Chargers take title

Cinderella wore purple to the Data House/HHSAA State Softball Championships last night.

Pearl City, unseeded out of the Oahu Interscholastic Association, capped a remarkable run through the tourney by edging defending champion Mililani 2-1 to capture the Division I crown.

A capacity crowd at Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium saw the late-night battle. The showdown ended at 11:05 p.m., well before midnight for the Cinderella Chargers.

"This team has been through so much adversity, but they hung together, stood strong," Pearl City coach Keoke Behic said while holding a chain with a purple lock. "We all stick together, we didn't have one weak link in the chain."

The Chargers (16-3) did it with a scintillating performance by pitcher Corrie Nishikida, heady baserunning by Marina Gusman-Brown and timely hitting from junior Kanani Numata. Nishikida, in complete command of her changeup all night, ended the game with her money pitch, fanning Tierra-lyn Cuba on a called third strike.

"Corrie has tons of heart," Behic said. "Her knee was sore, her arm was tight, it was all adrenaline."

Nishikida fanned six and walked just one, outdueling Mililani ace Makani Duhaylonsod. The Trojan hurler struck out five and walked one, permitting just one earned run.

Nishikida scattered five hits as the Chargers captured their fourth state championship. It is Pearl City's first state softball title since 1992, when Wesley Uyehara was coach and the tourney was held at Roosevelt High School.

"It's shocking," Nishikida said. "It's starting to hit me. The team was one and the defense backed me up."

Lauren Fujisaki batted 3-for-3 for the Chargers.

Mililani finished its season 15-4.

Gusman-Brown gave the Chargers a jolt in the top of the first inning. After reaching base on a rare error by Mililani shortstop Kim Goo, Gusman-Brown stole second and third on consecutive pitches before Numata stroked an opposite-field single to right.

Mililani got its leadoff batter on base in the first two innings, but failed to capitalize against Nishikida.

The Chargers got their second shot of lightning from Gusman-Brown in the fifth frame. The senior reached base on a fielder's choice, stole second and came home on Numata's soft liner to left. The ball was nearly speared by left fielder Chasity Senas, but squirted away. Gusman-Brown, running all the way with two outs, scored easily to give Pearl City a 2-0 lead.

Mililani finally got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the sixth. Dana Lee spanked a two-out single to right, followed by Duhaylonsod's single to center. Skye Virtudes lined a shot up the middle for a single, scoring Lee to cut the lead to 2-1.