KEAAU – Kamehameha right-hander Jessica Cameros relies on deception and her defense, and that’s the perfect game plan for her.
The Warrior senior scattered seven hits, and the Warriors beat Kealakehe 6-3 in a BIIF game Thursday at Kamanawa Softball Field, where promising youth was on display.
Kamehameha (2-0) has two standout freshmen in second baseman Dioni Lincoln, who batted 3 for 4 with an RBI, and shortstop Kawehi Ili, who flashed a strong arm.
“We’re a young team, but the upperclassmen are stepping in as leaders,” Kamehameha coach Akea Kiyuna said.
Even though Ili batted 0 for 3, including a walk, she works the count and has a smooth line-drive swing like Lincoln.
Kealakehe (1-2) starts three freshmen — shortstop Nanea Kaluau, first baseman Lisan Mudong, and pitcher Telsea Taketa, who’s something of an escape artist.
The right-hander gave up eight hits and walked eight. Only one of those free passes came around to score.
Taketa stranded nine, including the bases loaded in the third.
Kaluau made a couple of spectacular back-handed picks in the hole and also flashed a strong arm. As the leadoff hitter, she went 1 for 3 with a walk.
Mudong didn’t get any hits, but like Kaluau, her defense stood out. She made several acrobatic stretches at first base on long throws from Kaluau.
“They make a great pair,” Kealakehe coach Loni Mercado said. “Nanea is something special, and she had a great game.”
Sophomore third baseman Kaylyn Villanueva batted 3 for 3 with an RBI to lead the visitors.
When Taketa left her pitches up, the Warriors smoked RBI line drives to the gaps. Take the fourth for instance.
Lincoln clubbed an RBI double, sophomore Hiwa Helenihi singled, and Cameros drilled a two-run double for a 6-3 cushion.
Other than Lincoln, no Warrior paired hits, but Cameros went 1 for 2, drew two walks and had two RBIs.
In the circle, Cameros found a groove after she allowed two unearned runs in the third. She pitched low in the strike zone and fired goose eggs in her last four frames.
“I liked how I was able to compete after those early innings,” she said. “I was hitting my spots.”
Cameros is a ground-ball pitcher, and 13 of her 21 outs came on the ground. That’s where outs are quickly recorded if balls are hit to the middle infield partnership of Ili and Lincoln.
The Warriors have won the last six BIIF titles but have placed fourth at the HHSAA tournament the previous two years and third in 2015.
The Kamehameha seniors, Cameros and outfielder Taylor Sullivan, who went 1 for 3, know the feeling of ruling the league but falling short at states.
“Our focus is the BIIF championship,” Cameros said. “But we’d like to get into the championship at states.”
On the other hand, the Waveriders are still waiting for their first BIIF championship. They’ve been the league runner-up to Waiakea the last two years.
Like Kamehameha, the ’Riders have got youth all over the place and start only two seniors in catcher Jami Tan and outfielder Dez Garcia.
On Monday, Waiakea outlasted Kealakehe 15-14 in eight innings. The Warriors scored in every inning, except the third.
To gain that elusive BIIF title, the Waveriders need to tighten their pitching. Junior Kitara Cantiberos is the other main arm.
“I’d say we have two aces,” Mercado said. “Telsea has great spin on the ball. Kitara has built up her speed.
“What I do like about our team is we’re young and working on attitude and effort. If you don’t do something at the plate, you can make up for it on the field. We want to improve every game and come out and compete.”
The Warriors trump Kealakehe in the ace department with three: Sullivan, Cameros, and junior Brooke Baptiste.
“They’re all different pitchers. Taylor has a variety of pitches. She brings maturity and experience,” Kiyuna said. “Brooke is very disciplined, and she’s a power pitcher.
“Jessica is also experienced and has maturity. She has deceptive pitches, like her changeup. She doesn’t have high velocity but has ball movement and a calm demeanor. She’s very deceptive.”
She walked two and struck out two. The Waveriders put a lot of balls in play, but Cameros won because she perfectly executed her game plan.