Waiakea pitcher Alyssa Hara allowed a single in the first inning Saturday against Konawaena and then got into a groove. The Warriors’ offense followed suit.
Hara pitched a one-hitter and Waiakea compiled 14 hits during a 13-1 victory against the Wildcats in a cross-division matchup of Big Island Interscholastic Federation softball contenders in Kealakekua.
Taylor Nishimura stroked a two-run double in the second inning as Waiakea (4-1) scored seven times.
Coach Bo Saiki was most encouraged by the errorless performance of his defense.
“That’s been one of our big problems this season,” he said.
Hara helped herself at the plate, going 2 for 3 with an RBI single and scoring three times. In the circle, the freshman walked three and struck out two in the five-inning TKO.
“She’s had pretty good composure the whole season,” Saiki said. “She mixed up her pitches well.”
Kaelee Carvalho enjoyed a perfect 3-for-3 day, Tiarra Teves was 2 for 2 with walk and a run-scoring double and Nishimura went 2 for 4.
Jayssa Grace pitched three innings and took the loss for Konawaena (3-3), which made four errors. Grace allowed 10 runs — six earned — on seven hits and five walks. Syleesia Jose had the Wildcats’ hit.
After falling a half-game behind first-place Kamehameha, Konawaena returns to Division II play this week with games at Honokaa on Wednesday and Kohala on Friday.
Waiakea, meanwhile, has a chance to make up ground in Division I. The Warriors host HPA on Monday, then play Keaau at home on Wednesday before travelling to first-place Hilo (6-0) on Friday.
Waiakea 071 50 — 13 14 0
Konawaena 100 00 — 1 1 4
Kohala 13, Pahoa 2
Tomiko Coito homered in Kapaau to back Kiana Alejandro’s one-hitter.
Ashlyn Van Zandt went 4 for 4 with a double and a triple for the Cowgirls (3-4), Jessica Tenorio doubled among her two hits and Coito also finished with a pair of hits.
Alejandro struck out five in the six-inning TKO, walking one.
Mackenzie Singleton struck out two but took the loss for the Daggers (1-5).
Pahoa 200 000—2 1 4
Kohala 470 002—13 10 3
Honokaa 19, Ka‘u 8
Kaitlin Agustin hit a home run and came on in relief to get the victory as the Dragons pulled away to win in Pahala.
Agustin finished with two hits for Honokaa (2-3), as did Kayla Kalauli and Sarah Sedillo. Kalauli had a triple.
The Trojans (0-5) pushed across a run in the fourth to tie the game 8-8, but the Dragons erupted for 11 runs in the final three innings.
Shylee Tamura went 2 for 4 with a double for the Trojans (0-5). Kamalani Fujikawa was the losing pitcher.
Kayla Requelman started for Honokaa, before Agustin took to the circle in the third.
Honokaa 440 041 6—19
Ka‘u 214 100 0—8