kamehameha on the board and trim Mililani’s lead to 4-2. After Marley Espiau was hit by a pitch, Lucas hit a two-run home run to left to tie the game at 4-all.
Jewels Hanawahine and Miquela Leopoldo hit back-to-back singles after Lucas’ home run, and both scored on a combination of an RBI single by Loganne Cambra and a Mililani fielding error to give Kamehameha a 6-4 lead. The Warriors added a run in the bottom of the second on a sacrifice fly hit by Lucas.
After Telles reached second on a Mililani fielding error to begin the bottom of the fourth, Hanawahine drove in Telles with an RBI single to left. Kamehameha scored another two runs in the inning on a Mililani throwing error to take a 10-4 lead. The Warriors added another run in the bottom of the sixth on a sacrifice fly by Lucas.
Mililani will play Baldwin in the consolation bracket today at 2 p.m. at McKinley.
“I’m proud of them, no matter what,” Antonio said. “It’s all for our pride now. That’s what we’re playing for tomorrow.”