StarBulletin.com

Waialua squeezes past Kaiser for White title


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POSTED: Sunday, May 03, 2009

In a championship duel marred by eight errors, all Marissa Keao and Kayla Alcoran needed was a break.

The aces for Waialua and Kaiser pitched well enough, but it was Keao and her teammates who saved the day. The Bulldogs came through with a run in the bottom of the seventh inning—off a bunt on a fielder's choice—for a 5-4 win over Kaiser to capture the Oahu Interscholastic Association White Conference championship.

“;It's amazing,”; Keao said of her school's first softball championship.

The teams battled to a 4-all tie on March 12, and the score last night was the same entering the bottom of the seventh. A throwing error by Kaiser third baseman Amy Austin allowed Gabby Maxwell to reach base with one out. Pinch hitter Rebecca Barone followed with a bunt single—it sailed over Alcoran's head—to put runners at the corners for Waialua.

Courtney Kilday then put down a squeeze bunt that was fielded cleanly by catcher Chelsy Okuma, who took a look at Maxwell off third base before throwing a bullet to first. Kilday was out on the play, but first baseman Chelsey Lima didn't square out to get a good throwing angle. Her throw home was too late to prevent Maxwell from scoring the winning run.

“;When she threw (to first), I just ran. Winning a championship was going through my mind,”; Maxwell said. “;I didn't know I was going to run that fast.”;

 

At CORP

                                                                                                                                                           
Kaiser (12-1-1)2020000464
Waialua (11-1-1)31000015104

Kayla Alcoran and Chelsy Okuma. Marissa Keao and Alyssiah Hernandez. W—Keao. L—Alcoran.
Leading hittersKais: Amy Austin 2-4, run; Jessie Hathaway 2-4, 3 RBIs, 2 2bs. Waia: Gabby Maxwell 2-4, RBI, run; Ciara Balidoy 2-3.