Kealakehe senior Mia Joaquin had a big day at the plate and survived a softball slugfest in the circle against Waiakea on Monday.
The Waveriders outlasted the Warriors 15-10 in a BIIF Division I showdown at Waiakea, where the seven-inning, 3 hour and 15 minute game felt like there was no ending.
“Was it that long? I didn’t even notice,” Kealakehe coach Loni Mercado said in the growing darkness. “I told the girls, ‘We have to fight it to the end. We came to Waiakea and haven’t finished games many time before. We traveled all the way out here, and we have to get it done.’
Joaquin, a 2019 All-BIIF first-team pick, fired five innings, gave up 10 runs (two unearned) on 11 hits and two walks and struck out four for the win. Sophomore Caitlyn Nakamura pitched two scoreless innings, surrendered one hit and whiffed three.
“Mia prior was our backup (pitcher), but this year we count on her to be our veteran,” Mercado said. “She set the tone for the girls and did a great job. Caitlyn did a great job. She’s got years ahead of her. I know her anxiety was high, but she trusted her skills and did well.”
Joaquin batted 2 for 3 and had four RBIs, and Freeda Tolsi went 3 for 4 with four RBIs to lead the Waveriders (1-0), who stranded six on base and won their first BIIF championship in 2019. Rhianna Joaquin is a freshman catcher. She batted 0 for 3 but had two walks and scored twice.
“No. 3 (Mia Joaquin) and 4 (Tolsi) is a really great combination,” Mercado said. “Mia was such a great leadoff for us in the past, and she did such a great job.”
Sophomore right-hander Leiakawai Tavares-Turalde started and pitched 1 2/3 innings. She allowed nine runs (two unearned) on four hits and three walks and struck out three. Freshman Kaitlyn Miura went 4 1/3 innings in the loss. She gave up three runs on two hits and five walks and struck out four. Sophomore right-hander Jhayda Rose Turner pitched two innings of two-run relief. She allowed one hit and one walk.
Sophomore second baseman Madisen Kodani batted 2 for 4 with an RBI, junior Kaylee Aiona went 2 for 3 with an RBI, Turner was 2 for 4 with an RBI, and Korrie Fernandez batted 1 for 3 with three RBIs, including a three-run inside-the-park homer for the Warriors (1-1), who left six on base and captured the BIIF title from 2015 to 2018.
“They were better than us. They put the ball in play and were aggressive on the bases. Their pitcher shut us down at the end,” Waiakea coach Melissa Pang said. “We had excellent at-bats, too, and we hit the ball hard.”
Kealakehe exploded for six runs in the second inning, highlighted by Joaquin’s two-run single.
Waiakea, which went 7 of 8 on steal attempts, answered with a seven-run rally in the bottom of the inning, highlighted by Fernandez’ three-run homer with a rocket down the right-field line.
Of Waiakea’s 10 walks, the Waveriders scored seven runs. They also scored twice on wild pitches.
Of Kealakehe’s two walks, the Warriors scored two runs and didn’t score on any wild pitches.
The Waveriders led 12-10 heading into the seventh, when they rallied for three runs. Joaquin blasted a two-run double, and Nakamura had a fielder’s choice RBI.
Meanwhile, the Warriors couldn’t get anything started off Nakamura, who started in left field. She threw an effective riseball and stranded two in scoring position in the sixth.
With only four Division I teams, the BIIF will only earn one berth, like in 2019, to the state tournament.