Hilo sweats out 16-15 win over Honokaa

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Shalyn Guthier’s big day at the plate staked Hilo to a seemingly comfortable lead against Honokaa. But it wasn’t until the freshman came up with a heady play behind the plate that her softball team was safe.

Shalyn Guthier’s big day at the plate staked Hilo to a seemingly comfortable lead against Honokaa. But it wasn’t until the freshman came up with a heady play behind the plate that her softball team was safe.

Guthier drove in seven runs Wednesday and picked off the potential go-ahead run in the top of the seventh inning to get the Vikings out of a bases-loaded jam as Hilo held on for a 16-15 victory at Walter Victor Stadium.

Guthier, who started the day in right field before taking over at catcher, finished 4-for-5 from the cleanup spot, and Aliesa Kaneshiro registered 11 strikeouts in a complete game as the Vikings (2-0 Big Island Interscholastic Federation, 6-0 overall) remained undefeated.

Kaitlin Augustin was 3-for-4 with four RBIs for the Dragons (3-2 overall), who fell to 0-2 in games that count but showed the mettle of a Division II contender by rallying twice against the defending Division I champion. Their second comeback fell short with Precious Palia-Enos at the plate and the bases loaded in the seventh. Kaneshiro’s 2-2 pitch missed, but Guthier alertly caught Augustin straying too far off second to end the game.

Batting cleanup, Guthier had two-run singles in the first, second and six innings, and an RBI triple in the fourth as the Vikings scored five times to take an 11-4 lead.

Honokaa answered by scoring 11 times in its last three at-bats, tying the game at 11-11 on Augustin’s groundout in the top of the sixth. Kayla Kalauli was 2-for-4 with an RBI double and drove in two runs, Shereena Bird doubled in a run in the seventh, and leadoff batter Allie Shiraki scored four runs. Kayla Requelman and Zarina Hasagawa added RBI hits.

Palia-Enos took the loss with two innings of relief, yielding five runs — two earned — on four hits. She walked one and struck out one. Kalauli started and allowed 11 runs — five earned — on seven hits and five walks.

Hilo center fielder Jordyn Breitbarth finished 2-for-5 with and RBI and a triple, shortstop Fantacie Keahilihau-Kuamoo was 2 for 4 with an RBI, and Kaneshiro added a two-run single.

In the circle, the junior allowed 10 earned runs on 10 hits and nine walks.

Hilo’s Tiani Teanio drove in the go-ahead run in the bottom of the sixth with a bunt single.

Honokaa 130 034 4 — 15 10 8

Hilo 420 505 x — 16 11 6

c Kohala 13, Ka‘u 5: Tiani Luga did it all at Kamehameha Park, pitching a complete-game six hitter and going 3-for-4 with four RBIs for the Cowgirls.

Senior Sheana Cazimero went 2-for-4 with three RBIs, and sophomore Denae Rivera was 2-for-4 with an RBI for Kohala (1-1 in the BIIF, 2-3 overall).

Luga, a senior who finished a home run short of the cycle at the plate, walked just one batter and struck out one in the circle.

Shylee Tamura, who pitched the first 1 1/3 innings, took the loss for the Trojans (0-2, 0-6). She walked four batters and struck out none.

Shaylin Navarro pitched the final 5 2/3 innings, striking out five and walking five.

Tamura went 3-for-4 at the plate.

Ka‘u 012 020 0 — 5 6 4

Kohala 404 302 x — 13 12 4

Keaau 9, Konawaena 4: Lohi Kamakea-Wong pitched a complete-game seven-hitter, and Leshey Makuakane highlighted a four-run first inning with a two-run inside-the-park home run for the Cougars in Kealakekua.

Makuakane finished with four RBIs, and Shaniya Kamakea-Wong was 2-for-2 with two doubles for the Cougars (2-0 in the BIIF, 4-2 overall).

Kanoe Maka and Lohi Kamakea-Wong added two hits apiece.

Lohi Kamakea-Wong allowed seven hits and four walks, striking out 10 and walking four.

Konawaena’s Shyla Victor, who also went the distance, took the loss. She allowed 12 hits and seven walks, striking out one.

At the plate, Victor had two hits, and Jayssa Grace had a fourth-inning RBI single for the Wildcats (1-1, 3-2)

Keaau 420 021 0 — 9 12 5

Konawaena 000 220 0 — 4 7 4

Kamehameha-Hawaii 15, Kealakehe 6: Mykala Tokunaga and Codi Kualii collected three hits and three RBIs apiece in Keaau as the Warriors remained unbeaten in league play.

Jaylen Shiroma also drove in three runs while Alyssa McGuire and Namele Naipo-Arsiga each had two hits for the Warriors (2-0, 5-1).

Tokunaga earned the win, while Ashley Isisaki took the loss for the Waveriders (1-1, 3-2).

Kiersen Kahele led Kealakehe’s offense with two hits.

Waiakea 32, Hawaii Prep 1: Freshman Taylor Nishimura drove in six runs, and senior Brandi Maximo allowed four hits in a five-inning complete game to pick up the victory in Waimea.

Nishimura was 3-for-4 for the Division I Warriors (2-0 BIIF, 4-2 overall). Maximo struck out eight and walked four.

Junior Kawena Lim-Samura was 2-for-2 for Ka Makani (0-2, 0-6) and took the loss in going the distance in the circle, yielding eight hits and 17 walks with four strikeouts. Freshman Kaui Taylor finished 2-for-3.

Waiakea 59(13) 50 — 32 8 0

Hawaii Prep 001 00— 1 4 3