KAPAAU — Dennis Luga taught his granddaughter, Tiani, everything she knows about the game of softball before he died on Sept. 23, 2007. KAPAAU — Dennis Luga taught his granddaughter, Tiani, everything she knows about the game of softball before
KAPAAU — Dennis Luga taught his granddaughter, Tiani, everything she knows about the game of softball before he died on Sept. 23, 2007.
Tiani Luga thought about her grandfather on Friday at Kamehameha Park, when she saw her grandmother, Carol, in a Kohala cheering section before the Cowgirls’ Big Island Interscholastic Federation game against Hawaii Prep.
The Kohala junior said thoughts of her grandfather and the support of about 10 family members made her focus more, and that focus led to a performance that would have made Dennis Luga proud.
Tiani Luga went 3-for-5 with a grand slam and seven RBIs, leading Kohala to an 18-8 win over previously unbeaten HPA.
“When I play, I play for me and the team, but I think about my grandpa,’’ Luga said.
After Tehani Grasso’s RBI single in the top of the second gave Ka Makani (2-1) a 1-0 lead, the Cowgirls (1-1) responded with 10 runs in the bottom of the inning.
With the bases loaded and nobody out, Luga hit a pitch from HPA senior Nani Lum well over Ka Makani left fielder Shayla Ignacio’s head, scoring easily to give Kohala a 6-2 lead.
Luga also came through with a bases-loaded two-run double in Kohala’s seven-run fourth inning and a fifth-inning RBI single that invoked the mercy rule. She said she and her teammates came into Friday’s game motivated to play well because only 10 Cowgirls were available for the contest. Three players — Jordelle Antonio, Jocelyn Campollo and Delaney McAuley — missed the game because they were busy with other school activities.
Cowgirls coach Terrence Alcoran provided more motivation, informing his team that HPA toppled Kealakehe two days earlier and shouldn’t be taken lightly. After all, the Waveriders handed the Cowgirls a humbling 6-0 season-opening loss.
“I told them, ‘It’s not going to be an easy year,’’’ Alcoran said.
Despite being short-handed, the Cowgirls fared well at the plate.
Freshman catcher Tomiko Coito, who went 2-for-3 with three RBIs, tied the game at 1 in the second with a leadoff homer. She also had a two-run double in the fourth inning.
Coito, senior pitcher Chyler Imai, and sophomores Mohala Kaholoaa-Kumukoa and Eloisa Viernes-Obero scored three runs apiece.
“It was a good job by Kohala,’’ HPA coach Betsy Tranquilli said. “They hit the ball well.’’
Imai, who had a two-run single in the second inning, earned the win with a complete game in the circle. She allowed 12 hits, striking out three batters and walking five.
Lum, who also went the distance, took the loss. She gave up nine hits, striking out one and walking 13.
HPA chipped away at Kohala’s nine-run lead after the second inning, pulling within 10-8 after a five-run fourth inning that included two-run singles by seniors Stacie Doi and Kawena Lim-Samura.
Doi and Grasso each had two hits, while senior infielder Leahi Lindsey contributed a two-run single in the third inning.
“I thought we came out a little flat,’’ Tranquilli said. “To the girls’ credit, they picked it up. They could have rolled over, and they didn’t.’’
Hawaii Prep 012 50 — 8 12 4
Kohala 0(10)0 71 — 18 9 2
c Kealakehe 7, Konawaena 2: Senior Summer McEntee pitched a complete-game five hitter, striking out seven batters and walking none for the visiting Waveriders.
McEntee also went 2-for-5 at the plate as Kealakehe improved to 2-1.
Trailing 2-1 after two innings, the Waveriders took advantage of two Konawaena errors to score three runs in the third and stay ahead for good at 4-2.
Freshman Jashea Leleiwi took the loss for the Wildcats, who fell to 0-2.
Kealakehe 013 000 3 — 7 7 2
Konawaena 200 000 0 — 2 5 7
c Waiakea 11, Kamehameha-Hawaii 0, 5 innings: Waiakea’s Chelsea Camello pitched 4 1/3 shutout innings of one-hit ball and was 2-for-3 batting from the ninth spot in the order as the Warriors won a game shortened by the league’s mercy rule.
Ariana Mareko punctuated the Warriors’ 11-0 victory with a three-run home run.
Camello shrugged off two walks in the first inning, striking out five and retiring the final 10 batters she faced to improve to 15-0 over the the past two BIIF seasons.
Coach Bo Saiki had but one issue after Waiakea (3-0) reeled off its 57th consecutive league win.
“Right now, my other two pitchers are not getting any experience,” he said.
For good measure, Anela Granito-Wallace struck out the final two batters.
Taking advantage of Kiani Wong’s early control problems, Waiakea was methodical as it dented the scoreboard in each of the first four innings.
Leadoff hitter Cheylee Octavio was 2-for-4, including a pair of run-scoring singles; Camello singled in a run as Waiakea loaded the bases on two walks and a bunt single and scored four times in the second inning; and Ishael Shaw-Demello added a two-run single in the fourth.
With two runners aboard in the fifth, Mareko sent a 2-1 pitch from Samantha Simmons deep down the left-field line over the fence — but barely foul.
As the junior catcher jogged back from second base, her teammates implored her to try to clear the fences again.
“I’m always calling for her to hit a home run,” Camello said. “I always tell her I want one. I tell her to go for one every time, because I know she can.”
Mareko didn’t disappoint, drilling a 3-2 pitch to left center for a home run. Batting cleanup, she finished with four RBIs. Alexis Anzai was 2-for-4 and doubled and scored in the third inning.
Making her first start of the season for Kamehameha (1-3), Wong allowed nine hits and eight runs — seven earned — with two walks and three hit batters. The senior struck out three.
Waiakea 141 23 — 11 11 1
KS-Hawaii 000 00 — 0 1 1
c Hilo 9, Keaau 8: The Vikings rallied to score for runs in the fifth inning and held on to win a game at Walter Victor Complex that featured five errors by each team.
Fantacie Keahilihau-Kuamoo was 2-for-4 with three RBIs, Caitlyn Price was 2-for-4 and drove in two runs, and Amber Vaughn was 2-for-4 for Hilo (3-0).
Ashyln Kaneshiro went the distance to get the win, working around 10 hits and three walks with three strikeouts.
Jacy Pagala and Mahina Homalan were both 2-for-3 for Keaau (1-2) and Chelsey Pacatang-Hirai was 2-for-4.
Pacatang-Hirai, a former Viking, took the loss in relief, allowing four runs on two hits and two walks with a strikeout in three innings.
Keaau 133 100 0 — 8 10 5
Hilo 102 240 x — 9 10 5
c Pahoa 16, Ka’u 10: Randi Berinobis hit a three-run homer, and Erin Martinez struck out 13 in a complete game to power the host Daggers.
Vaaigaomata Wilson ripped a three-run triple for Pahoa (2-2) and finished with two hits, as did Ranchell Berinobis, Randi Berinobis, Ernel Oguma and Martinez.
Martinez allowed five hits and four walks.
The Trojans fell to 0-3.
Ka’u 141 011 2 — 10 5 3
Pahoa 038 203 x — 16 11 4
Stephens Media’s Matt Gerhart contributed to this report.
