Patience is a virtue, especially for the Waialua Bulldogs.

Waialua drew 21 walks and overwhelmed Radford 22-12 to capture the Oahu Interscholastic Association Division II softball championship on Saturday night at Tiger Softball Stadium.

The Bulldogs earned their first OIA softball title since 2009, when they went on to finish second in the D-II state tournament. Waialua (9-3) will have an opening-round bye in the upcoming state tournament.

In the end, Radford outhit Waialua 17-7, but the Bulldogs strung together successful innings with a few timely hits and the help of six Radford errors.

Still, the Rams pulled within 9-8 in the fifth inning and were still within 15-12 entering the bottom of the sixth when Waialua scored seven times for the TKO win (10-run rule). Waialua pitcher Maura Moniz, a southpaw, went the distance on the mound. She struck out three and walked two.

“The first inning was great. I did have a bit of butterflies before the game, but after that first pitch, I was fine. So was everybody else, too,” Moniz said.

It was a game plan by veteran coach Rod Dicion that worked out well. In two previous matchups, Waialua won 28-9 and 8-6.

“They outhit us for sure. The first time, Maura couldn’t last one inning. They hit her. Maura believed in us, her pitching coach. We had Haven (Guerrero) ready to go and finish up (in the seventh inning). We’ll just enjoy this moment with the kids and the families, and get ready for states,” Dicion said.

Anela Hernandez, their first baseman and No. 3 hitter in the lineup, drove in three runs, including a two-run double to help Waialua fend off a late rally by the Rams.

“I feel happy. My sister, Alyssiah, was actually on that last championship team,” said Hernandez, who was optimistic about the upcoming state tourney. “We’re going to play our best and try to win.”

Waialua jumped to a 4-1 lead after one inning, benefiting from two hit batters, two walks and two Radford errors.

Cleanup hitter Selina Tavarez belted a leadoff home run in the top of the third for Radford to bring the Rams within 4-3. But the Bulldogs plated three runs in the bottom of the third and two more in the bottom of the fourth — with just one hit. Waialua led 9-4 after four frames.

The Rams battled back to within 9-8 with four runs in the top of the fifth. Nohea Akana, their starting pitcher, slapped a two-run single and Morgan Jackson followed with an RBI single.

Kenci Faith replaced Akana with one out in the bottom of the fifth, when Waialua responded with a six-run, two-hit effort, getting an RBI single by Aliyah Crowley.

Down 15-8, Radford scored four times in the top of the sixth, benefiting from two Waialua errors and RBI singles by Kenji Faith and Patty Brannan.

Waialua put the game away with a run-scoring single by Quinn Ozoa and the two-run double by Hernandez, and a two-run double by Honey Jose-Woods. Cherysh Wong’s single then scored Jose-Woods to end the game.

“These young kids, they believe in our style and they work on it, and they come through,” Dicion said. “They work hard. We had to (go) hit for hit with Radford. That’s a good hitting team. Just gotta be patient and take pitches. I know she struggles with her control.”

The Rams have also qualified for the state tournament.

“We were down early and battled back. We’re only going as far as our pitching takes us,” Radford coach Leo Christobal said. “The girls have practiced hard since Day 1. I’m not sure about a moral victory, but for Radford to make it this far, I’m proud of them.”