Cariaga tosses two-hitter as Keaau tops Hilo

HILO — Senior Momilani Cariaga fired a two-hit shutout to spark Keaau to an impressive 6-0 win over Hilo on Friday afternoon.

The Big Island Interscholastic Federation softball game between Division I title contenders took place at the Walter Victor Complex.

Cariaga, a 5-foot-6 right-hander, handcuffed the Vikings (10-3), pitching a no-hitter until the fifth inning, when Hilo’s Aliesa Kaneshiro singled to left field. She then gave up a single to Viking pitcher Ashlyn Kaneshiro, Aliesa’s older sister, in the sixth inning before polishing off the gem with a scoreless seventh for the Cougars (10-3).

“Momilani pitched a really good game,” Keaau coach Boy Wong said. “Earlier in the year, we didn’t use her too much because she was rehabbing a knee injury. But she’s come on strong.”

Cariaga wasn’t overpowering, but she kept her pitches low and moved them around to frustrate the Hilo batters. When the Vikings did hit the ball, they usually hit it right at a gloved Cougar. The Keaau defense didn’t commit an error while the young Vikings struggled at times and made six errors.

“I just wanted to do my best and rely on my defense,” a smiling Cariaga said. “They did a great job, and I knew they had my back.”

Cariaga struck out one batter, walked three and tossed two wild pitches. But each time she got into a jam, she refocused and came up with a big out — including in the bottom of the sixth when hot-hitting Fantacie Keahilihau-Kuamoo stepped into the batter’s box with two Vikings on base.

However, Cariaga got Keahilihau-Kuamoo on a pop-up to second baseman Jacy Pagala and then recorded a groundout with Raven Hall at bat to extinguish the threat.

Ashlyn Kaneshiro, a senior, took the loss but deserved a better fate. The six errors and a critical missed tag in the second inning helped open the door for the Cougars offensively.

Keaau scored three runs in the second inning, using four hits and an error to give Cariaga all the runs she needed. Mahina Homalon’s two-run double was the key hit in the inning.

The Cougars then added solo runs in the third, sixth and seventh to close scoring.

Keaau leadoff hitter Sabrina Nakaima went 3-for-5 with three RBIs and reached base two other times on fielder’s choices. Teammate Cassie Ramos-Fujimoto had three hits in four at-bats against the Vikings’ ace. Ramos-Fujimoto and Pagala each added an RBI.

Keaau 031 100 1 — 6 10 0

Hilo 000 000 0 — 0 2 6

c Kohala 15, Hawaii Prep 5: Junior Tiani Luga highlighted a six-run third inning with a two-run single, and senior Chyler Imai pitched a complete game as the Cowgirls remained atop the BIIF Division II standings with their victory over Ka Makani at Kamehameha Park.

Luga finished 2-for-2 with three RBIs, and junior outfielder Sheana Cazimero went 3-for-5. Freshmen Denae Rivera and Tomiko Coito added two hits apiece for Kohala (7-3), which moved a full game ahead of second-place Honokaa (6-4).

Imai allowed 10 hits but walked just one batter, striking out three in a game that ended after six innings because of the league’s 10-run mercy rule.

Sophomore Kawena Lim-Samura, who pitched 5 1/3 innings, took the loss for HPA (3-8). She allowed 12 hits and six walks, striking out three batters.

Sophomore Tiana Bertelmann-Tabac went 3-for-4 with a double and two RBIs.

Hawaii Prep 300 101 — 5 10 3

Kohala 206 223 — 15 12 1

c Kealakehe 10, Konawaena 2: Junior Ashley Isisaki struck out 10 batters in a complete-game five-hitter as the visiting Waveriders improved to 7-4.

Isisaki, who walked five batters, also went 2-for-3 with a double.

Kealakehe senior Summer McEntee was 2-for-2 with a double.

Junior Alexis Fujikawa, who also went the distance in the circle, took the loss for the Wildcats (3-7). She gave up eight hits and four walks, striking out two.

At the plate, Jayssa Asuncion-Grace and Bethany Batangan both went 2-for-2.

Kealakehe 004 015 0 — 10 8 1

Konawaena 010 000 1 — 2 5 4

c Waiakea 11, Kamehameha 1: At Keaau, Ariana Mareko and Skyler Agrigado each clubbed two-run homers to lead the public-school Warriors (9-2) past the private-school Warriors (4-9) in a game that ended after six innings because of the league’s mercy rule.

Waiakea moved into first place in the Division I East standings.

Waiakea senior Chelsea Camello pitched five inning and earned the win, striking out five and not issuing a walk in a solid performance. Ishael Shaw-DeMello came on to pitch a scoreless sixth.

Samantha Simmons went the distance for Kamehameha and took the loss. She struck out two, walked six and beaned two batters.

Waiakea 331 031 — 11 9 4

KS-Hawaii 000 100 — 1 2 5

c Ka‘u at Pahoa: The game between the Trojans and Daggers was postponed because of unplayable field conditions and will be made up at 3 p.m. Monday at Pahoa.

West Hawaii Today’s Joe Ferraro contributed to this report.