On a day that was largely defined by lopsided scores on the diamond, Kapaau was the place to be for close competition.
Behind ace Shaylynn Grace, Konawaena swept Kohala in pair of one-run games Saturday to advance to the BIIF Division II championship softball series.
Grace, a sophomore right-hander, pitched a complete game in a 7-6 win in the opener, then she worked eight innings in the clincher as Wildcats won 3-2 via a walk-off walk in the bottom of the eighth.
“It was a weird game,” Kohala coach Terrence Alcoran said of Game 2.
After the Cowgirls (12-6) went ahead 2-1 in the top half of the inning, Konawaena (12-6) answered with two runs without the benefit of a hit. The Wildcats managed only two hits total against Mikayla Kekoa (four innings) and Symphony Kauanoe.
Konawaena and six-time defending Division II champion Kamehameha will match up in the best-of-three finals for the second consecutive year. The Warriors eked out a Game 3 on the road in 2017.
Grace struck out 10 batters on the day, seven in Game 2. Kekoa fanned five in going the distance in Game 1.
Magedlynn Anuntak collected two doubles for Konawaena in the opener, Erin Kaimuloa-Bates tripled and singled and Jayla Medeiros had a single and a double. For Kohala, Kauanoe, Missy Fernandez and Leila Carvalho each had two hits apiece.
In Game 2, Kayla Joy Kealoha (single, triple) and Kekoa each had two hits for Kohala, which still has its ninth consecutive trip to the state tournament ahead of it.
“The girls have done real well this season,” Alcoran said. “Hopefully, we can do well at states.”
Kamehameha sweeps
Brooke Baptiste didn’t allow an earned run on the day, pitching a one-hitter in a rain-shortened five-inning game at Keaau High to give the Warriors a 3-0 win and a sweep of the Dragons.
Baptiste allowed a single to Tehani Epenesa but struck out three and walked three, getting offensive support from Dioni Lincoln, who hit her second home run of the day and also doubled.
Epenesa also went the distance, yielding four hits, two earned runs with two strikeouts and three walks.
In the Warriors’ 9-1 win in the opener in which they hit three home runs, Baptiste pitched a five-hitter and struck out four, allowing five hits and a walk.
Kawai Kauahi-Raquel smashed a three-run home run and hit a double for Kamehameha (16-2), Taylor Sullivan went deep with a runner aboard and Lincoln hit another solo shot. Leiloa Bustamante was 2 for 2 with two runs scored.
Destynee-Skye Carvalho took the loss and Natasha Molina had two hits and scored a run for the Dragons (9-9), who advance to the state tournament.
Waiakea sweeps in D-I
Brandee Chinen compiled six hits in two games, and Aliza Ka’apuna drove in six runs in Game 2 as the host Warriors swept Hilo 16-3 and 16-1 to continue their search for a fourth consecutive Division I title.
Chinen went 4 for 4 with with two runs and two RBIs in the opener as Waiakea pounded out 19 hits. Jolene Hirata was 3 for 4 with three runs scored and two RBIs, Ka’apuna and Johnacy Mackwelung each had two hits and drove in two, and Emma Fincher and Sarahlin Likiaksa also had two hits apiece.
Halee Sweat went the distance in the five-inning TKO, allowing four runs and three walks with four strikeouts.
Gaylynn Ha collected two hits for the Vikings (2-13) and Lauren Sugai took the loss.
Waiakea scored eight runs in the top of the seventh in the clincher. Chinen doubled and tripled and Ka’apuna and Mackwelung added two more hits apiece to back Sweat, who went the distance and pitched stronger this time (two hits, five strikeouts, six walks).
Chalisse Kela worked 6 1/3 for Hilo.