Kohala’s Symphony Kauanoe and Antonette Fernandez have displayed uncommon poise for freshmen this season. ADVERTISING Kohala’s Symphony Kauanoe and Antonette Fernandez have displayed uncommon poise for freshmen this season. All the same, Cowgirls coach Joby Amaral was happy his young
Kohala’s Symphony Kauanoe and Antonette Fernandez have displayed uncommon poise for freshmen this season.
All the same, Cowgirls coach Joby Amaral was happy his young team avoided a road trip to open the playoffs.
Kauanoe drove in four runs and thwarted visiting Honokaa in a relief stint Wednesday, Fernandez doubled twice and Kohala outslugged the Dragons 21-11 to ensure one road to the BIIF championship series will go through Kapaau.
“I considered this one must-win,” Amaral said.
Kohala (6-3) earned the No. 2 seed and will host the Dragons (5-4) in the best-of-three BIIF semifinals. The other semifinal matches Konawaena (4-5) and top-seeded Kamehameha.
Honokaa led 9-2 after an inning and a half, but Kohala erupted for nine runs in the third to tie the game and tacked on 10 in the fourth.
Kauanoe (two doubles) and Fernandez (two RBIs) paced a 14-hit attack. Sophomore Setsuko Kimura was 2 for 3 with two RBIs and senior Denae Rivera was 2 for 4 and drove in a run.
Tyrah Fernandez was 3 for 4 with four RBIs for Honokaa, which had a four-game winning streak snapped. Maluhia Sanchez drove in three runs and Kayla Requelman had a pair of RBIs.
Fernandez started and struggled with her command, but Kauanoe went the final 3 1/3, keeping the Dragons scoreless in the fourth and fifth.
The Cowgirls made only one error while Honokaa committed nine.
“Our defense has improved dramatically,” Amaral said.
Keesha Matsuoka pitched into the fourth and took the loss for the Dragons.
Honokaa 452 00 – 11 6 9
Kohala 209 (10)x – 21 14 1
Konawaena 19, Hawaii Prep 1: Teizha Kaluna homered among her three hits in Waimea and the Wildcats clinched the final playoff spot in Division II.
Bethany Batangan went the distance in the four-inning TKO, striking out two and walking two. At the plate for the Wildcats, Batangan doubled and finished with two hits and two RBIs, and Rachel Sato went 2 for 2 and drove in two runs.
Keola Stevens walked eight in four innings for Ka Makani (1-8). Tehani Grasso drove in HPA’s run with a single in the third.
Shyla Victor and Kaimana-Joy Manzano also had two hits apiece for Konawaena.
Konawaena 817 3 – 19 15 0
Hawaii Prep 000 1 – 1 2 1
Waiakea 16, Ka’u 1: Tierra Teves hit a grand slam in Pahala to power the Warriors’ fourth win in a row.
Alyssa Hara didn’t walk a batter in four innings for Waiakea (6-3) and struck out four. At the plate, Hara delivered a single and a double. Jayla Costa and Skylar Thomas added two hits apiece.
Shyann Flores-Carvalho had half of her team’s four hits and Sheri Freitas took the loss for the Trojans (2-7).
Ka’u 001 0 –1 4 0
Waiakea 253 6 –16 11 0
