[ HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETICS ]

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Punahou dominant
offensively

The Buffanblu move into the
softball semifinals with a 13-0 win
over Lahainaluna

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By Jack Danilewicz
Special to the Star-Bulletin

The waiting, as Tom Petty once sang, is the hardest part.

Punahou's Gail Matsushima could certainly identify with those sentiments, having waited for the end of a self-professed batting drought all season.

"I was in a slump for most of the season, I thought, so hopefully my bat's coming around," said Matsushima, after going 4-for-4 with three RBIs to lead Punahou's 13-0 quarterfinal win over Lahainaluna in the Data House State Softball Championships yesterday at Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium. "We changed some things in my hitting fundamentals. I'm not crouching as much, or leaning as far back, but I think it's that I'm more confident."

Matsushima's performance at the plate best typified Punahou's offensive dominance as a team. The Buffanblu kept the pressure on at all times, collecting 13 hits and stranding runners in all but one inning.

"It's great that our offense is coming around now, when we really need it," Matsushima said. "It was a total team effort -- everyone's contributing."

In addition to Matsushima, Punahou received plenty of offense from Cristen Aona (2-for-3, triple, 4 RBI), Erica Miyabara (2-for-3) and Kaha Weir (2-for-3). Their combined output was more than enough support for pitcher Sarah Weisskopf, who yielded one hit and one walk with six strikeouts in five full innings. While Weisskopf enjoyed her now-customary outing on the mound, Punahou's offensive productivity was also well-received by the Buffanblu coaching staff.

"This was definitely one of our best games," Punahou batting coach Kalei Castro said. "We're not really a team known for offense -- we're more defensive-oriented -- but our offense came around today. We've been working really hard, so hopefully we can do it for the rest of the tournament."

With the win, the Buffanblu (13-3) advanced to tonight's semifinals and a game with Kapolei. The winner earns a berth in tomorrow night's state title game.

Punahou struck for four runs in the second inning, two in the fourth and three more in the fifth to remove any suspense. Kimberly Nakamine started things off for Punahou in the second, drawing a walk off Lahainaluna pitcher Tiffany Nava, and moving to second on a groundout. After taking third on a Luna error, she opened the scoring on a base hit to left by Weir. Moments later, with runners on second and third, leadoff hitter Shanna-Lei Dacanay drove in Miyabara with a sharp grounder to second to make it 2-0. That helped set the stage for Matsushima, who followed a walk to Kelly Ishii by blasting a two-run double to the gap in left center. Nava got Weisskopf to ground out to end the inning, but the Lunas were in catch-up-mode for the rest of the afternoon.

"You have to give credit to Punahou -- my hat's off to them," said Lahainaluna co-coach Rena Encarnacion, whose team fell to 16-2. "They came out their banging. They hit all the holes, they hit the gap. They were very impressive, and they're hard to defend. Our girls did their best. They didn't give up and I give them credit also."

Lahainaluna's best scoring opportunities came in the second and third innings when they stranded a pair of baserunners in each. In the second, the lone walk issued by Weisskopf, followed by an error, helped the Lunas put runners at second and third with one out. But Weisskopf re-established her command, getting Pi'ilani Uyeda to groundout, and then striking out Summer Smythe to end the inning.

Punahou added some insurance in the fourth when Aona contributed a two-run double inside the right-field line to make it 6-0, and Weisskopf went on to retire the last eight batters she faced in succession before exiting after the fifth inning in favor of reliever, Taila Autele.

"Defensively, we've been very sound and, with Sara's pitching, that's really kept us in games," Punahou coach Raynor Minami said. "Offensively, we've been up and down. I was very pleased with the hitting. I was happy we put the ball in play. We've been trying to establish some consistency, so it was a good game for us."

Punahou (13-3)	040	230	4	--	13	13	1
Lahainaluna (16-2)	000	000	0	--	0	1	1

W--Sarah Weisskopf. L--Tiffany Nava.
Leading hitters--Pun: Gail Matsushima, 4-4, 3 RBIs; Cristen Aona, 2-3, 3b, 4 RBIs; Erica Miyabara, 2-3; Kaha Weir, 2-3.

Kailua 6, Waiakea 0
Courtney Kessell continued her dominace in the OIA tournament, pitching her second straight no-hitter to push the Surfriders into the semifinals by defeating the third-seeded Warriors from the Big Island.

Kessell finished with just two walks and 14 strikeouts, and got plenty of offensive support.

Shyenne Hussey led the offensive charge, hitting a pair of doubles, including a three-run double in the sixth inning to account for the final margin.

Waiakea (9-2)	000	000	0	--	0	0	1
Kailua (13-1-1)	200	013	x	--	6	12	0

W--Courtney Kessell. L--Elise DuPonte.
Leading hitters--Kail: Shyenne Hussey, 2-4, 2 2b's, 3 rbi; Rusty Ann Borges, 2-3.

Kapolei 4, Castle 1
Anita Manuma's RBI triple sparked a 3-run sixth inning for the Hurricanes, breaking a 1-1 tie and Tajia Acierto picked up the win as Kapolei defeated Castle.

Manuma's triple scored Austi Paris with the go-ahead run. Malama Manuma then doubled home Anita for the second run of the evening, and later scored on a Valana Manuma-Aloy RBI groundout.

Castle (12-3)	010	000	0	--	1	4	2
Kapolei (13-1)	100	003	x	--	4	4	1

W--Tajia Acierto. L--Lia Pedrina.
Leading hitters--Cast: Stacy Yamada, 2-3. Kap: Anita Manuma, 3b, run; Malama Manuma, 2b, rbi.

Kamehameha 8, Mililani 0
Brandi Peiler threw a three-hit shutout and also had three hits to lead the top-seeded Warriors into the semifinals.

Kaulana Gould batted 2-for-4 with 3 RBIs, and Liane Horiuchi added a 2-run double as Kamehameha scored two runs in the top of the first inning and never trailed in the game.

Kamehameha (14-0-1)	200	303	0	--	8	11	3
Mililani (12-3)	000	000	0	--	0	3	4

W--Brandi Peiler. L--Dana Lee.
Leading hitters--Kam: Liane Horiuchi, 2-5, 2b, 2 RBI; Kaulana Gould, 2-4, 3 RBI; Peiler, 3-4; Emi Snow, 2-4, 2b, RBI.

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HHSAA Division I softball

At Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium
Seeds: 1. Kamehameha. 2. Kapolei. 3. Lahainaluna. 4. Waiakea.

Wednesday
Game 1: Castle 18, Keaau 0
2: Mililani 7, Baldwin 6
3: Kailua 2, Waimea 0
4: Punahou 4, Pearl City 0

Yesterday
5: Baldwin 7, Waimea 1
6: Pearl City 3, Keaau 1
7: Kailua 6, Waiakea 0
8: Punahou 13, Lahainaluna 0
9: Kapolei 4, Castle 1
10: Kamehameha 8, Mililani 0

Today
11: Castle vs. Lahainaluna, 10 a.m.
12: Waiakea vs. Mililani, noon
13: Kapolei vs. Punahou, 6 p.m.
14: Kailua vs. Kamehameha, 8 p.m.

Tomorrow
Consolation final: Baldwin vs. Pearl City, 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.

Division II

At Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium
Today
Semifinals
University vs. Honokaa, 2 p.m.
Kalaheo vs. Lanai 4 p.m.

Tomorrow
Third place: Semifinal losers, 10 a.m.
Championship: Semifinal winners, 6 p.m.