HILO — Aliesa Kaneshiro struck out 10, and Fantacie Keahilihau-Kuamoo drove in three runs to lead Hilo High School to a 7-4 win over Keaau on Friday afternoon.
HILO — Aliesa Kaneshiro struck out 10, and Fantacie Keahilihau-Kuamoo drove in three runs to lead Hilo High School to a 7-4 win over Keaau on Friday afternoon.
The game between the Big Island Interscholastic Federation Division I softball title contenders was played at Victor Stadium.
The first-place Vikings improved to 7-1 in the BIIF standings and 11-2 overall. The Cougars dropped to 6-2 and 9-4, respectively.
Kaneshiro, a junior right-hander, scattered seven hits against the Cougars while going the distance. She earned the win while striking out 10 with four walks, a wild pitch and a beaned batter.
Kaneshiro outdueled Lohi Kamakea-Wong, who limited the Vikings to four hits but was hampered by 10 walks, two wild pitches and two beaned batters. She struck out three and took the loss.
Keahilihau-Kuamoo, a senior shortstop, came to the plate in the bottom of the fifth inning with Hilo clinging to a 5-4 lead. She cracked a two-run double to left field to stretch the margin to 7-4, and that would be more than enough for Kaneshiro.
Kaneshiro shut out Keaau in the final two innings as Hilo denied the Cougars a chance at moving into first place.
Keahilihau-Kuamoo led the Vikings’ attack with her double and three RBIs. Shyanne Higa-Gonsalves, a thorn in the Cougars’ side each time she reached base, had a single and an RBI, and she scored two runs. Jordyn Breitbarth had an RBI single, and Caitlyn Price had the other Hilo hit, a bunt single in the fifth inning.
Shaniya Kamakea-Wong led Keaau with three hits, including two singles and a double, to go along with an RBI. Her cousin, Lohi Kamakea-Wong, added an RBI single.
The Vikings also played steady defense with only one error and got a diving catch from right fielder Shalyn Guthier in the sixth inning to take away a hit from Cynthia Nakaima, who drilled a sinking line drive.
Keaau 000 130 0 — 4 7 3
Hilo 120 130 x — 7 4 1
c Kamehameha-Hawaii 17, Waiakea 7: Mykala Tokunaga pitched a complete game, and her homer highlighted a 10-run seventh inning that lifted Kamehameha into the Hawaii High School Athletic Association Division II tournament.
Tokunaga finished 3 for 5 with a three-run homer for Kamehameha (8-0, 12-1), which won its 11th straight game and secured the regular-season title and an automatic berth at states.
Also at the plate for Kamehameha, Elizabeth Kia was 2-for-3 with a two-run double, and Lehua McGuire (one RBI) and Kekailani Wong Yuen were both 2-for-4.
Tokunaga struck out five and walked four, allowing a solo home run to Waiakea catcher Ariana Mareko.
Mareko and and Cheylee Octavio both finished 2-for-3 for Waiakea (5-3, 8-5), which committed seven errors.
Brandi Maximo took the loss, yielding 10 walks and seven hits with four strikeouts in four innings in relief of starter Alexis Anzai.
KS-Hawaii 014 002 (10) — 17 10 1
Waiakea 003 004 0 — 7 9 7