KAILUA-KONA — A change of pace in the circle and a sweet swing from a senior were key ingredients for Kamehameha-Hawaii as it clinched its seventh consecutive title on Monday with a 7-3 victory over Konawaena in Game 3 of the BIIF Division II championship series, which was held at Kealakehe High School.
The win was also the fourth for the team’s only two seniors — Taylor Sullivan and Jessica Cameros — and the duo played key rolls in the rubber match between the Warriors and the Wildcats.
Cameros got the starting nod inside the circle, despite not having pitched much this season. A fresh arm and a change of pace is just what Kamehameha needed as Cameros kept the big bats of Konawaena silent for most of the game.
“I put her in expecting to throw Konawaena off a little bit,” said Kamehameha head coach Akea Kiyuna. “She hit her spots, kept the ball low and the defense backed her up.”
Cameros picked up the victory in a complete game performance, with her only trouble coming in a Konawaena three-run rally in the fourth inning.
Up 2-0 heading into top of the fourth, Cameros picked up two quick outs before walking Kaimana Joy Manzano. Manzano scored on a triple by Erin Kaimuola-Bates, who later crossed the plate on a single by Magedlynn Anuntak to tie the game.
Manzano, Kaimuola-Bates and Anuntak provided most of the offense for the Wildcats in Game 3. The trio had two hits apiece, totaling for six of the team’s 10 hits.
After Nalani Wall singled to put runners at the corners, Anuntak scored on a throw down to second on a Wall steal attempt to put the Wildcats up 3-2.
Cameros struck out Nanea Wall swinging to end the inning. She would now allow another run to cross the plate. The Kamehameha pitcher ended the day with two walks and a strikeout. She allowed two earned runs.
“My changeup worked well today and it was throwing the batters off,” Cameros said. “I had a lot of confidence in myself and I could not have done it without the defense.”
Now down a run, the Warriors needed a spark to ignite a rally and they got one from Sullivan in the bottom of the fourth. Sullivan led off the inning and she worked the count full against Konawaena’s ace Shaylann Marie Grace. Sullivan then sent the next pitch she saw sailing over the left field fence to tie the game at 3-3.
“I was just trying to get on base and start something for our team,” Sullivan said. “I was trying to do something small but it went over the fence.”
By her high standards, Sullivan has struggled this season in comparison to her stellar junior year, and Kiyuna believes part of the reason is that she has been trying to carry a heavy load for the team.
“She is one of our rocks, along with Jess, and she takes a lot of the pressure and puts it on herself,” Kiyuna said. “She saw today that the team had her back and she did not have to do it all herself. She was able to relax and make the adjustments in her swing.”
After tying the game at 3-3, the Warriors took the lead in the fifth inning, pushing three runs across the plate off doubles by Brooke Baptiste and Kawai Kauahi-Raquel, and a single by Jolie Kim. Kamehameha added an insurance run in the sixth off an error and a single by Leiloa Bustamante.
Bustamante finished with a team high three hits, including a solo home run to lead off the second inning. She knocked in the team’s first two runs.
“Leiloa is young, only a sophomore, but she was able to make the adjustments at the plate,” Kiyuna said. “She really came through.”
Grace took the loss inside the circle. She threw six innings, allowing four earned off 10 hits. She walked two and struck out five.
Both the Warriors and Wildcats will quickly turn their attention to the HHSAA state tournament, which will take place May 8-11 on Oahu.
“Every year we lose in the semifinals, so hopefully this year we can make it to the championship,” Sullivan said. “This a great team and we want to do great things.”
