Waipahu advances to face top seed

The big runs were the highlight of the game but freshman Sina Nu'u's composure carried Waipahu past the first round of the state Division II softball tournament at Central Oahu Regional Park yesterday.

Nu'u pitched 2 1/3 innings of relief while striking out two as the Marauders defeated Kohala 19-17. Waipahu (8-3), which made it to the finals last year, faces top seed Pac-Five (8-7) in today's quarterfinals.

"She came through for us when we needed her and she did her job," Waipahu coach Shari Elarco said

With two outs in the bottom of the seventh, Kohala scored four runs to close to 19-17. Nu'u then got Livinia Holschuch, who represented the tying run, to pop out to shortstop Kari Sakamoto to end the game.

"We did hit her too, but we didn't have enough (at the end)," Kohala coach Stan Gonsavles said. "I told them this it. We got to do something, make something happen, score some runs and rattle them a little bit."

Early on, it was Kohala, a team with no seniors and led by three juniors, that got rattled by Waipahu's aggressive base running.

Waipahu scored six runs in the third inning with players moving off the bases in between pitches. A bunt by Nu'u loaded the bases after the Kohala catcher looked at the runner at third base and didn't get a throw off in time. Mercedes Kalekini then drove in two runs on a single to left field and Elsa Apo followed with a two-run double and Michelle Samson drove in another run.

"Coming from the Big Island and the kind of caliber we have here, I'm sure it's different," Elarco said. "I just needed to throw what I could throw out there to see what they could and couldn't do."

Waipahu led 13-4 after the top of the fourth. But the Cowgirls scored four runs in the bottom of the fourth, including one on a double steal to make it 13-8.

Kohala closed to 14-10 in the fifth after a two-run double by Holschuch, chasing starting pitcher Apo out of the game. Nu'u then finished off the Cowgirls with a pop out and strike out to end the inning.

She then scored from third in the bottom of the sixth after a wild pitch glanced off the head of Apo at home plate. Kohala added two runs in the bottom of the sixth to make it 16-13 but Waipahu added three runs in the seventh, two on a home run by Krissaundra Noga.

Noga's homer was one of two by Waipahu. Nu'u hit a solo blast in the top of the fourth.

"The base running rattled us and it showed that we were young and this was a big game," Gonsalves said. "These guys were really aggressive."

Waipahu (8-3)	326	212	3	--	19	13	7
Kohala (6-6)	220	423	4	--	17	17	8

Elsa Apo, Sina Nuu (5) and Krissaundra Noga. Lavinia Holschuch and Kylie Gonsalves. W--Apo. L--Holschuch. S---Nuu.

Leading hitters--Waip: Nu'u 3-6, HR, 3 RBIs, 5 runs; Noga 2-4, 2-run HR, 4 RBIs; Maile Spencer 2-5, RBI; Apo 2-5, 2 RBIs. Koh: Gonsalves 3-3, 4 runs; Holschuch 5-6, 7 RBIs; Chelsey Utemei 3-6, 2 RBIs.

Aiea 3, Konawaena 0

Na Alii scored three runs in the bottom of the first to hold off the Wildcats.

Ashley Scharsch struck out seven while holding Konawaena (9-4) to just three hits. Aiea (8-2) faces fourth seed Kamehameha-Maui (9-5) in the quarterfinals.

Konawaena (9-4)	000	100	0	--	1	3	0
Aiea (8-2)	300	000	x	--	3	2	3

Kayla Kurashige and Kayti Bowman. Ashley Scharsch and Sasha Andrade. W--Scharsch. L--Kurashige.

Leading hitters--none.

Sacred Hearts 11, Molokai 1, 6 inn.

Chelsea Kamai drove in three runs and Kiane Dalit drove in two as the Lancers defeated the Farmers.

The Farmers (7-8) outhit the Lancers 9-5 but could not score a run until the top of the sixth inning, when Shalei Borden homered over the center-field fence.

The Lancers (5-11) move on to face third seed Kauai (11-1) in the quarterfinals. Sacred Hearts is the only team that entered the 12-team tourney with a losing record.

Molokai (7-8)		000	001	--	1	9	4
Sacred Hearts (5-10)		400	322	--	11	5	0

Kristan Forsberg and Shardae Maliu-Calairo. Joslyn Eugenio and Chelsea Kamai. W--Eugenio. L--Forsberg.

Leading hitters--Mol: Shalei Borden HR; Maliu-Calairo 2-3; Tawney Fernandez 2-2. SH: Kiane Dalit 2-4, 3b, 2 RBIs; Kamai 3 RBIs.

Kamehameha-Hawaii 6, King Kekaulike 4

Angel Mahaulu struck out seven in relief and Sierra Gacayan drove in the winning run in the bottom of the fourth with a 2-run single. Kamehameha-Hawaii faces second seed Kalaheo (10-0) in today's quarterfinals.

King Kekaulike (7-4-1)	004	000	0	--	4	5	2
KS-Hawaii (11-2)	003	300	x	--	6	6	1

Kandyce Love and Randilee Gutina. Courtney Poai, Angel Mahaulu (3) and Kozy Toriano. W--Mahaulu. L--Love.

Leading hitters--KK: Love 2-4, RBI; Kelsey Nobriga 2-3, 2 RBIs. KSH: Sierra Gacayan 2-3, 2 RBIs; Shaleigh Gacayan 2-3, 2 RBIs.