Kamehameha kept chasing all game long and finally ran out of base hits and opportunities.
Kamehameha kept chasing all game long and finally ran out of base hits and opportunities.
Pac-5 survived a 9-7 slugfest to prevail over the Warriors in the semifinals of the HHSAA Division II state tournament on Friday on Maui.
Kamehameha had two on in the top of the seventh, but Wolfpack ace Megan Yoshioka recorded a game-ending strikeout.
The five-time BIIF champion Warriors (21-1) will play St. Francis (9-9) for third place at 3:30 p.m. Saturday at Kahului’s Patsy Mink Field.
It was a final state run for four Kamehameha senior starters in ace Mykala Tokunaga, catcher Kekai Wong Yuen, outfielder Makena Wagner, and first baseman Kuulei Ili.
Last year, the Warriors lost eventual three-time champion Nanakuli 11-2 in the semifinals and placed third.
In 2014, Kamehameha fell to Aiea 10-5 in the quarterfinals and finished fifth.
In 2013, the Warriors lost to Kauai 8-7 in the quarterfinals and place sixth.
Pac5, a conglomeration of players from small ILH schools, committed six errors, but Kamehameha also struggled defensively with four errors.
Yoshioka scattered 10 hits and allowed seven runs (three unearned), walked one and struck out four.
Tokunaga went the distance in the loss. In six innings, the right-hander gave up nine runs (two unearned) on 14 hits and one wak and whiffed four.
Kamehameha scored three runs in the first with two out when Wagner had a two-run single, and a third run scored on an error.
But the Wolfpack all-stars responded with five runs in the bottom of the inning on five hits and two Warrior errors.
In the top of the second, sophomore Jessica Cameros belted a RBI to get Kamehameha within 5-4.
But Pac5 counter-punched again with three runs on another five hits to widen its lead to 8-4. Tokunaga recorded a flyout with the bases loaded to end the inning.
In the top of the seventh, Kamehameha trailed 9-6 with the heart of its order up. Wong Yuen, the No. 3 hitter, flied out.
Then Tokunaga homered to left field. Wagner singled to center, and Taylor Sullivan reached on an error.
Elexis Emmsley, the No. 7 batter, grounded out to Yoshioka, who threw to first base for the second out.
Like Tokunaga, Yoshioka only struck out four batters. And her last strikeout was against freshman third baseman Nevaeh Fukui-Stoos.
All of Kamehameha’s senior starters contributed.
Wong Yuen batted 2 for 4, Tokunaga went 2 for 3 with two RBIs, Wagner was 2 for 3 with three RBIs, and Ili batted 1 for 3.
Kalyn Kershner batted 3 for 4 with two RBIs and Brazzly Tovio-Asato 2 for 4 with two RBIs to lead the Wolfpack (9-6-1).
KS-Hawaii 310 020 1 — 7 10 4
Pac5 530 001 x — 9 14 6
Kauai 4, Kohala 1
Cowgirls freshman Mikayla Kekoa pitched a six-hitter and batted 3 for 3, but it wasn’t enough.
The Cowgirls had more hits than the Red Raiders, 8-6, but none were timely in a consolation elimination game.
Kailee Nii scattered eight hits, gave up a run and struck out five to earn the win for Kauai (8-3).
Kekoa also went the distance and walked none. She struck out seven but allowed four runs (two unearned).
Setsuko Kimura batted 3 for 3 and scored a run for Kohala (13-9).
Kauai 022 000 0 — 4 6 2
Kohala 100 000 0 — 1 8 4