DIVISION II SOFTBALL
GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE@STARBULLETIN.COM
Pac Five pitcher Jessica Ghazali delivered a pitch during yesterday's victory over Na Alii.
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Wolfpack rally into state title game
The magical season of the orange people continues.
Pac-Five, competing in the Data House Division II State Softball Championships for the first time, scored twice in the bottom of the seventh inning to rally past Aiea 2-1 yesterday at Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium.
HHSAA Division II
At Central Oahu Regional Park and Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium
Seeds: 1. Pac-Five. 2. Kalaheo. 3. Kauai. 4. Kamehameha-Maui.
yesterday
At Central Oahu Regional Park
11: Waipahu 7, Kamehameha-Maui 6
12: Kauai 11, Kalaheo 2
15: Kohala 7, King Kekaulike 7
16: Kauai 4, Waipahu 1
At Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium
13: Pac-Five 2, Aiea 1
14: Sacred Hearts 5, Kamehameha-Hawaii 2
today
At Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium
17: Kamehameha-Hawaii vs. Aiea, 10 a.m.
18: Sacred Hearts vs. Pac-Five, 6 p.m.
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The win vaulted Pac-Five (9-7) into the final against Sacred Hearts. Aiea (9-3), the Oahu Interscholastic Association runner-up, will play for third place today vs. Kamehameha-Hawaii.
"I'm shocked," said Pac-Five shortstop Reesene Choy, who drove in the tying run and scored the winning run. "I had a heart attack in the end. It was fate. We played hard. Aiea played hard. They never gave up."
Pac-Five grew used to missing state tournaments until the HHSAA allowed the multi-school program to participate starting last season.
"I think that we're lucky that the rule came into effect," said Choy, a senior. "Everybody deserves a chance to play."
That would include Jennifer Ghazali, who pitched a four-hitter. The Wolfpack ace struck out 12 and walked four for the win.
Ashley Scharsch took the hard-luck loss for Aiea. She fanned one and walked six, allowing five hits.
Controversy erupted in the bottom of the seventh, moments before the Wolfpack rallied. Courtney Gibo's blooper down the left-field line drew Aiea left fielder Piilani Boner-Lee and shortstop Rayna Storm-Okimoto. The two collided in the vicinity of the foul line and the ball bounced free.
Gibo reached base on the two-out play, while Aiea coach Tracie Koide was incensed that the ball was not ruled foul.
The next batter, Choy, grounded a 2-0 pitch up the middle for a single. That allowed courtesy runner Tatum Tokuda to slide home with the tying run.
Cara Hasegawa followed with a single to right on a 1-1 pitch, bringing Choy home with the winning run.
"It's disappointing that we had errorless play, we hit the ball, and it came down to a bad call," Koide said of the initial play that started the rally.
The call was made by the third-base umpire, who did not ask for help, Koide noted.
"The call was made already, and they don't like to change calls," she said. "We had our chances, but the girls worked so hard to get here. This really hurt them, but they're mature enough to come back tomorrow and play hard."
Aiea |
001 |
000 |
0 |
-- |
1 |
4 |
1
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Pac-Five |
000 |
000 |
2 |
-- |
2 |
5 |
1 |
Ashley Scharsch and Sasha Andrade. Jennifer Ghazali and Cara Hasegawa. W--Ghazali. L--Scharsch.
Leading hitters--Aiea: Rayna Storm-Okimoto 2-3. Pac-Five: Reesena Choy 2-3, RBI, run scored.
Sacred Hearts 5, Kamehameha-Hawaii 2
Freshman Joslyn Eugenio pitched with poise, surviving a 12-hit attack to help the Lancers advance to the finals.
Chelsea Kamai went 4-for-4 for Sacred Hearts. The freshman catcher drove in two runs and scored twice for Sacred Hearts. Kamai also stole two bases. Kristine Mihara paced KS-Hawaii, going 3-for-4.
Sacred Hearts |
301 |
010 |
0 |
-- |
5 |
9 |
2
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Kam.-Hawaii |
000 |
110 |
0 |
-- |
2 |
12 |
5 |
Joslyn Eugenio and Chelsea Kamai. Courtney Poai, Angel Mahaulu (3) and Kozy Toriano. W--Eugenio. L--Poai.
Leading hitters--SHA: Kamai 4-4, 2b; Sydney Vegas 2-4, RBI. KSH: Kristine Mihara 3-4, run; Sierra Gacayan 2-4; Kozy Toriano 2-4, RBI, run.