StarBulletin.com

Roosevelt victorious, thanks to Sacred Hearts miscues


By

POSTED: Thursday, May 14, 2009

A bobble here, a miscue there is all it takes to derail championship hopes.

Just ask the Sacred Hearts Academy softball team. Against Roosevelt yesterday, the Lancers' five errors plated two unearned runs, escorting the Rough Riders to the Division I state semifinals with a 5-4 victory at the Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium.

“;It's been pretty much our nemesis all season long,”; said Sacred Hearts coach Wade Okamura of his team's defense.

With the win, OIA champion Roosevelt (15-1), the Division I state tournament's second-seeded team, moves on to play third-seeded Baldwin (14-0). The Bears beat Mid-Pacific yesterday.

Roosevelt won its state opener (it had a first-round bye) and advanced to today's semifinals thanks to the Lancers' mistakes.

In the second inning, Lianna Bajarin started a Roosevelt rally with a leadoff infield single, which turned into more after a throwing error allowed her to advance to second. After a groundout, Kathleen Nakata dropped a perfect sacrifice bunt to move Bajarin to third. The Sacred Hearts third baseman misplayed the bunt, and Roosevelt had runners on the corners with just one out. After another groundout, center fielder Cierra Kapea popped a line drive to left field, scoring both runners.

“;I knew my team could do it because we usually draw first blood,”; Bajarin said. “;And we can hit.”;

In the fifth, leading 2-1, Roosevelt again extended the inning because of another gaffe by Sacred Hearts. Back-to-back singles opened the inning, and the Lancers loaded the bases when the second baseman misplayed a routine grounder from Brianne Leong. Kamalei Pitoy's bouncing single through the left side scored two more, and a sacrifice fly later plated Leong, a seemingly innocuous unearned run that proved vital.

Roosevelt's 5-1 lead seemed secure heading into the bottom of the seventh, when its own error nearly gave away the game. With one out, the Lancers loaded the bases after the Rough Riders shortstop kicked around a ground ball. And a two-out double from Joslyn Eugenio, the Lancers' starting pitcher who had been on the wrong end of all those errors, capitalized on Roosevelt's miscue. Her bases-clearing line drive brought Sacred Hearts to a 5-4 deficit and with the potential game-tying score at second base, but an easy bouncer ended the Lancers' last-gasp rally.

But the 5-4 loss, and what could have been a 4-3 victory if not for the unearned runs and the mistakes, was a frustrating way to end the Lancers' title run.

                                                                                                                                                           
ROOSEVELT (15-1)0200300571
SACRED HEARTS (6-10)0010003485

Lianna Bajarin and Lindsay Takekawa. Joslyn Eugenio and Keicha Brunn. W—Bajarin. L—Eugenio.

Leading hitters—Roos: Kamalei Pitoy 2 RBIs; Cierra Kapea 2 RBIs; Macy Frank RBI. SHA: Chelsea Kamai 2-4; Laura Abellanida 2-3, RBI; Eugenio 3 RBIs, 2b.

Mililani 5, Waiakea 3
Ace Kishti Kamaka put out the fire in the third inning and went five innings in relief to lead the Trojans.

                                                                                                                                                           
MILILANI (14-3)10301005110
WAIAKEA (12-1)1020000382

Kylee Rodrigues, Kishti Kamaka (3) and Rebecca Lee. Alana Tsue and Kiah Taroma. W—Kamaka. L—Tsue.

Leading hitters—Mililani: Lee 2-4, 2 runs; Courtney Senas 2-3, run; Jaimee Aiwohi 3-4, RBI, 2 runs. Waiakea: Malania Eseroma 3-3, RBI.

Baldwin 3, Mid-Pacific 1
The Owls held a 1-0 advantage through four innings before the Bears ran off three runs in the top of the sixth inning to get the win.

                                                                                                                                                           
BALDWIN (14-0)0000030330
MID-PACIFIC (11-5)10000001102

Kaitlyn Watanabe and Malia Killam. Lindsey Carlos and Kaydi Kochi. W—Watanabe. L—Carlos.

Leading hitters—Bald: Shauna Ah Yen RBI. MPI: Kochi 3-4, RBI; Corrie Murashige 2-3; Carlos 2b.

'Iolani 7, Kapolei 0
Brittney Guro scattered five hits and the top-ranked Raiders cruised past the Hurricanes. Marisa Teramaya chipped in with two doubles.

                                                                                                                                                           
'IOLANI (14-1)10310027110
KAPOLEI (13-5)0000000051

Brittney Guro and Kelli Ann Lum. Shavanna Santiago and Cherece Breyer. W—Guro. L—Santiago.

Leading hitters—'Iolani: Jana Tokuhama 1-4, 2b, run; Lahela Usui 2-2, 2b, run, RBI; Kimberlee Souza 2-2, 2 runs, RBI; Shanna Tashiro 2-4, run; Lum 1-4, 2 RBIs; Marisa Terayama 2-3, 2 2bs, run. Kapolei: Tehani Kaaihue 2-3.

D-I consolation scores
» Campbell 4, KS-Maui 1
» Castle 7, Hilo 1

Division II
Kauai 13, Kalaheo 8
Jessica Iwata went 3-for-4 with a home run and two doubles to lead Kauai.

                                                                                                                                                           
KAUAI (12-1) 20014613143
KALAHEO (10-7) 0032038106

Wailani Borrero and Carly Matsumoto. Sarah Velasco Fitzherbert and Hi'ilei Olson. W—Borrero. L—Velasco Fitzherbert.

Leading hitters—Kau: Nojo Pungan 2b; Jessica Iwata 3-4, HR, 2 2b; Jori Jasper 3-3, 2b; Melia Aki 2-4, HR. Kalh: Kahale Ka'anoi 3-4, 2 RBIs; Caira Pires 4-4, 3b, HR, 4 RBIs; Theresa Capllonch 2 RBIs.

Waialua 6, Aiea 0
Marissa Keao struck out 10 in the Bulldogs' win.

                                                                                                                                                           
WAIALUA (12-1)0002103681
AIEA (9-5)0000000053

Marissa Keao and Alyssiah Hernandez. Rayna Strom Okimoto and Ashlei Li'ili'i. W—Keao. L—Strom Okimoto.

Leading hitters—Wail: Althia Dicion 3-4; Keao 3-4, 2b. Aiea: Strom Okimoto 2-3, 3b; Amberlin Scharsch 2b.

Kaiser 11, Molokai 0
Kayla Alcoran threw a no-hitter to lead the Cougars.

                                                                                                                                                           
KAISER (14-1) 0351211140
MOLOKAI (10-2) 00000001

Kayla Alcoran and Chelsy Okuma. Jasmine Borden and Korie-Lee Dudoit-Englis. W—Alcoran. L—Borden.

Leading hitters—Kais: Alcoran 2-4; Krysta Yasui 2-4; Okuma 4-4, 2 2b, 2 RBIs; Chelsea Lima 3-3, 2b, 4 RBIs; Bailey Miller 2 RBIs.

KS-Hawaii 4, Waimea 3
Kiani Wong threw a four-hitter for the Warriors.

                                                                                                                                                           
WAIMEA (8-6)1010001341
KS-HAWAII (11-2)300010X480

Michelle Koerte and Taylor Ephan. Kiani Wong and Kaala Ahu. W—Wong. L—Koerte.

Leading hitters—Waim: Tanisha Defabian 2-4. KSH: Joelle Cabasa 3-3; Megan Waiki 2b; Kaala Ahu 2 RBIs.

D-II consolation scores
» Hana 8, Kalani 8
» Konawaena 5, Pahoa 3