[ HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETICS ]
FL MORRIS / FMORRIS@STARBULLETIN.COM
Thiffany Anguay-Kalau of Mililani stole third base yesterday ahead of the throw to Pearl City third baseman Corrie Nishikida.
Mililani in OIA
softball final
Finesse, junk and variety aren't usually three words associated with championship-level performance.
That may change soon. Very soon.
Dana Lee overcame a brief early struggle and took command on the mound, leading Mililani past Pearl City 7-1 yesterday afternoon.
The Trojans (11-1) advanced to the championship game of the Oahu Interscholastic Association softball playoffs. Mililani hosts Kapolei (11-1) at 3:30 p.m. today.
Pearl City (9-3) plays Kailua for third place today at 1 p.m. Both games will be televised live on OC16.
Lee's craftsmanship impressed coaches in both dugouts. Lee, a sophomore, scattered five base hits, fanned three Chargers and walked none for the complete-game win.
"We had 17 hits yesterday (against Castle)," first-year Pearl City head coach Keoki Behic said. "Our strength is hitting the fastball. We didn't bunch up hits, which we did during the season. (Lee) mixes her pitches well, with the fastballs and changeups. She's the only pitcher in the league who took us out of our plan."
The right-hander didn't classify her performance as Grade A, but it was close. "I wasn't on top of my game. I cut my outside breaking pitch a lot more than the umpire would give me, but my offspeed and changeup were working," she said.
Mililani head coach Mike Okimoto enjoyed Lee's effort. "I talked to Dana. I told her, 'Mix it up, (batters) one through nine, keep mixing it up,' " he said. "In the beginning of the season, she didn't mix it up. But at the end (of the season), you've gotta mix speeds. The other teams all get better at hitting fastballs."
FL MORRIS / FMORRIS@STARBULLETIN.COM
Mililani's Dana Lee went the distance yesterday to beat Pearl City, giving up five hits and walking none.
A small, spirited crowd under an overcast sky saw Mililani at its best thanks in part to resilient play on the mound and the field. Melissa Lehano went 2-for-4 with an RBI, and Thiffany Anguay-Kalau was 2-for-3, with three big RBIs, to lead the Trojan attack.
Pearl City sophomore Marina Guzman took the loss, surrendering seven hits in six innings. She fanned four and walked five.
Pearl City leadoff hitter Kellie Nishikida opened the game with a triple to right field. Corrie Nishikida followed with a walk before Kellie came in to score on Krystal Plunkett's sacrifice fly to left. Lee buckled down and retired the side, and Pearl City led 1-0.
"I just had to do my thing, and I knew my defense would back me up," Lee said. "We always come from behind. I knew they'd come through for me."
Guzman survived a shaky start, walking the leadoff hitter in the first two innings but escaping without harm. By the third inning, when she walked Kimberly Goo, Guzman was out of luck.
"They were walking us, and I said, 'Thank you very much,' because we just needed one run to tie," Okimoto said.
After Goo's base on balls, Ciera Senas laid down a sacrifice bunt, but the throw to first sailed high, allowing Goo to score all the way from first. Charity Senas followed with another bunt, Ciera Senas beat the throw home with a headfirst slide. That gave Mililani a 2-1 lead.
The Trojans continued to chip away at their rivals. Stacy Sakata slapped a grounder to second, but Charity Senas beat the throw on the fielder's choice. Lehano followed with a bunt single that loaded the bases.
Samantha Bolosan then drove in Mililani's third run the quiet way, drawing a walk on just four pitches. That forced in pinch runner Jenna Cuban from third base.
After Guzman struck out Casey Sugihara, Anguay-Kalau stepped into the box. "In the playoffs, every year, she hits a bomb," Okimoto said. "Regular season, she doesn't do that."
Anguay-Kalau hit an 0-2 pitch to deep right-center, clearing the bases with a double. That gave Mililani a 6-1 lead, more than enough breathing room for Lee. "My coach told me that she had faith in me," Anguay-Kalau said. "I was lucky."
Kanani Numata doubled off Lee in the top of the fourth, but Pearl City didn't capitalize. The Chargers had only one more runner in scoring position the rest of the afternoon.
The Trojans added a final run in the fourth inning. Lee, who led the frame off with a single, came in to score on Lehano's groundout to second. An error by Pearl City on an infield play led to the unearned run.
Castle 3, Kahuku 2: Shannon Lum's RBI single in the 11th inning proved to be the game-winning hit as the Knights advanced to today's fifth-place game against Leilehua with the winner receiving the OIA's fifth and final spot in the upcoming state tournament.
W--Lia Pedrina. L--Kamaele Hughes.
Leading hitters--Cas: Cheynah Farley, 2-4, 3b; Shannon Lum, 2-4, rbi. Kah: Jaylynn K., 2-5.
