[ HIGH SCHOOL SOFTBALL ]
GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE@STARBULLETIN.COM
Mililani's Samanatha Bolosan was tagged out at the plate by Baldwin catcher Sanoe Kekahuna.
Mililani squeezes
past Baldwin in 12
Opportunities, converted and missed, balanced themselves out yesterday afternoon at Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium, where Mililani and Baldwin battled for 12 innings in their HHSAA Division I first-round state playoff game.
So what was the difference in the Trojans' riveting 7-6 victory?
"Both teams had chances," Mililani coach Mike Okimoto said. "Like anything else, you have to be lucky."
On this day, the Trojans also helped their cause with clutch play. After four scoreless extra innings, Baldwin struck for three runs in the top of the 12th, only to see the Trojans come back to post four of their own (without making an out) in the bottom half of the inning.
"Our kids never gave up, and to come back from not one run but three runs is great," Okimoto said. "The hard part about this game is that (Baldwin coach) Ryan (Souza) and I are close friends. We both want to win, and it's hard when we play each other."
With the win, Mililani (12-2) advanced to a quarterfinal matchup today against top-seeded Kamehameha (13-0-1).
Charity Senas' RBI single to left, which sprang pinch runner Kacie Allen from third, was the game-winning hit.
"We were battling back all game," said Senas, who had four hits and a pair of RBI. "That was traumatizing, but this team has a lot of character."
Equally big for Mililani had been Dana Lee's two-run double to the gap in right-center moments before Senas' hit, which had tied the score at 6-all.
"The pitch was a little outside, and I got my bat out there and it went," Lee said. "Even if they caught it, we'd have scored a run from the tag-up. I was looking fastball. She (Baldwin pitcher Nicole Alconcel) had been throwing hard, and if anything, I thought she was going to throw hard for the third strike."
"When we fell behind by three runs, I kept telling myself to keep the team up, to keep them calm, because I still thought we could do it," Lee said. "We'd come back before in the game.
Lee was also the winning pitcher, yielding 10 hits while going the distance. She stood to absorb the loss, however, if not for her offensive play. She was 4-for-7 at the plate for the afternoon.
Baldwin had broken the 3-all tie in the top of the 12th on run-scoring singles by Jenna Mailou, Sanoe Kekahuna and Cheyna Tallant, the latter coming by way of a bunt. Entering the last half of the inning, that seemed more than enough insurance for Alconcel. The 12th started out poorly for the Bears, however, as an error and an infield hit allowed Mililani to put runners at first and second. With Baldwin's second baseman positioned closer to the base than the gap, Kimberly Goo was able to eke out a hit through the opening, scoring Samantha Bolosan with the run that pulled Mililani within 6-4.
"Kimberly's push bunt was big. I don't think they were really expecting that," Okimoto said. "I told her to try and push it past the pitcher, and she ended up getting a base hit. We were just lucky that she was playing more to the middle."
Lee's blast to right-center followed, and with a pair of runners in scoring position and nobody out, the Bears could only delay the inevitable.
"Mike's a great friend, so there's nothing I'm going to do out there that he doesn't know," said Souza. "Mililani has some great hitters, and it's tough to stay away from great hitters as you get into the later innings. The more they see your pitcher, the more time they have to figure you out."
"It's tough to lose a game like that -- the kids played so hard -- but it's a proud feeling to be in a game like that and have your kids perform at that level," he continued. "I told the kids, 'Sometimes the breaks don't go your way, but that's life -- ups and downs.' "
W--Dana Lee. L--Nicole Alconcel.
Baldwin (14-4) 201 000 000 003 -- 6 10 2 Mililani (12-2) 000 120 000 004 -- 7 19 3 Leading hitters--Bald: Alconcel, 5-6; Sanoe Kekahuna, 2-5, 2 RBIs; Angela Larose, 2-4. Mil: Lee, 4-7, 2b; Ciera Senas, 2-5; Charity Senas, 4-7, RBI; Thiffany Anguay-Kalau, 2-5.
