Stacy Kaneshiro | ScoringLive
March 7, 2015, 4:45am
Campbell breaks in Tiger Stadium with 15-3 win vs. Waianae
Campbell's defense held off Waianae, 15-3. Stacy Kaneshiro | SLIt wasn't McKinley's Tigers, but the Saber Tooth ones of Campbell to score the first win at the new Tiger Stadium.
The Sabers sent 11 batters to the plate in a seven-run first inning down Waianae, 15-3, Saturday night in an Oahu Interscholastic Association Western Division season opener. The game was called after the top of the fifth inning because of the 10-run differential mercy rule.
Designated player Elisa Favela batted 3 for 3, including a booming three-run home run, and Nashlynn Anguay saw only two strikes in three plate appearances, walking three times, scoring each time to lead the Sabers.
Sophomore right-hander Danielle Cervantes made her varsity debut by pitching 3 1/3 innings, allowing three runs, four hits and three walks while striking out four. Favela, the sole starting pitcher last season, entered the game with one out in the fourth and retired all five batters she faced.
Playing under the lights in a televised game in a new stadium contributed to Cervantes' first-inning jitters, when Waianae scored twice. Cervantes allowed a lead-off walk and two singles, as well as a wild pitch. An error in the field did not help either.
"I know it's the jitters," Campbell coach Shag Hermosura said. "All week she was asking, 'How does it feel to play in a TV game. But I guess now she found out how it is and hopefully next time she gets a chance, it will be a better outing for her."
But Cervantes has a veteran lineup behind her and supported her with seven runs in the bottom of the first. Darien Robinson and Ashlyn Yagin each had two-run singles. Unlike the Sabers, the Seariders are a young team and were hurt by three errors in the inning.
"That's what we try to do," Hermosura said. "One, we have to capitalize on their mistakes. The girls know they have to back up their pitcher."
Favela, who will share pitching duties with Cervantes during the season, was the literally the strongest supporter, providing the monster home run that cleared a permanent fence behind the portable outfield wall.
"I don't mind sharing (pitching starts with Cervantes)," Favela said. "We're both team players. It feels different because I'm not always pitching every game, but I like how we're sharing time."
Except for the short-lived first-inning lead, the only other highlight for the Seariders was Lena Kotrys' homer to right, the first homer hit in Tiger Stadium.
Robinson started at first base for Caragh Morris, who was nearby at the Blaisdell Center Arena for the state wrestling tournament. Morris placed second.
