The play between Hilo and Konawaena was as sloppy as the weather at Gabby Inaba Field in Kealakekua Saturday afternoon. Fighting the rain, the BIIF Division II Wildcats managed to walk their way to a dominating 16-2 victory over the D-I Vikings and hand Hilo its first loss since the 2013 season.
Hilo (2-1) threw two pitchers in the game and both struggled to find the strike zone. Samantha Saltiban started for the Vikings and walked seven in less than two innings of work. She could not escape the bottom of the second inning as Konawaena (2-1) pushed nine runs across the plate.
After getting the first out of the second inning, Saltiban walked four in a row to produce the first Wildcat run of the game. Konawaena followed with a timely double from Teizha Kaluna and a single off the top of the left field fence by Jayssa Asuncion-Grace, that just missed being a home run by an inch or two, to make it a 6-2 game. A pair of singles and a couple of errors after a pitching change produced the other runs in the inning.
Zoe Cabarloc entered for Saltinan on the pitching chance. She gave her three inherited runners in the second and then walked four in the third inning which led to seven more Wildcat runs.
The bottom of the third started with two walks, setting the tone early. An error loaded the bases and Sierra Amor picked up a 2-RBI single to center. Defensive miscues led to the next three runs before Kiersen Kawehi Kahele knocked in two on a double to left for runs 15 and 16.
“This was a good game,” said Konawaena coach Shellie Grace. “The bats came around and they let those strikes come in so they could take it.”
Konawaena got a strong performance out of their starter, Shyla Victor. After allowing two runs off two infield hits and three defensive errors in the first inning, Victor and the Konawaena defense shut down the Vikings for the rest of the game. Only one Hilo batter reached base after the first, when Victor hit a hit batter in the second inning.
“Shyla pitched well,” Grace said. “She threw good pitches, hit the corners, and pitched around batters.”
Victor picked up the win, striking out four, and the big key for the game, walking none. Saltiban took the loss.
Hilo 200 00 — 2 2 6
Kona 097 0X —16 7 2
Waiakea 6, Kohala 5, eight innings
Brandee Chinen tripled to right in the eighth and scored on Taylor Nishimura’s sacrifice fly, and the Warriors won their home opener.
Tomiko Coito and Jurnee Keawe doubled in the seventh as the Cowgirls (1-3) tied the game.
Alyssa Hara collected two hits for Waiakea (1-1) and got the final out in the eighth for the victory after Kristi Harati worked the first seven 2/3 innings, allowing four walks and striking out four.
Freshman Symphony Kauanoe went the distance for Kohala, allowing three walks with four strikeouts in 7 1/3.
Setsuko Kimura was 2 for 3 for Kohala, which fell to 0-3 against Division I teams. The losses have by by a combined four runs.
Kohala 202 000 10 – 5 7 4
Waiakea 022 010 01 – 6 7 2
Keaau 18, Honokaa 0
Lohi Kamakea-Wong pitched a one-hitter with four strikeouts in the circle, and tripled and doubled at the plate for the visiting Cougars (2-0).
Rylann Hacoba led Keaau’s 11-hit attack by going 3 for 3 with a triple, three runs scored and two RBIs. Ranchell Berinobis tripled with two RBIs and Charity Dunaway provided a pinch-hit RBI triple.
Kamakea-Wong walked six in the four-inning TKO and was 2 for 4 with an RBI.
Xyon Ancheta took the loss for the Dragons (1-2), allowing six runs and four walks with a strikeout in two innings.
Keaau 158 4 – 18 11 0
Honokaa 000 0 0 1 4