DIVISION I STATE SOFTBALL
JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO@STARBULLETIN.COM
Waiakea infielder Kirsty Imai couldn't handle the throw to second as Mililani's Courtney Abear slid in safe yesterday.
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Mililani pounding away
The Mililani Trojans are on a hit parade from Central Oahu to Manoa.
The top-seeded Trojans amassed 24 base hits and rolled over No. 4 seed Waiakea 16-4 last night in the semifinals of the DataHouse/HHSAA Softball State Championships at Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium.
Mililani now has 36 runs and 44 hits in two tournament games.
Ace Makani Duhaylonsod picked up her second win in two nights, enjoying the prolific support of her teammates. All nine starters got at least two hits except for Courtney Senas, who walked four times, scored four runs and is 5-for-5 in the tourney. Jaimee Aiwohi and Celina Garces each went 4-for-5 to lead Mililani (34-2-1), the Oahu Interscholastic Association champion.
Duhaylonsod went six innings, struck out six, walked none and allowed three earned runs. She also batted 3-for-5 with three RBIs.
"I just do my thing and let my defense do well," she said. "I don't think of myself as a shutout pitcher."
She fared well despite a pitcher's circle that gave her counterpart, Alana Tsue, trouble in the early innings.
"It's all loose material, so when she steps, she slides," Waiakea coach Bo Saiki said. "It's just wear and tear (on the ground). If she can't spot the ball, she's gotta come down the middle of the plate. Against a team like that, you might as well serve up batting practice."
Duhaylonsod, 8 inches taller than Tsue, had no problem with the mound.
"I started wearing football shoes halfway through the season," she said of her black Adidas cleats. "They're a lot lighter, and the other shoes were getting holes."
Waiakea (20-5) had not lost a game since nonconference play in March.
"We're playing for third place now," Saiki said. "We're not giving up."
Mililani last won the state title three years ago, when Duhaylonsod was a freshman. Aiwohi, a junior, has only known runner-up finishes for her team at the state tourney.
"It feels good. We've worked so hard to get here," Aiwohi said. "I think we have the teamwork to do it."
Mililani (16-1) |
160 |
111 |
6 |
-- |
16 |
24 |
2
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Waiakea (12-1) |
022 |
000 |
0 |
-- |
4 |
8 |
0 |
Makani Duhaylonsod, Kylee Rodrigues (7) and Rebecca Lee. Alana Tsue and Kiah-Lee Taroma. W--Duhaylonsod. L--Tsue.
Leading hitters--Mililani: Kristi Oshiro 2-4, 3 RBIs, 2b; Chanelle Sena 3-5, RBI, 2b; Duhaylonsod 3-5, RBI; Glenelle Nitta 2-3, 2 RBIs, 2b; Jaimee Aiwohi 4-5, 3 RBIs; Courtney Abear 2-4, 2b; Kelli Murakami 2 RBIs, 2b; Celina Garces 4-5, 2 RBIs, 2b; Rebecca Lee 2-4. Waiakea: Kira De Morales 2b; Kassandra Ortiz-Wong RBI; Leah Napeahi 2 RBIs.
Kamehameha 1, Campbell 0
Amber Waracka continued her mastery with a two-hit shutout against the Sabers. Waracka struck out 18 as the second-seeded Warriors advanced to the championship game.
Kamehameha (28-1) got its only run in the first inning. Shaleese Javillo, who was hit by a pitch, came home from third on a double steal.
Waracka outdueled Breanne Patton, who allowed only two hits in defeat for OIA runner-up Campbell (22-8).
Kamehameha also won its quarterfinal game by a 1-0 score. Waracka has 33 strikeouts in 17 innings pitched.
"She's all right. She can go tomorrow," Kamehameha coach Randy Tamura said of his workhorse, giving kudos to pitching coach James Millwood. "James did a great job calling pitches."
The Sabers put the tying run on base in the top of the seventh when Amber Kaulia reached on an infield hit. Waracka struck out Brittney Garcia for the second out, but Kaulia stole second base. Waracka ended the game by striking out Nicole Arata on a changeup.
"We didn't need to make it so hard," Tamura said. "We had the bases loaded twice in the first four innings."
Tonight's Kamehameha-Mililani showdown is a reunion of sorts. Six of the Trojans play on Millwood's Guava Jam Softball Club team in the offseason.
Campbell (13-5) |
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000 |
000 |
0 |
-- |
0 |
2 |
2
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Kamehameha (15-1) |
100 |
000 |
x |
-- |
1 |
2 |
1 |
Breanne Patton and Anuhea Yamaguchi. Amber Waracka and Pomaikai Kalakau. W--Waracka. L--Patton.
Leading hitters--Campbell: none. Kamehameha: none.