Castle 18, Keaau 0
Knights pitcher Lia Pedrina went the distance, giving up four hits, striking out five and walking one as the Knights smashed the Cougars.Castle sent 20 batters to the plate and scored 16 runs in the top of the seventh inning
Six Knights had two or more hits. Nicole Reistar led Keaau with a triple.
W--Lia Pedrina. L--Kuuipo Nihipali.
Castle (12-2) 100 100 16 -- 18 20 0 Keaau (7-3) 000 000 0 -- 0 4 6
Leading hitters--Cas: Tiane Mattos, 2-5, 3 RBIs; Pedrina, 2-5, 2b; Jannaye Ah Quin, 2-2, 2b, 2 RBIs; Stephanie Panee, 3-5, 2b, 2 RBIs; Audrey Ako, 2-4, 3 RBIs; Kalena Souza, 2-3. Kea: Nicole Reistar, 3b.kailua 2, Waimea 0
The Surfriders' Courtney Kessell no-hit the Menehunes, striking out 14. She was perfect through six innings before walking the leadoff batter in the seventh.Shayenne Hussey's two-run homer in the first inning was the difference for Kailua.
With two outs in the first inning, Hussey cracked the ball over the right-field fence driving in Tanisha Milca, who had reached base via a fielder's choice.
W--Courtney Kessell. L--Lynette Perreira.
Kailua (12-1-1) 200 000 0 -- 2 4 0 Waimea (11-1) 000 000 0 -- 0 0 0
Leading hitters--Kail: Tanisha Milca, 2-3; Shayenne Hussey, 2-run HR.Punahou 4, Pearl City 0
Sarah Weisskopf escaped a sixth-inning jam and Nicky Hamayasu hit a two-run single in the bottom of the sixth inning to help the Buffanblu shut out the Chargers.Weisskopf finished with a five-hit shutout, striking out six and walking none. However, the Chargers nearly got to her in the top of the sixth.
The Chargers had two runners on and nobody out, but hit into a 9-3-2 double play as rightfielder Adrienne Tanaka snagged the fly ball and relayed the ball to Cristen Aona who hit catcher Kaha Weir, doubling off the runner trying to tag from third base.
Kellie Nishikida was the only Charger to have multiple hits against Weisskopf, finishing 2-for-3.
W--Sarah Weisskopf. L--Krystal Plunkett.
Pearl City 000 000 0 052 Punahou 100 003 x 480
Leading hitters--PC: Kellie Nishikida, 2-3; Shanna Vierra, 2b. Pun: Weisskopf, 2-3; Nicky Hamayasu, 2 rbi; Kimberly Nagamine, 2b.
HHSAA Div. I Softball
At Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium
Seeds: 1. Kamehameha. 2. Kapolei. 3. Lahainaluna. 4. Waiakea.yesterday
Game 1: Castle 18, Keaau 0
2: Mililani 7, Baldwin 6, 12 innings
3: Kailua 2, Waimea 0
4: Punahou 4, Pearl City 0today
5: Baldwin vs. Waimea, 9 a.m.
6: Keaau vs. Pearl City, 11 a.m.
7: Waiakea vs. Kailua, 1 p.m.
8: Lahainaluna vs. Punahou, 3 p.m.
9: Kapolei vs. Castle, 5 p.m.
10: Kamehameha vs. Mililani, 7 p.m.tomorrow
11: Game 8 and 9 losers, 10 a.m.
12: Game 7 and 10 losers, noon
13: Game 8 and 9 winners, 6 p.m.
14: Game 7 and 10 winners, 8 p.m.Saturday
Consolation final: Game 5 and 6 winners, noon
Fifth place: Game 11 and 12 winners, 2 p.m.
Third place: Game 13 and 14 losers, 4 p.m.
Championship: Game 13 and 14 winners, 8 p.m.
HHSAA Div. II Softball
At Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium
Friday
Semifinals
University vs. Honokaa, 2 p.m.
Kalaheo vs. Lanai 4 p.m.Saturday
Third place: Semifinal losers, 10 a.m.
Championship: Semifinal winners, 6 p.m.
