Freshman Bethany Batangan wasn’t thinking about the Konawaena softball team’s last two postseasons when she took the circle Wednesday. Junior Saxon Nagata said the Wildcats had hoped to make things easier on themselves this year.
Freshman Bethany Batangan wasn’t thinking about the Konawaena softball team’s last two postseasons when she took the circle Wednesday. Junior Saxon Nagata said the Wildcats had hoped to make things easier on themselves this year.
Nevertheless, the well-travelled Wildcats sure look comfortable doing things the hard way.
Batangan finished off a complete game after she and Nagata sparked the go-ahead, three-run rally in the sixth inning as Konawaena edged Pahoa 3-2 to reach the Big Island Interscholastic Federation Division II semifinals.
It’s the third consecutive season that Konawaena, armed with a losing record and West Hawaii’s No. 3 seed, went on the road to eliminate the Daggers in the first round — though Tuesday’s game was held at Walter Victor Complex because Pahoa’s field was unplayable. The past two years, the Wildcats used those wins as springboards toward BIIF championship runs. The next stop for Konawaena (5-9) on the road to a potential three-peat comes at 3 p.m. Friday against West Hawaii No. 1 Kohala (9-3).
The Cowgirls took two of three from the Wildcats this season, but as Nagata pointed out, the slate has been wiped clean.
“We wanted to improve this year and not come in at the bottom like we did last year,” said Nagata, who stroked an RBI triple in the sixth to put Konawaena ahead for good at 2-1.
“Unfortunately, we fell short. All we can do is move up now, because our records don’t matter. It’s just whoever wins moves on.”
Vaaigaomata Wilson went the distance and was the tough-luck loser for East Hawaii No. 2 Pahoa (3-13). The senior also had a hand in both of her team’s runs, but Batangan was equal to the task.
Tabbed to fill-in for injured starter Alexis Fujikawa as she’d done earlier in the season, Batangan showed no signs of nerves even when she got into trouble. She worked around a two-base error in the seventh to retire Jade Sumoba on a groundout with the tying run on third to end the game.
Batangan allowed three walks and six hits with three strikeouts.
“I just threw it, and I had faith in my team that they would back me up,” she said. “We had talked about (the past two years), but I didn’t really think much about it. I just figured I would play my game and do what I have to do.”
She did exactly what her team needed by manufacturing the tying run in the top sixth. Locked in a pitchers’ duel but with her team trailing 1-0, Batangan led off with single to left field and raced to third on a pair of steals. After Syleesia Jose walked, Batangan scampered home on a wild pitch. Jose finished 2-for-2.
“I just wanted to get on base and pump my team up, because I knew that we could do it,” Batangan said
Nagata followed with a triple over the center fielder’s head and scored on Kaua Mitchell’s sacrifice fly.
“They had the right hits at the right time,” Pahoa coach Frank Degele said. “We challenged (Saxon), but we should have moved our fielders back. We were expecting to face Fujikawa, but (Batangan) had a quick release. “
The Daggers cut the deficit to 3-2 in the bottom of the sixth when Wilson walked, stole a base and scored on a wild pitch. Wilson collected a hit in the first, and Randi Lee Berinobis gave Pahoa a 1-0 lead with an RBI single that scored a courtesy runner.
Pahoa turned four double plays in the game. In the fifth, right fielder Kayla Bernel made a diving catch and doubled up the runner at first.
Wilson yielded seven hits and five walks with three strikeouts.
“Our main focus was just to come here and try, and they did all right,” said Degele, who pointed out that he’s returning nine players next season who he feels comfortable with as starters. “We’ll be back next year.”
Fujikawa pitched Konawaena into the postseason April 17 in a victory at Hawaii Prep before re-aggravating an ankle injury, and coach Shellie Grace wasn’t sure if she’d be back in time to face Kohala.
“Just one game at a time,” Grace said. “Bethany’s been throwing solid all season. We just have to come with our bats.”
Konawaena 000 003 0 — 3 7 3
Pahoa 100 001 x — 2 6 3
c Honokaa 16, Ka‘u 1: Sophomore Hailey Paglinawan pitched a one-hitter at Honokaa’s Parks and Recreation complex, lifting the Dragons into the BIIF Division II semifinals.
Honokaa (7-6), West Hawaii’s No. 2 seed, will play at East Hawaii top seed Kamehameha-Hawaii (6-9) at 3 p.m. Friday. The winner earns a berth in the Hawaii High School Athletic Association Division II state tournament, which takes place May 2-5 at Oahu’s Central Oahu Regional Park.
The Dragons jumped on the Trojans (1-15) for five runs in the second inning, stringing together senior Kawehi Bell-Kaaekuahiwi’s two-run triple and freshman Kayla Requelman’s run-scoring triple.
Bell-Kaaekuahiwi finished 3-for-4 with three RBIs, and freshman Jasmine Castro was 2-for-2 with three runs scored.
Honokaa took advantage of seven walks and two errors to score 11 more runs in the third inning.
Shaylin Navarro collected Ka‘u’s lone hit, a third-inning double. She also took the loss, allowing six runs on five hits in 3 2/3 innings. She struck out one and walked seven.
The trio of Navarro, Janessa Jara and Brooke Shibuya combined to walk 13 Honokaa batters.
Ka‘u 000 10 — 1 1 2
Honokaa 05(11) 0x — 16 9 0
West Hawaii Today’s Joe Ferraro contributed to this report.