Scouting its first opponent Wednesday at the HHSAA Division II softball tournament, Kamehameha-Hawaii was in the stands to witness Aiea’s 17-run first inning against Konawaena.
“It scared me a bit,” senior ace Mykala Tokunaga said.
On Thursday the Warriors got their crack at Aiea, and they responded with the type of uprising that’s haunted the BIIF for five years running.
Even Tokunaga was surprised with the relative ease with which Kamehameha dispatched Na Alii, a 13-0 TKO victory in Kahului, Maui, putting the Warriors in the semifinals for the second consecutive season.
“We thought it was going to be hard,” Tokunaga said in a phone interview. “We were stressing the whole day.”
Leave it to the undefeated Warriors (21-0) to finally deliver a victory at states for the Big Island, and in a big way. Of Kamehameha’s 13 hits in support of Tokunaga, seven went for extra-bases, including two apiece by sophomores Taylor Sullivan (3 for 3, three runs scored) and Jessica Cameros (2 for 4, three RBIs).
“My teammates picked my up,” said Tokunaga, unhappy with her two strikeouts at the plate.
Aiea (11-7), the OIA runner-up and 2015 state runner-up, managed just two singles against Tokunaga, who struck out seven and walked three in the five-inning complete game.
Kamehameha will face ILH champion and second-seeded Pac-5, a 13-0 winner against Kalani, at 4:45 p.m. Friday for a spot in the final. The Warriors have never played in the title game.
Thursday’s contest also started in the late afternoon, giving third-seeded Kamehameha ample time to work up a healthy dose of nerves, Tokunaga said. Some tension was lifted after two scoreless Aiea half-innings, and the Warriors began radiating positive energy as they knocked the ball around Patsy Mink Softball Stadium in the second, scoring six times.
Makena Wagner and Sullivan led off with back-to-back doubles, Kiarra Lincoln hit a two-out RBI double, scoring on Cameros’ triple, and Kekai Wong Yuen (3 for 3) singled in a run before Tokunaga capped the rally with a hit.
“Once we calmed down our hitting was rolling,” Tokunaga said.
Kamehameha put up five runs in the third. Sullivan doubled ahead of two-run doubles by Ill Kuuleianuenue and Cameros.
Meanwhile, the rainy conditions made the Warriors feel at home.
“It rained a lot,” Tokunaga said. “I guess Aiea is not used to that.”
Aiea 000 00 – 0 2 3
Kamehamneha 065 2X – 13 12 0
Molokai 11, Konawaena 1: Sierra Amor pitched four innings in defeat as the Wildcats’ season ended in consolation play on Maui.
BIIF No. 3 Konawaena (8-13,) mustered five hits, including Andi Uemura’s RBI single in the second that scored Kavy Villanueva, who reached on a single.
Division I
Ashley Salausa hit a three-run home run in the first as Leilehua scored 10 times, eliminating Waiakea from consolation play with a 14-1 victory at McKinley High in Honolulu.
Alyssa Hara started but got only two outs for the BIIF champion Warriors (15-5).
After getting no-hit by Pearl City on Wednesday, Waiakea finished with five hits.
In the third, Taylor Nishimoto walked, moved to third on singles by Skylar Thomas (2 for 2) and Brandee Chinen and scored on a error – the lone run of the tournament for either Waiakea or BIIF runner-up Kealakehe in a combined four games.
Waiakea 001 00 – 1 5 3
Leilehua (10)04 0x – 14 15 1