KEALAKEKUA — Kohala scratched nine runs across the plate with one out in the top of the second inning Friday night at Gabby Inaba Field to down Konawaena 16-7.
The Cowgirls were able to take advantage of communication issues in the Wildcat defense to pick up the BIIF D-II victory.
“I think we played well and fundamentally sound,” said Kohala coach Joby Amaral. “It was tough when they started to come back, but we gutted it out at the end.”
The win secured at least a third seed for the Kohala in the BIIF D-II playoffs. The Cowgirls (5-3) currently sit in a tie with Honokaa for second place with two games remaining in the regular season and will face off Wednesday.
Konawaena (3-5) entered the game in fourth place, one game above Ka’u, but were not hurt by the loss as Trojans also lost to undefeated Kamehameha.
“If we could take that one inning away, that is where it all went bad,” said Konawaena coach Shellie Grace. “A lot of it was communication and simple outs that we should have made.”
Both teams worked through a quick first inning and it looked as though the Wildcats might have an edge as Kohala’s starting pitcher Symphony Kauanoe struggled with her control, walking one and hitting a batter in the bottom of the inning.
However, looks can be deceiving and in the top of the second, the Cowgirls took advantage of a few walks and errors by the Konawaena defense, while also inserting six hits to take a 9-0 lead.
The inning started with miscommunication between Wildcat second baseman Shyla Victor and centerfielder Rachel Sato. The two collided on a pop-up off the bat of Kadance Coito behind second base. The ball dropped to the ground, allowing the batter to reach first. Jurnee Keawe followed with a single to left, and after Konawaena picked up the first out, the flood gates opened.
Daysha Yamasaki walked to load the bases and Kauanoe singled to center, scoring Coito. Back-to-back walks to Kierra Javillonar and Kaila Tabilol-Amaral brought in two more runs. Ashlyn Van Zandt hit a grounder to short and Kauanoe scored on the fielder’s choice to third. All runners were safe on the play.
Sitsuko Kimura singled to right, bringing in two runs. A double to left by Coito, who led off the inning, scored Van Zandt and Kimura. Coito scored the last run of the inning on a single to center by Keawe.
After Kauanoe worked a 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the second, Kohala added three more runs in the top of the third off three singles, a sac fly and a groundout.
The Wildcats tried to fight back into the game in the bottom of the third, pushing seven runs across the plate. Lihue Wessel led off the inning with a double into the left-center gap. After Marissa Matthews walked Bethany Batangan doubled down the left field line, scoring Wessel.
Matthews crossed the plate on a wild pitch. Kiersen Kawehi Kahele reached on an error by the third baseman and Batangan scored. A sac fly by Victor scored the fourth run of the inning.
With the bases cleared, Kaluna reached on an error by the centerfielder and Sierra Amor walked, bringing up pinch hitter Jayssa Asuncion-Grace. Asuncion-Grace turned on a pitch, sending the ball and the left fielder flying over the fence for a 3-run home run to cut the deficit to five.
The Wildcats struggled to score another run and Kohala added four runs in the top of the sixth inning.
Kauanoe picked up the win, allowing seven runs off only five hits in a complete game performance. She walked five and struck out one. Batangan took the loss. She threw three innings, allowing 12 runs off 10 hits, while walking three.
Victor threw the final four innings for the Wildcats, allowing four runs off three hits. She walked two and struck out one.
Kohala — 0 9 3 0 0 4 0 — 16 13 3
Kona — 0 0 7 0 0 0 0 — 7 5 5