GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE@STARBULLETIN.COM
The Kailua softball team celebrated its victory over Kamehameha last night in the state title game.
Kailua captured its record 11th Hawaii High School Athletic Association state championship last night, as the Surfriders defeated last year's champions, the Kamehameha Warriors 2-1 at Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium. Kailua takes
softball titleKessell outduels Kamehameha's aces
and foils a rally in the seventh inningBy Marc Dixon
mdixon@starbulletin.com
While most championship games feature a matchup of two aces, last night's contest showcased three, as Kailua's Courtney Kessell took on Kamehameha's Kate Robinson and Brandi Peiler.
Most Outstanding Player: Courtney Kessell, Kailua All-Tournament
C: Shalayna "Pikake" Nutter-Gaudet, Leilehua
1B: Sandy Nakamura, Mililani
2B: Liane Horiuchi, Kamehameha
3B: Britney Shimamoto, Mililani
SS: Charity Senas, Mililani
OF: Chelsea Rice, Waiakea; Tanisha Milca, Kailua; Danielle Young, Kailua
DH: Kamaile Hughes, Kailua
U: Emi Snow, Kamehameha
P: Miki Asamura, Mililani
Kessell, who had tossed a perfect game and a 17-strikeout, one-hitter earlier in the tournament, was dominant early. The right-hander struck out five of the first eight Warrior batters and didn't surrender a hit until two were out in the third. Robinson, while not as precise, was equally as effective. The junior struck out the side in the first using excellent location over the outside and inside corners of the plate.
"She (Kessell) was great. Her riseball was great," said Kailua coach Bernard Victor. "In fact, she might have been throwing too fast. That makes her lose some rotation, but it was good enough to get by tonight."
Kamehameha coach Ty Sing Chow added: "She (Kessell) was able to take advantage of our team's aggressiveness. The hype was on Kessell and she came out tonight and proved it. She definitely is No. 1."
The OIA champs placed runners in scoring position in the first two innings but were unable to score on Robinson. The OIA champions finally broke through for the game's first run in the third as Danielle Young was hit by a Robinson pitch to lead off the inning and moved to second on a sacrifice by Loke Lastimosa to the right side. After striking out Tanisha Milca, Robinson surrendered the third Surfrider hit of the game as designated hitter Kamaile Hughes stroked her second hit, an opposite-field sinker that dropped in front of left fielder Peiler. Peiler's throw home was wide and late and Kailua led 1-0.
"The early runs were very important," said Victor. "We needed to break through early because we knew they had tough pitchers too, and we knew it would be close and we needed to get one run at a time."
The ILH champs' bats also woke up in the third. Kaulana Gould led off the inning with a solid grounder up the box, but Kailua's shortstop, Lastimosa, made a great ranging play to her left to stab the burner and rob Gould of a lead-off single. A batter later, Lauae Emmsley-Chang hit a liner into the left-center gap but hesitated rounding first attempting to stretch the single and was thrown out by Milca on a controversial call to end the inning.
Kailua struck again in the fourth. Chante Mundon dropped a sawed-off single in between Robinson, first baseman Nicole Kalakau and second baseman Liane Horiuchi for an infield hit. After a sacrifice moved Mundon to second, Pikake Choy-Foo struck out, bringing up Kessell, who singled off Robinson's glove, placing runners at the corners with two out. Daniella Young followed with a bouncer up the middle that was booted by shortstop Sharee Fonoti. The ball squirted into center field and the Surfriders extended their lead. Robinson was then lifted for Peiler.
GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE@STARBULLETIN.COM
The Kailua softball team was overjoyed after Courtney Kessell struck out Emi Snow to clinch the state title.
Kamehameha mounted a comeback in the bottom of the fifth. Lead-off hitter Fonoti singled up the middle and advanced to second on a bunt by Kalakau. A fielder's choice by Gould moved Fonoti to third with two outs, bringing pinch hitter Emoani Snow to the plate. After a long string of foul balls, Snow hit a high bouncer deep into the six hole. Lastimosa ranged to her right and made the stop but lost her footing and had no play at first base. The single scored Fonoti and cut the lead in half.
Peiler, who outdueled Mililani's Miki Asamura the previous evening, kept Kailua in check for the rest of the game and did not allow a Kailua hit in her 3 1/3 innings.
The Warriors threatened in the seventh but were unable to solve Kessell. Kamehameha moved the tying run to third base with one out. But Kessell speared a rocket shot by Gould to secure the second out, then struck out Snow to quell a last-ditch Warrior rally.
"I didn't think anything; I just reacted," said Kessell of her grab. "But as soon as I caught it, I was thinking 'Oh my gosh, we're going to do this.' "
Mililani 18, Waiakea 0: The Trojans (15-2) scored four runs in the top of the second inning and went on to complete the rout of the Warriors.
Mililani ace Miki Asamura threw a two-hitter and struck out 10 batters, and she got plenty of offensive help, as the Trojans punched out 17 hits.
Charity Senas drove in six runs and went 4-for-5 with a double for Mililani. Asamura and teammate Erika Au each drove in three runs.
The Warriors finished their season at 11-4.
Castle 6, Leilehua 1: Lia Pedrina had five strikeouts and no walks as the Knights beat the Mules in the consolation final.
Anu Young gave the Knights (11-4) an early 2-0 lead with a first-inning two-run double.
Nicole Ige went 2-for-3 and drove in the only run for Leilehua (10-7).
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