Kapolei protects its home turf by holding off gritty Pearl City
Kapolei’s Winona Pauline was focused as she wound up against Pearl City.
By protecting its home field on senior day, Kapolei positioned itself for a bonus appearance on campus next week.
The Hurricanes held off Pearl City 4-3 yesterday in their regular-season home finale to take a one-game lead atop the Oahu Interscholastic Association Red West softball standings with two games left to play on Saturday.
A top-two finish in the division would earn Kapolei (9-1) a first-round bye and a host role for a second-round game in the OIA playoffs, which begin Monday.
“The girls play comfortable here, so I think it would definitely be a plus for us,” Kapolei head coach Tony Saffery said of the possibility of hosting.
Kapolei junior Winona Pauline helped ensure the postgame mood matched the festive decor around the field yesterday by fending off Pearl City scoring opportunities throughout the afternoon.
The Chargers (3-7) took the lead in the top of the first on Keani Passi’s two-run homer. Kapolei answered with three runs in the bottom of the inning and Pauline repeatedly worked out of trouble, stranding nine runners on base, including four in scoring position.
Don't miss out on what's happening!
Stay in touch with top news, as it happens, conveniently in your email inbox. It's FREE!
“After they hit the home run, I just smiled at all my players because I know they’ve got my back and they’re going to come back in the next inning,” said Pauline, who struck out five in her second complete-game win over the Chargers this week.
Kapolei won the series opener 6-1 on Monday.
Pearl City coach Keoke Behic came away from yesterday’s rematch encouraged by the performance, despite falling just short of the upset.
“Today we competed a lot better, we played with a lot better energy,” Behic said.
In her first start of the season, Pearl City sophomore Cydny Rivera gave up 11 hits, but kept the Chargers within striking distance. Kapolei capitalized on two errors in the first inning and another in the fourth for three of its four runs and came through with clutch defensive plays to preserve the lead.
“(Pauline’s) a good pitcher and we’re going to ride that shoulder as far as she wants to go,” said Saffery, who entered the game wary of an upset after hearing of losses by division leaders Castle and Waianae on Tuesday. “We just have to complement her with timely hits and timely plays.”
After Passi’s home run to left field, Kapolei strung together three consecutive singles to open the bottom of the first. Briana Tovio-Asato’s single into left scored Mikela Manewa with Kapolei’s first run and two more later scored on errors.
“The bottom line is we didn’t take care of the ball,” Behic said. “It showed we can compete with a team of that caliber, but they didn’t make mistakes and I think that’s the reason they’re in first place.”
The Hurricanes went into the seventh leading 4-2, but Pearl City kept the pressure on by putting the tying runs on with one out. Pauline then induced a ground out and a fielder’s-choice grounder scored Courtney Ahlo from third just before the Hurricanes ended the game with a 6-5-4-1-8 putout at second base.
Kapolei moved a full game ahead of Waianae (8-2) and two ahead of Campbell (7-3) going into a doubleheader at Mililani on Saturday. Pearl City, which has also secured a playoff berth, faces Aiea twice.
| Pearl City (3-7) | 200 | 000 | 1 | — | 3 | 9 | 4 |
| Kapolei (9-1) | 300 | 100 | x | — | 4 | 11 | 0 |
Cydny Rivera and Maya Nagata; Winona Pauline and Briana Tovio-Asato. W—Pauline. L—Rivera.
Leading hitters—PC: Nagata 2-3, 2b; Keani Passi HR, 2 RBIs; Sierra Tadiarca 2-4, 2B. Kap: Dorian Acierto 3-4, 2 2Bs; Pauline 2-3, 2B; Kaity Wills 3-3, 2 2Bs.
ILH SOFTBALL
No. 3 Punahou 3, Pac-Five 1
Jaci Young pitched a three-hitter, and Reina Furuya and Mysha Sataraka hit solo homers as the Buffanblu beat the Wolfpack.
At Punahou
| Pac-Five | 100 | 000 | 0 | — | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| Punahou | 100 | 110 | x | — | 3 | 5 | 1 |
Sophia Lucza and Cassie Koja. Jaci Young and Kayla Shimoda. W—Young. L—Lucza.
Leading hitters—Pun: Reina Furuya 2-3, HR; Mysha Sataraka 2-2, HR.
