HILO – Halee Sweat, Kelsie Imai, and Johnacy Mackwelung have all been asked the same question in interviews this season, and it’s one they’ve each had a hard time answering.
What new aspect do the three freshmen bring to Waiakea’s veteran-laden softball team?
Perhaps it’s a dumb question or perhaps all three are too modest, because deep into the postseason the answer is becoming crystal clear: All three are irreplaceable for the Warriors.
Don’t draw any conclusions from the 10-0 final score Friday against Kealakehe in Game 1 of the BIIF Division I championship series at the Warriors’ field. It wasn’t easy, and without its freshmen, two-time defending champion Waiakea might not be on the cusp of third straight title Saturday.
Sweat cruised through five innings in the circle, and her stint transformed into a two-hit shutout as the Warriors broke through for 10 runs in the bottom off the fifth, an uprising that was fueled by Imai’s three-run home run.
With Sweat and the Waveriders’ Kiara Cantiberos sailing scoreless into the fifth, if ever there was a hard-fought TKO, this was it.
“I think we just realized we had to start hitting,” Imai said.
The Warriors, (16-0), who can secure a three-peat in Game 2 at 11 a.m. Saturday on their home field, connected for five of their 10 hits in the fifth.
“Everybody felt comfortable, everybody was cheering and that brought up the team,” Sweat said.
The game remained scoreless into the bottom of the fifth after Imai ran down Jamianna Tan’s flyball in right field with two runners on for the final out in the top of the fifth.
The third time through the order, Waiakea finally got to Cantiberos. Brandee Chinen led off with a single, moved to second on a wild pitch and scored on a double by Skylar Thomas.
“After Brandee brought in our first run, it kind of upped our mood,” Imai said.
Imai was used primarily as a fielder in the season, but she earned coach Bo Saiki’s trust at the plate midseason and batted eighth in Game 1. With two on and two out, she clobbered a ball to deep center on a pitch right down the middle for her first home run of the season.
From there, Kealakehe coach Loni Mercado said, “It just snowballed.”
After two walks, Kristi Hirata singled in a run, another walk preceded Thomas’ run-scoring single, and after a hit batter, an error allowed on Shaily Moses’ groundball allowed two more runs to score. Jourdan Perreira, the 14th batter of the inning, ended the game with am extra base-hit.
“For four solid innings we stood toe to toe and then one little hiccup hurt us,” Mercado said. “We have to learn to regroup, take ourselves out of the game, even for a split-second, and then turn the switch back on.”
Sweat struggled March 30 at Kealakehe in a start in which she said she never felt comfortable and walked nine batters in 3 1/3 innings.
“At first I was little nervous (today),” she said. “I couldn’t adjust to Kealakehe’s field when I pitched and I struggled.”
“I thought I might struggle again.”
Mixing a curveball and riser with her fastball, the Warriors’ ace struck out three and walked three.
Mackwelung has provided a potent bat all season with five home runs to complement Chinen and Thomas in the middle of the order. On Friday, it was Imai’s turn.
All three freshmen played club ball with the Piopio Bears.
“I wasn’t expecting to start,” Imai said.”You have to work for what you want.”
Thomas, a senior who is likely on her way to her second consecutive Player of the Year honor, finished 3 for 3 with a walk, two RBIs and two runs scored. Chinen, a junior, was 2 for 3 with a walk.
In 4 2/3 innings, Cantiberos walked eight and struck out two.
On Saturday, she and her teammates will try to duplicate those first four innings.
“I told the girls they have 5-10 minutes to soak this in,” Mercado said. “Then you forget about it and think about what you can bring tomorrow.
“They know what they are capable of.”
By now, so do Waiakea’s freshmen.