Big Island Inter-scholastic Federation (BIIF) baseball and softball continued over the weekend across the isle.
Softball
KS-HAWAI‘I 16, WAIAKEA 4
The Waiakea High softball team suffered a 16-4 rout at the hands of KS-Hawai‘i during its senior night and final regular season game on Friday in Hilo.
KSH scored consistently, plating runs in all but one frame and gradually building its lead before hammering Waiakea with nine runs in the final two frames.
KSH’s Kailee Wagner homered and went two-for-four at the plate with an RBI, and teammate Kaililia Thompson-Ua went two-for-four with three RBIs. Rebekah Sipinga also went two-for-four, driving in a pair of runs.
Emily Hora earned the win on the mound, giving up two earned runs on six hits and two walks while striking out two.
Keani Kaneshiro went two-for-four to lead Waiakea, also leading the Warriors with three stolen bases.
Waiakea closed out at 7-2, standing at No. 2 in BIIF Division I behind undefeated Kealakehe High. The Warriors will have more than two weeks to practice ahead of the BIIF playoffs, which will begin April 26.
The win upped KSH’s streak to five games. Now 5-2, the Warriors will cap off the regular season with two home games next week — against Konawaena High on Tuesday and Hilo High on Saturday.
HILO 6, KONAWAENA 5
The Vikings took advantage of errors and played small ball to overcome Konawaena’s lead and win 6-5 on Friday in Kea‘au.
Hilo drew first blood with a run in the bottom of the first inning, but the Wildcats plated three runs in the top of the second to steal the lead.
Konawaena remained in the driver’s seat until the bottom fourth, when Hilo added two more runs — then another in the bottom fifth.
The game came down to the wire. Trailing 6-4 in the top seventh, Konawaena’s Emily Murray grounded into an infield error to bat in Sunshine Taketa. The Wildcats tried to run aggressively, but the Vikings’ defense was ready. A runner was caught stealing home, then a batter flew out and the game ended as another runner was picked off at first.
Jacobi Alba-Kawaha earned the win on the mound, allowing three earned runs on two hits and eight walks, striking out four. Madison Waiki went one-for-three with an RBI to lead Hilo at the plate.
The Vikings improved to 5-1. The win over Konawaena was their first action since suffering a TKO loss to Waiakea in late March. Next, Hilo will host Pahoa High on Monday.
The Wildcats had a two-win streak going before encountering Hilo, and have now slumped to 2-5. Konawaena will next face KS-Hawai‘i on Tuesday in Kea‘au.
HONOKA‘A 10, KEA‘AU 3
The Honoka‘a High softball team ended its three-game skid with a dominant, 10-3 road victory over Kea‘au High on Saturday in Puna.
The Dragons rallied for six runs in the top of the fourth inning to break away from a narrow, 2-0 lead. Though the Cougars responded with two runs in the bottom fifth — batted in by Alexis Irvine-Kai’s single — Honoka‘a pitcher Malie Espejo supressed them, striking out five batters total in the final two innings.
Espejo struck out a whopping 15 batters on the outing, earning the win on the mound and giving up three earned runs on six hits and two walks. She also led the Dragons at the plate, doubling twice in her four at-bats to drive in in three runs. Teammate Danica Valera also went two-for-four, hitting a double and a triple.
Reyna Pettypool provided some late-game relief for Kea‘au as she homered on a fly ball to center field to lead off the bottom of the sixth inning.
The Dragons’ record is looking much better at 3-5. Honoka‘a will next close out its season with a Division II road matchup on Saturday (April 13) at Ka‘u High (0-6).
Baseball
HILO vs. KONAWAENA
The score was not reported. If you know the score, please email cwhitt@hawaiitribune-herald.com or clangs@westhawaiitoday.com.
HONOKA‘A 9, KEA‘AU 1
Honoka‘a High’s baseball team won its second straight, crushing Kea‘au High 9-1 on Saturday afternoon in Puna.
Heolu Bertleman-Makani went three-for-three with a walk to lead the Dragons at the plate, doubling once and batting in one run. Teammate Kamahao Kanekoa hit a three-run double to lead HHIS in RBIs.
Jayden Salazar got the start on the hill for the Dragons and earned the win, giving up a hit and two walks while striking out three in three innings. Robert Medeiros stuck out seven long innings on the mound for Kea‘au, surrendering six earned runs on eight hits and four walks, while striking out ten batters.
Koen Kaeo scored the Cougars’ lone run, reaching home as a teammate grounded out.
Kea‘au is now six games deep with no wins, but still has four games remaining. The Cougars will look to get their first win in division play against Kealakehe High on Wednesday at home.
Honoka‘a improved to 3-5, and still has a chance to end the season at .500 if it wins its final two outings — first against HPA on Wednesday in Hamakua, then on Saturday at Ka‘u High.
