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POSTED: Wednesday, March 25, 2009

The Pac-Five softball team is the defending Division II state champ. And yesterday, the Wolfpack showed their mettle in a 6-4 win over previously unbeaten Mid-Pacific at Ala Wai Community Park.

With junior ace Sheridan Mahelona — who was the winning pitcher in last year's championship game against Kauai — toeing the rubber for the fourth time this season, Pac-Five improved to 4-0.

In a mostly well-played contest between two quality clubs, mistakes ended up costing both teams runs in the late innings as the offenses took advantage.

“;The game could've gone either way,”; Pac-Five coach Cecil Hasegawa said. “;I guess we were just luckier today.”;

Good teams make their own luck, and the Wolfpack certainly had their share in pushing across runs.

With two outs in the bottom of the fourth inning of a scoreless affair, Mid-Pac's starter and relief pitcher lost their control. After Angie Yoshizu singled to start the inning and eventually scored on a wild pitch, Pac-Five rallied with four more runs to take 5-0 lead. Alena Hookano was hit by a pitch, advanced to second on a wild pitch and scored off infielder Breeann Choy's triple. The next batter then reached base on an error, scoring Choy.

After back-to-back singles loaded the bases, Pac-Five scored its next two runs off wild pitches.

“;You can't give up three runs on passed balls,”; said Mid-Pac coach Willie Quinn, who admitted those balls may have been wild pitches. “;It's always going to hurt you. That's what we did and that's basically the difference.”;

But Pac-Five gave back some of those gaffes in the sixth inning.

Though Mahelona had cruised through the first five innings — she had faced the minimum number of batters at that point — the Mid-Pac offense knocked her around with five singles in the inning. Three of them came with two outs.

While Mahelona's defense had been solid behind her all game, the fielders made some judgment errors that cost precious bases. Twice in the sixth, Pac-Five's outfielders opted to charge the ball instead of playing it easily off the bounce, and twice the ball scooted by them for extra bases.

The Owls got within one run at 5-4 in the inning, but the Wolfpack promptly got some cushion in the bottom half, when junior Samantha Ford — who was hitless to that point — punched a bouncing single to right field to score the go-ahead run.

Mahelona finished the game with an easy seventh inning, and Quinn was left to lament his team's inability to score early, a problematic trend for the Owls early this season.

“;We have to score early,”; he said. “;That seems to be our problem. We haven't been aggressive early enough to put the pressure on the other side. We'll work on that.”;

While Quinn discussed his team's offensive woes, the undefeated Wolfpack were thankful they escaped with a win.

“;We're lucky to get by them,”; Hasegawa said, “;giving up that many runs.”;

                                                                                                                                                           

Mid-Pacific (3-1)	000	004	0	—	4	6	4
Pac-Five (3-0)	000	501	x	—	6	9	0

Tori Hamura, Kieki Lindsey Carlos (4) and Kaydi Kochi. Sheridan Mahelona and Joedee Lovell. W—Mahelona. L—Carlos.

Leading hitters—MPI: Kristin Yama 3b, 2 RBIs; Corrie Murashige RBI; Kochi RBI. P5: Breeann Choy 3b, RBI; Chante Tesoro 2-4, Tatum Tokuda 3-3, Samantha Ford RBI.

OIA RED WEST

Waialua 11, Anuenue 0

                                                                                                                                           

Anuenue (1-3)	000	000	—	0	3	5
Waialua (4-0)	510	203	—	11	9	1

Nalani Kamano and Wewehi Ganeau. Marissa Keao, Karina Bayudan (3) and Alicia Hernandez. W—Keao. L—Kamano.

Leading hitters—Wail: Althia Dicion 3-4, 4 runs; Hernandez 2-4, RBI, 3 runs; Keao 2-4, 2b, 3 RBIs, run; Chanelle Naki HR, 2 RBIs.