KEAAU – Kiarra Lincoln is still short and slender with a powerful bat that doesn’t seem proportional to her size. Mykala Tokunaga is still tall and slender and armed with an array of pitches and backed by sure-handed fielders.
In many ways, it’s business as usual for Kamehameha’s three-time defending Big Island Interscholastic Federation Division II softball team.
Lincoln finished with three hits Wednesday, Tokunaga allowed only two, and the Warriors put away mistake-prone Konawaena 12-1 in a TKO at their field.
”I continue to get stronger with my hitting and more consistent and get smarter,” Lincoln said when asked how she plans to improve on a freshman campaign in which she hit .581.
While Kamehameha (2-0) was often rewarded just for making contact because of sloppy infield play by the Wildcats (1-1), Lincoln sprayed the ball around the outfield in her three at-bats.
She singled to center and scored in the first, drove in a run with a line drive to left in the second and the second baseman ripped an RBI double to center during the Warriors’ eight-run third inning.
“I thought I hit them a little more solid, but I can live with them,” Lincoln said.
Tokunaga hit the first batter she faced, Rachel Sato, and surrendered an RBI single to Kiersen Kawehi Kahele, but the junior retired nine of her final 10 batters and struck out three.
Tokunaga’s first two seasons in the circle ended with her grabbing BIIF Division II Player of the Year honors. She conditioned for the htis season by participating on the Warriors’ cross county and swimming teams, and had added a fourth pitch.
“I haven’t stopped practicing all year long,” she said. “I’ve been working on some new things, like a drop-ball.”
The Warriors lost only one senior from a team that swept the Wildcats 2-0 in the BIIF championship series. A pair of freshmen, outfielder Jessica Cameros (single, two RBIs) and first baseman Taylor Sullivan (double, RBI), were inserted into the Nos. 3 and 5 holes in the lineup, respectively, with Tokunaga sandwiched in between.
“We have more batters that we can use to fill up our lineup,” Tokunaga said.
Samantha Simmons was 2 for 3 with an RBI and Kaui Aguiar hit a two-run single, one of the Warriors’ six hits in the third. In that inning, Kamehameha’s first eight batters reached and scored against Bethany Batangan, who struck out one, walked one and deserved a better fate.
The Wildcats made six errors and they also failed to make plays that to four infield hits.
“The girls need more reps,” coach Shellie Grace said. “I think it was just mental.”
Konawaena 100 00 – 1 2 6
Kamehameha 128 1 x – 12 10 0
Hilo 11, Kohala 9
The Vikings used a Patricia Marcus single and an assortment of walks and errors to rally for four runs in the sixth to escape Kapaau with a victory.
Zoe Cabarloc got the win for Hilo (2-0) in relief of Samantha Saltibon.
Behind a double by Jurnee Keawe and Ashlyn Van Zandt’s RBI single, the Cowgirls scored four runs in the fourth to go ahead 7-6 for their second lead of the game against the three-time defending Division I champion.
But Kohala (1-2) lost its second tight game this season, having previously fallen to Keaau 13-12.
Freshman Antonette Fernandez pitched three innings of relief and took the loss.
The Vikings were credited with just three hits.
“Walks were the problem once again,” coach Joby Amaral said. “And when it wasn’t that it was errors.”
Hilo 006 014 0 – 11 3 3
Kohala 210 420 0 –9 6 5
Honokaa 26, Pahoa 2
Taylor Tabucbuc homered, Neve Ebreo-Castillo collected three hits and the Dragons took advantage of 19 walks to win on the road.
Xyan Ancheta struck out four in the four-inning TKO to get the win for Honokaa (1-1). Kayla Requelman had two hits and Holly Reyes tripled as the Dragons put up consecutive nine-run innings.
The Daggers (0-2) carry a depleted roster of just 10 players after five of their most experienced players transferred to Keaau because of the threat of the lava flow.
Alana Kizanis struck three in four innings in the loss.
Honokaa 359 9 – 26 11 0
Pahoa 020 0 – 2 3 6