HONOKAA — Konawaena coach Shellie Grace would like to see her team get off to a better start. Honokaa’s Wesley Fujimoto was disappointed his club couldn’t finish.
In the end, the Wildcats and Dragons met each other in the middle Wednesday after their Big Island Interscholastic Federation Division II softball game ended in a 17-17 tie at Honokaa Park.
“Terrifying,” Dragons junior Kayla Requelman said of the nine-inning affair that lasted more than three hours before being called because of darkness.
Konawaena’s Syleesia Jose, who finished with four hits and three RBIs, had another word to describe the madness: tiring
Perhaps it was a sign of things to come when both teams showed up in green jerseys and black pants. Honokaa featured a yellow stripe, but not much else separated the two.
Another similarity: Each posted a memorable rally to extend the game.
First, Konawaena (3-3-1) scored three times in the seventh inning to erase a seven-run deficit. Jose hit a two-out RBI single to cut the Dragons lead to 12-10, then Kaila Kaupe Deleon ripped a run-scoring triple and scored on a wild pitch to tie the game.
“We worked really hard to keep up our intensity, and we need to come back in our next game and get a win,” Jose said.
Teryn Pua Ubando started the seventh with a double and she seemingly provided the big blow of the eighth with a three-run triple as the Wildcats scored five runs.
The Dragons (2-3-1) promptly answered with five runs of their own in their half of the eighth. Tyrah Fernandez and Allie Shiraki got the uprising going with doubles and eventually scored, and Kayla Kalahui came through with a two-run double.
“We’re both good teams,” Requelman said. “We just tried to get back in the game and get hits.”
There were not shortage of hitting stars on either team.
Shiraki capped Honokaa’s seven-run first inning with a three-run triple and finished 3 for 3 with three walks, and Kaitlyn Agustin had three hits, including a two-run double. Agustin pitched the final 4 2/3 innings in relief of Requelman.
Ubando drove in five runs for the Wildcats and Deleon finished with three hits and two RBIs.
Konawaena made three of its six errors in the eighth.
“They know how to pull through under pressure,” Grace said. “They need to get hitting from the beginning and work on the errors.”
Teizha Kaluna pitched the final four innings for the Wildcats in relief of Anu Binney.
Fujimoto said his team played like it often practices.
“A full seven innings, we have a hard time finishing the game,” he said.
Konawaenna 401 031 350 — 17 14 6
Honokaa 701 400 050 — 17 14 2
• Waiakea 9, Keaau 7: Taylor Nishimura finished 3 for 4 with a triple, and Taylor Ogawa ripped a two-run triple to ignite a five-run fourth inning as the host Warriors erased an early 5-0 deficit.
Alyssa Hara pitched a complete game for the Warriors allowing five walks with eight strikeouts. Skyler Thomas was 2 for 4 with an RBI for Waiakea, which leapfogged the Cougars (5-2) to move into second place in Division I.
Shaniya Kamakea-Wong led Keaau (5-2), going 2 for 4 with a triple and two RBIs. Lohi Kamakea-Wong went the distance and took the loss, yielding four walks with five strikeouts.
The Warriors will host Hawaii Prep at 3 p.m. today in a rescheduled game.
Keaau 230 002 0 — 7 8 3
Waiakea 003 222 x — 9 8 2
• Hilo 12, Ka’u 1: Aliesa Kaneshiro struck out eight and Reisha Hoopii-Haslam had four hits to lead the Vikings in Pahala.
Kaneshiro got the win, while Kamalani Fujikawa took the loss.
Hoopii-Haslam went 4 for 4 with a double to lead Hilo. Kaneshiro had a double and Caitlyn Price and Jordyn Breitbarth each had singles.
Shylee Tamura and Fujikawa had singles off Kaneshiro.
• Kamehameha 21, Pahoa 1: Mykala Tokunaga drove in five runs and Kekai Wong Yuen had four hits to lead Kamehameha to a three-inning TKO win over the Daggers.
Wong Yuen also had three RBIs for the Warriors. Kiarra Lincoln had three hits and three RBIs; Gayla Ha-Cabebe, two hits and two RBIs; and Jaysha Alonzo-Estrada, two RBIs.
Randell Berinobis had a single for Pahoa.
Tokunaga struck out seven and earned the TKO win. Tiana Kapumau took the loss.
• Kealakehe 33, HPA 9: The Waveriders exploded for a season-high 33 runs and 18 hits against the visiting Ka Makani. Brittany Keaunui led the way for Kealakehe going 4 for 4 from the plate with six RBIs. Leisha Nakagawa added four RBIs on 3 of 3 hitting. Alexa Meyer hit 2 for 2 for Ka Makani with an RBI.
Nicole Cerezo recorded the win on the mound, pitching one inning and allowing four hits. Kawaena Lim-Samura took the loss for HPA. She allowed 14 hits, walked 14 and hit five batters.
