There’s something about being down in games that seems to bring out the best in the Campbell softball team.
Caisha Nunes scored the winning run on a wild pitch in the seventh inning as top-ranked Campbell beat No. 8 Mililani 6-5 on Tuesday in an OIA West game at Campbell.
That makes it four come-from-behind victories for the Sabers (6-0) this season. In this one, the Sabers trailed 5-2 in the fifth inning.
“No matter what the score is we’re going to fight our way back up and give us an opportunity to try and get the ‘W’,” said Campbell coach Michael Hermosura.
In the Sabers’ seventh, Dyllan Sanay-Shiraishi reached second with one out after her ground ball off Nicole Arios was bobbled by third baseman Jordan Okumura, who threw the ball low and past first baseman Kobe Brown.
Nunes drew a walk, and a passed ball put two runners in scoring position.
Jayda Favella’s ground ball was booted by Okumura, which allowed Sanay-Shiraishi to score the tying run and Nunes to advance to third.
The first pitch to Sanoe Samante went over catcher Tia Dumlao, which allowed Nunes to score.
“I was really pumped that I could end the game for our team,” Nunes said.
Chloe Sales pitched 21⁄3 scoreless innings in relief of Nadia Delzer for the victory.
“I told Nadia I always have her back no matter what,” Sales said.
Sales and Delzer have both started games this season, with Hermosura saying the opponent dictates who gets the nod.
The Trojans (3-3) made some nice defensive plays, but couldn’t get it done in the end.
“Campbell has always been a good team. Our kids, they came out strong and that last inning it just fell apart,” said Mililani coach Rose Antonio.
Campbell took a 2-0 lead in the first on RBI singles by Nunes and Tatiana Liu.
Mililani then responded with five unanswered runs. Rylee Nishimoto had a run-scoring fielder’s choice in the third, Cassidy Worzalla had a two-out, two-run single in the fourth and Tia Dumlao had a two-out, two-run triple in the fifth.
The Sabers got within 5-4 on Sanay-Shiraishi’s RBI single in the fifth and Liana Nagamine’s run-scoring single in the sixth.
Earlier this season, Campbell scored two in the sixth to beat Waianae, trailed by two in the fourth against Pearl City and was down five in the third against Leilehua.
“As a team, we just keep pushing each other and we try to keep our dugout as loud as possible because it’s important to keep our energy up and to keep everyone fighting,” Nunes said.
