HILO — The Hilo High School varsity softball team overcame an early deficit to defeat Kamehameha Schools – Hawaii 18-13 in a rain-soaked senior game on Thursday afternoon.
Intermittent downpours caused the game to be paused multiple times, and the wet conditions kept things unpredictable. The rain proved to be a nightmare for each team’s defense — causing excessive errors, hit-by-pitch’s, wild pitches and passed balls.
On offense, players got covered in mud — and at one point, a Hilo player’s bat flew out of her hands and into the Vikings’ dugout.
With the rain coming down strong, the Warriors took a three-point lead in the top first. Napua Ho scored on a passed ball after walking to first and advancing on wild pitches. Kahiwa Ili doubled, then scored as another batter grounded out to first. Tia Tanimoto was hit by a pitch, and scored as the bases were loaded by other walks and hit-by-pitch’s.
Hilo closed in on KSH in the second inning, scoring twice. Leadoff Kawehi Augustin reached first on an error, then Kiana Agpalza tripled on a left-field line drive to bat Augustin in. Agpalza reached home when three-hole Mackenzie Valentin singled. A strikeout by KSH pitcher Emily Hora, a flyout and a lineout ended the frame with the bases loaded.
In the top second, two errors and a walk loaded the bases with Warriors. Another walk put up another run for KSH, then Hora reached home on a wild pitch. As a batter grounded out to first, Ho and Ili made it home.
The Vikings took control of the game with a massive bottom second inning. After Kapri Decanto-Garo and Augustin singled, Agpalza hit another triple to bat them in. Then, Valentin sent Agpalza across the plate with a single. An error during the next at-bat let Valentin score. After two more runs were scored and two outs were notched, Augustin returned to the plate and hit a two-run homer. Agpalza hit a double, then got home on Valentin’s single before the next batter’s flyout ended the frame.
Down 7-11 entering the top third, the Warriors eked out one more run. Kaohinani Christensen walked, then courtesy runner Naiya Avenue took her place. Avenue advanced to third on wild pitches, then Hora hit a sacrifice fly to bat her in. Hilo pitcher Kuuipo Kalipi notched the Vikings’ first strikeout of the game, then a groundout sent KSH back onto the field.
Walks and hit-by-pitch’s loaded the bases and yielded two more runs for Hilo in the bottom third, bringing its lead to 14-8.
The Vikings maintained that lead with a top-fourth shutout. A double-play from Valentin at third, to Augustin at second put out two runners — then a groundout ended the frame.
Madison Waiki hit a solo homer on the first play of the bottom fourth, which would be Hilo’s only run of the frame.
KSH shrunk its deficit to 15-12 in the top fifth with four runs. Walks and errors let Hora get to third, then she slid onto home on a fielder’s choice. Tanimoto sacrifice bunted to bat in Ho, then Jane Cootey hit a two-run double.
In the bottom of the inning, Valentin hit the Vikings’ third homer of the game for two runs. Before the end of the frame, Lei Soller scored on a passed ball to bring Hilo’s lead to 18-12.
A strikeout and two flyouts shut out the Warriors in the top sixth. The Vikings did the same to KSH in the bottom frame.
Kalipi struck out the leadoff to start the top seventh, then two hit-by-pitch’s and a walk loaded the bases. At catcher, Agpalza caught Tanimoto stealing for the first out. Cootey successfully stole home, but another runner was caught stealing and a batter grounded out.
Agpalza led Hilo at bat, going four-for-four with a walk to score four runs and bat four in — hitting two triples, a double and a homer. Valentin went four-for-five to score two runs and bat in five.
Kalipi earned the win on the mound and pitched the whole game for the Vikings — allowing six earned runs on five hits, six hit-by-pitch’s and eleven walks.
Ili went two-for-three with two walks to lead the Warriors in the box, scoring three runs and batting one in.
Both teams have completed all of their regular season outings and will each enter the BIIF Playoffs starting April 17. KSH will likely enter the Division II bracket as the No.1 seed.
Hilo may enter the Division I bracket as the No. 1 seed, but the top seed could also be given to Kealakehe High School — the only team who beat Hilo. What further clouds the playoff picture is that Waiakea High School recently routed Kealakehe 13-3, but Hilo beat Waiakea 12-11.