KAILUA-KONA — Looking to get back on track after painful back-to-back losses, Kealakehe shored up its shaky defense and allowed its potent offense to go to work in an 11-9 home victory over the visiting Division I rival Hilo on Saturday.
“The girls did a good job of buckling down after our last two self-inflicted losses,” said Kealakehe head coach Loni Mercado. “This was an exciting game and it is a good feeling.”
At 4-4 this season, the Waveriders are in a battle with Keaau (4-5) and Hilo (6-4) for playoff positioning below first place Waiakea (12-0).
“This is round two with our division and its a good start,” Mercado said.
Zayanna Sanchez led the charge for the ‘Riders, going 2 for 3 at the plate, while accounting for four of the 11 runs, scoring twice and knocking in two.
“It feels good knowing that I was able to perform for my team and I was proud of the girls for pulling through,” Sanchez said. “I was hungry at the plate because I wanted the win.”
Sanchez, an “unofficial” team leader, according to her coach, has played well this season despite battling through a thumb injury.
“Zayanna, being only a sophomore, has great things ahead of her,” Mercado said. “She proved that today, injured and all.”
Sanchez wasn’t the only Waveirder batter with two hits against Hilo. Ka’anoi Carvalho and Brittney Keaunui were both 2 for 3. Carvalho scored twice and Keaunui knocked in two runs. Jamianna Tan was 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI.
“We work on our hitting a lot and it paid off today,” Mercado said. “The girls stayed patient and did what they do in practice.”
Most of Hilo’s damage at the plate came in one inning as the Vikings pushed five of their nine runs across the plate in the second. Kealakehe pitcher Kiara Cantiberos struggled with her control, walking three batters in the inning.
Hilo’s offense was led by Patricia Marcus, who picked up four of the team’s six hits. She went 4 for 5 with two runs and four RBIs, which included a two-run home run in the top of the fourth inning, which gave the Vikings a 7-5 lead.
“Patricia has been struggling up until today so it was nice to see her get back in the grove,” said Hilo coach Kelly Galdones. “She tweaked her swing to be a little bit quicker and it worked.”
Kealakehe took a one-run lead in the bottom of the fourth but Hilo tied the game up at 8-8 the top of the fifth. In the bottom of the inning, the Waveriders continued to hit, pushing three runs across the plate for an 11-8 advantage.
Lavinia Ngaluafe and Carvalho led off the bottom of the fifth with a pair of singles and their were both advanced a base on a groundout to first. As the top of the order came up for Kealakehe, Breianna McLeod singled up the middle to score Ngaluafe. Sanchez then beat out a bunt single, scoring Carvalho. Tan also singled in the inning, scoring McLeod for an 11-8 advantage.
Now with a three-run lead, Cantiberos would have a little breathing room to fight through the Hilo order. She had a Jekyll and Hyde day inside the circle, and no inning summed that up more than the sixth.
Cantiberos faced off with Hilo’s No. 4 hitter Moana Pinner in the top of the inning. Pinner, who had been pitched around all day and had two walks to show for it, teed off on a Kealakehe pitch, sending a line shot over the left field fence.
However, Cantiberos struck out the next three batters to escape the inning with a two run lead.
“I tell the girls all the time that the game is not over until the fat lady sings,” Mercado said. “They proved that today. When they got into trouble, they fought and came through.”
Cantiberos took the circle in the seventh to try and end the game. After getting one out, Lauren Sugai reached on an error, but the Kealakehe pitcher managed to get the next batter to pop out in foul territory at first base. With two down, Cantiberos ran into more trouble when she hit Ka’ili Maukele. Marcus then reached on a single, loading the bases for the power hitting Pinner.
Not able to pitch around Hilo’s cleanup hitter, Cantiberos went after her. Pinner managed to make solid contact with a pitch, put got under it just a little, resulting in a deep flyout to right field to end the game.
“They were pitching around Moana so she didn’t really have her timing, but I was hoping she would come through,” Galdones said. “But the pitcher made a good pitch and unfortunately she couldn’t catch up with it.”
Cantiberos threw seven innings, allowing three earned runs off six hits. She struck out seven and walked seven to earn the win.
Hilo started their No. 2 pitcher, Charlisse Kela, who threw three innings before being pulled from the game after she was stung by a wasp. She took a no decision, allowing five runs, three earned off three hits, while striking out two and walking two.
Zoe Cabarloc entered in the fourth inning and took the loss. She allowed six runs, four earned, off eight hits. Cabarloc struck out four and walked two over three innings.