Favela shines as No. 3 Campbell tops No. 7 Pearl City, 4-0

Elisa Favela pitched the entire game for the Sabers in Campbells, 4-0 win over Pearl City. Greg Yamamoto | SL

Elisa Favela threw a gem in the pitcher's circle and helped her own cause at the plate to lead Campbell to a 4-0 win over Pearl City in an Oahu Interscholastic Association Division I West game at McKinley Tiger Softball Stadium Tuesday night.

Favela, a junior right-hander, struck out 10 batters and walked none in a complete-game three-hitter and batted 2 for 4 with an RBI as the Sabers, who are ranked third in the ScoringLive/OC16 Softball Power Rankings, improved to 3-0.

"She was on her game today," Campbell coach Shag Hermosura said of Favela. "She hit practically every spot, every pitch that I asked and it's good for her. It's a confidence builder for her."

The seventh-ranked Chargers, who failed to get a runner past second base, fell to 2-2 with the loss.

Tyanna Kaaialii struck out nine Sabers, but walked six and was charged with all four Campbell runs.

"I thought she pitched well, but our defense didn't do what we needed them to do," Pearl City coach Chad Obara said. "We didn't take care of the ball, we didn't do the simple things and it ended up costing us."

Favela faced just three batters more than the minimum and, at one point, retired 10 straight Chargers.

"She pitched an outstanding game. She used what was given to her and put it where she needed to put it," Obara said of the Sabers' ace. "I even asked the home plate ump if her ball was disappearing half way. She pitched well. I tip my cap off to her, she did a good job."

Campbell got its first run in the top of the second inning when Darien Robinson was hit by a Kaaialii pitch, went from first to third on a Kyra Hoohuli single to right field and scored — with two outs — on a double steal.

Kaaialii stranded a pair of Sabers in the fourth, but allowed the first three batters to reach base in the fifth.

Cydney Curran drew a four-pitch walk and advanced to third on a Caragh Morris single. Favela followed by lining a 1-0 pitch back up the middle to plate Curran to give her team a 2-0 lead.

"I just told myself to pepper the ball," Favela said of her approach to the at-bat.

The Sabers added a pair of insurance runs in the top of the seventh. Nashlynn Anguay hit a bases-loaded single to right field that brought both Curran and Morris in to score.

Curran, the No. 2 hitter in the lineup, walked in all four plate appearances and scored twice. Morris reached base three times on two singles and was hit by a pitch.

"That was good that Cydney walked four times," Favela said. "It set us up well because we had runners on bases and we just had to bring her home."

Favela made the most of a wide strike zone by the home plate umpire.

"I just had to work more outsides, because his strike zone was accurate for both sides, but he had a big strike zone and I had to just work my pitches, but just emphasize on his ones, too," said Favela, whose previous high in strikeouts was eight against Leilehua last week. "I felt hyped up today. I wanted to do good, but I didn't know I had that much strikeouts, but it wasn't just me. It was my whole team that helped me out."

Campbell does not play again for a week. Its next game is at No. 2 Mililani on Tuesday.

Pearl City visits Waianae Saturday.

Reach Kalani Takase at [email protected].