Kamehameha 13, Pac-West 0
Kaya Naiwi pitched a no-hitter and smacked a home run as the Warriors defeated Pac-West.
At Central Oahu Regional Park
| Kamehameha | 021 | 0(10) | — | 13 | 14 | 1 |
| Pac-West | 000 | 00 | — | 0 | 0 | 4 |
Kaya Naiwi and Marche Llanos; Jessica Clanton and Brandy Okimoto. W—Naiwi. L—Clanton.
Leading hitters—KS: Reyna Ae 2-2, HR; Naiwi 2-3, HR, 3 RBI, 3 runs; Misty Hoohuli 2-4, 2 RBIs; Karine Shaver 2-4, 3B, 2 RBIs.
No. 2 MPI 8, Sacred Hearts 0
Keiki Carlos pitched a three-hitter as the Owls beat the Lancers.
At Crane Park
| Mid-Pacific | 100 | 223 | 0 | — | 8 | 9 | 0 |
| Sacred Hearts | 000 | 000 | 0 | — | 0 | 3 | 5 |
Keiki Carlos, Kayla Au (6) and Kaydi Kochi. Jordyn Waracka and Kasey Lopez. W—Carlos. L—Waracka.
Leading hitters—MPI: Lindsey Matoi 2-5; Carlos 3B, 2 RBIs; Kacy Aoki 2-4, 2 runs.
ILH BASEBALL
No. 7 Punahou 4, Pac-Five 3
Michael Suiter had a go-ahead, two-run single to right in the top of the seventh as the Buffanblu edged the Wolfpack.
Suiter’s two-out hit, which made it 4-2, scored two, and Lanson Yamamoto also came in on the throw to the infield.
At Ala Wai Community Park
| Punahou | 100 | 000 | 3 | — | 4 | 8 | 3 |
| Pac-Five | 101 | 000 | 1 | — | 3 | 8 | 1 |
Dylan Combs, Tyler Kanazawa (4), Nathan Higa (7) and Kainoa Harrison. Jordan Kumasaki and Bryson Kihara. W—Kanazawa. L—Kumasaki. S—Higa.
Leading hitters—Pun: Rolenn Himuro 2-3, 2 runs; Michael Suiter 2 RBIs; Rick Nomura 2-4; Jordan Hirai 2-3. P5: Daniel Baba 2B.
Damien 17, St. Francis 1
The Monarchs scored nine runs in the first inning in beating the Saints.
At Central Oahu Regional Park
| Damien | 923 | 12 | — | 17 | 16 | 1 |
| St. Francis | 000 | 10 | — | 1 | 4 | 4 |
Riley Perry, Lyle Aloy-Glover (4) and Alan Mohika, Skyler Tomisato. Cyrus Murakami, Keha Wong (3) and Shawn Baptiste. W—Perry. L—Murakami.
Leading hitters—DM: Mohika 2 runs; Tomisato 2-2; Justin Abe 2-3, 2B, 2 runs, 3 RBIs; Jordan Murai 2-2, 3 runs; DJ Dudoit 2-3, 2 2Bs, 4 RBIs; Dylan Yonamine 3B, 2 runs; Aalona Amimoto 3B. StF: Wong 2-2; Murakami 2B.
OIA BASEBALL
No. 8 Mililani 4, No. 10 Campbell 2
Cristian Namoca and Kanoa Hironaka combined to scatter nine hits as the Trojans beat the Sabers.
At Campbell
| Mililani | 001 | 002 | 1 | — | 4 | 8 | 2 |
| Campbell | 001 | 001 | 0 | — | 2 | 9 | 3 |
Cristian Namoca, Kanoa Hironaka (5) and Wade Taoka. Robert Kahana and Chadwick Ka‘alekahi. W—Hironaka. L—Kahana.
Leading hitters—Mil: Dustyn Cook 2B; Troy Yoshizawa 2-4; Taoka 2-3, 2B; Ekolu Ramos 2-3. Camp: Ka‘alekahi 2-4; Cole Nagamine 2B; Jaris Flora 2-3.
Leilehua 12, Waianae 0
Larry Paas pitched a two-hitter with eight strikeouts as the Mules beat the Seariders in five innings.
