Kelsie Imai and Kayla Kodani say they weren’t swinging for the fences Monday, but all of Waiakea’s softball players now have the chance.
The field of the four-time defending BIIF Division I champion was upgraded and is more player- and fan-friendly, featuring a temporary fence, a walkway, new dugouts, bleachers and a scoreboard.
The scoreboard wasn’t used for the season opener, but when it’s in use the operator is likely to be busy. While a lot is new, these appear to be the same old hitter-happy Warriors. Imai christened the fence with a three-run home run and Kodani hit a solo shot as Waiakea beat Kealakehe 10-5.
“I wasn’t expecting that,” said Kodani, a freshman shortstop, of her homer to left in the fourth.
The Warriors collected four of their 12 hits – three apiece from Alize Ka’apana and Tristen Cullio – in the third inning, including Imai’s blast to right, to score five times.
“When I go out there I just want to hit the ball and get on the bag,” Imai said. “Coming off of basketball season, I’m kind of rusty and just looking to get on base. I was lucky.”
Halee Sweat, a battle-tested junior right-hander, cruised through the first five innings on just three hits allowed. Waiakea almost walked away with a TKO against the team its beaten in the past three BIIF championship series when Ka’apana’s RBI single and Kodani’s sacrifice fly made it 9-0.
That’s when the Waveriders turned it up a notch and it got chaotic, much to the delight of coach Loni Mercado, who is only trying to replace two seniors.
The Nos. 4-6 batters in the lineup, starting pitcher Telsea Taketa, Lisan Mudong and Kaylyn Villanueva (2 for 4), each doubled to open the sixth and chase Sweat, starting a five-run rally.
“From the get-go we need to come out and cause chaos,” Mercado said, “that makes the game fun.”
Kodani came on and gave up a single, and an error on a bunt allowed two runs to score, but she got the final six outs, showing why coach Bo Saiki trusts her as one of Waiakea’s five capable pitchers. Sweat struck out four and walked two to earn the victory.
Cullio, a sophomore center fielder, also flashed in her first chance at a full-time role, doubling and scoring in the fifth and hitting an RBI single as part of her 3-for-3 day.
“Tristen has shown big improvement from last season,” Imai said.
Taketa got out of a bases-loaded jam in the first inning by retiring three consecutive batters, but she struggled with her command, walking eight.
Still, Mercado liked the way she hung in and battled for six innings, striking out three.
“She’s matured a lot,” Mercado said. “Last year, it was kind of, ‘Here’s the ball, kid, you’re the ace.’ She had no choice. You either grow or we sink, because we had no pitching last year.
“This year she came back to us and she’s like, “Give me the ball, coach.”’
Waiakea’s biggest losses from 2018 were second baseman Brandee Chinen, now at UH-Hilo, and shortstop Shaily Moses.
Ka’apana, who started at third base, is back in the third spot in the lineup and doubled in going 3 for 4 with two RBIs, left fielder Jolene Hirata is entering her fourth year as a contributor and was on base four times and junior Johnacy Mackwelung returns at catcher and figures to provide one of the most potent bats in the league.
“The energy is different, but we have people who are just as good,” said Imai, who can play first base, shortstop or pitch. “Even though we lost a lot, we gained just as much.”
She’s happy Waiakea made additions to its field as well, especially the bleachers.
“It’s better because now we have fans that come out,” she said. “Before they didn’t want to come out and sit in the grass, but now they can sit in the stands.”
Kodani wasn’t the only promising freshman in the game.
Kealakehe’s Mia Joaquin delivered two singles and provided a slick glove at second base. Mercado joked that if the Waveriders had their way, most batted balls would head to Joaquin.
“We’re excited to have her, she’s just refreshing,” Mercado said. “We’ve had many leaders come through our program, but not starting this early.”
Kealakehe shortstop Nanea Kalu’au almost became the first player to clear the fence – which sits 200 feet from the plate to all fields – when she tripled to deep center in the first inning.
Normally the wind blows in from center, Saiki said, but the air was still Monday.
“It’s going to make a big difference, when it’s like it is today,” he said. “The ball is going to carry a lot.”
