Kamehameha’s Mykala Tokunaga appears to be ready for the rigors of the postseason.
Kamehameha’s Mykala Tokunaga appears to be ready for the rigors of the postseason.
The junior competed in a mini-triathlon at her school Tuesday, and then she struck out seven later in the afternoon as Kamehameha capped an unbeaten regular season and kept Keaau from clinching an HHSAA berth, winning 8-2 at the Cougars’ field.
Tokunaga’s goal all along was to go undefeated, but she didn’t learn until Sunday that Kamehameha (10-0) had never had a prefect regular season in Big Island Interscholastic Federation softball.
“That’s so cool,” she said. “I’m happy for the team because they’ve been doing great. Our hitting has improved.”
Top-seeded Kamehameha hosts Konawaena (5-5) on Friday in a doubleheader in the best-of-three semifinals in Division II. The Warriors have beaten their three counterparts in the semis – Honokaa and Kohala play in the other – by a combined 46-1.
Asked her team’s biggest challenge, Tokunaga said: “Doubleheaders. Especially for (catcher) Kekai (Wong Yuen) and me.”
Both Division I state berths will be up for grabs in the semifinals after the Cougars (7-3) missed a chance to clinch the regular-season title and finished in a three-way tie for first and fell to the No. 3 seed and a semifinal at Hilo on Friday.
Waiakea, which won the tiebreaker with wins against Hilo and Keaau, takes the top seed and will welcome Kealakehe.
Tokunaga followed her five-inning no-hitter Saturday against Kohala by limiting Keaau to three hits. She didn’t allow a hit after the fourth.
“My teammates were saying that’s the best they’ve seen me pitch,” Tokunaga said of her abbreviated no-hitter.
Wong Yuen doubled and scored three runs.
Lohi Kamakea-Wong took the loss as the Cougars made an error in each of the first four innings
Kamehameha 102 311 0 – 8 8 0
Keaau 101 000 0–2 3 4