Hawaii Tribune-Herald
Virgil Agustin says he tries not to keep track of the score while he’s coaching Honokaa High’s softball team.
So imagine his reaction Monday in the fifth inning when he looked at the score in Kealakekua and saw the Dragons were set to close out a 14-2 TKO victory against Konawaena.
“I was surprised,” Agustin said. “Really surprised.”
The Dragons’ third consecutive victory to start the season came against the team that swept it out of the BIIF Division II semifinals last season.
They go for a 4-0 start Wednesday when they are scheduled to play at Hilo High.
“In their third game, they finally got rid of most of their jitters,” Agustin said. “We just followed our plan. Nothing much, just do what you know what to do.”
The Dragons struck for seven runs in the first inning, getting an RBI double from Tehani Epenesa and run-scoring singles by Puili Hanohano and Natasha Molina.
Epenesa took over from there, limiting Konawaena (1-1) to four hits, no earned runs with a walk and two strikeouts in five innings.
Epenesa also drove in a run with a single in the fourth, going 2 for 4 with two runs scored, Ceelyn Gali-Lucero collected two hits and three RBIs, and Molina (three runs scored) and Karly Requelman also finished with two hits.
Erin Kaimuloa-Bates pitched an inning and took the loss for the Wildcats, who host six-time defending champion Kamehameha on Wednesday.
The Warriors haven’t played a game yet after their home contest Monday with Hawaii Prep was postponed.
The Dragons will face a Vikings team looking to rebound after losing 3-2 on Monday at Keaau in the teams’ opener.