At Waianae
| Leilehua | 601 | 05 | — | 12 | 14 | 1 |
| Waianae | 000 | 00 | — | 0 | 2 | 2 |
Larry Paas and Aaron Craig Higa. Sean Stevens, Chrenston Kauwe (2), Josh Naki (5), Jobe Cabral (5) and Clinton Mahiai-Kala, Austin Reese (4). W—Paas. L—Stevens.
Leading hitters—Lei: Higa 2-2; Cody Academia 2-2; Kenan Sadanaga 2-3, 3 RBIs; Bronson Ancheta-Maeda 2B.
No. 5 Moanalua 8, Kalani 0
Michael Egami and Regan Lum belted three-run homers as Na Menehune beat the Falcons.
At Moanalua
| Kalani | 000 | 000 | 0 | — | 0 | 6 | 1 |
| Moanalua | 233 | 000 | x | — | 8 | 10 | 0 |
Trevor Ozaki, Brandon Valenzuela (2), Brandon Medeiros (3) and Bryson Shiraishi, Blake Von Seggern (6). Kamalu Kamoku, Todd Takabuki (4), Austyn Nagamine (5), Nolan Kometani (6) and Brandon Kong, Austin Inabata (7). W—Kamoku. L—Ozaki.
Leading hitters—Kaln: Chase Sumida double. Moan: Michael Egami 3-3, HR, 3 RBIs; Bronson Shim double, 2 RBIs; Regan Lum HR, 3 RBIs; Myles Higa 2B.
No. 2 Kailua 18, Castle 5
Kila Zuttermeister hit a double, triple and homer and drove in five runs as the Surfriders beat the Knights.
At Kailua
| Castle | 041 | 00 | — | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Kailua | 475 | 2x | — | 18 | 16 | 0 |
Elika Jarrett, Jaymason Lee (2), Andre Fraticelli (3) and Robert Fram, Billy Kerkau (4). Bryson Dymond, Tyler Takata (2), Alika Ramseyer-Ho (3), Ryan McMonigle (4) and Kea Vierra, Rusty Choy Foo (4). W—Ramseyer-Ho. L—Jarrett.
Leading hitters—Cast: Fram 2-3; Lee 2 runs; Tyler Kochi 2-2, 2B, 2 RBIs. Kail: Kory Sasaoka 2-3, 2B, 3 runs; McMonigle 3-4, 2B, 4 runs, 2 RBIs; Alan Baldwin 3-4, 4 runs, 2 RBIs; Dymond 2 RBIs; Ramseyer-Ho 2-4, 2B, 2 runs, 2 RBIs; Kila Zuttermeister 3-3, 2B, 3B, HR, 3 runs, 5 RBIs; Vierra 2B.
Kalaheo 12, McKinley 8
Joseph Whiting hit a go-ahead two-run double in the sixth inning as the Mustangs beat the Tigers.
At Kailua District Park
| McKinley | 002 | 042 | 0 | — | 8 | 7 | 0 |
| Kalaheo | 600 | 114 | x | — | 12 | 11 | 1 |
Brendan Moy, Brandon Kaneko (1) and Kaneko, Moy (1). Joseph Whiting, Morgan Aggers (5), Chris Palmer (5) and Justin Pagan. W—Palmer. L—Kaneko.
Leading hitters—McK: Tyler Guieb 2-4; Vincent Hong 2-4; Claude Fears 2-4, 3B, 3 RBIs. Kalh: Alika Andres 3-5, 2 RBIs; Palmer 3-4, 2 RBIs; Whiting 2B, 2 RBIs; Pagan HR.
TUESDAY’S OIA SOFTBALL
At Kaiser
| Moanalua | 100 | 230 | 0 | — | 6 | 5 | 2 |
| Kaiser | 100 | 002 | x | — | 3 | 4 | 3 |
Dyanne Fernandez, Mercedes Fowler (6) and Kylie Oshiro. Shaydon Apela-Moku, Shauna Kuroiwa (5) and Sadie Karratti-Abordo, Kimberly Dilda (5). W—Fernandez. L—Apela-Moku.
At Aikahi Park
| Kahuku | 020 | 000 | 1 | — | 3 | 8 | 3 |
| Kalaheo | 100 | 000 | 1 | — | 2 | 7 | 4 |
