No. 2 Kapolei rallies to beat No. 4 Mililani, 6-5

Kapolei's Dallas Pollard-Brownell hauls in the final out in the Hurricanes' 6-5 win over Mililani to claim the school's first league title since 2005. CJ Caraang | SL

Perhaps it was a propitious text that Kapolei coach Tony Saffery received earlier in the day that saved his Hurricanes on a stressful Saturday night.

The Hurricanes, who survived four errors of their own cashed in on two by Mililani to score two runs in the top of the seventh inning in a 6-5 win for Oahu Interscholastic Association Division I softball championship at McKinley softball stadium.

The No. 2 Hurricanes (13-3), earned a seeded berth to the May 10-13 Division I state tournament at Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium, won their first crown since 2005 and third overall. All three titles have come against No. 4 Mililani (11-4).

Saffery, Kapolei's coach since the school began competition in 2001 at the JV level then varsity the next season, said he received a good luck text from former player Tajia Acierto, The Advertiser's State Player of the Year in 2004 and member of Kapolei's two previous OIA title teams.

"Having her wishing us well was big to me," Saffery said. "When she texted me today, she said I'll be there in spirit…My text to her was, ‘I'm having a tough time finding another Tajia because that girl was 5-foot-2, 115 pounds and she played like a 5-10er, 5-11. I saw that in Sadie today. She played big for us."

He was referring to Kapolei's diminutive junior pitcher Sadie Kapaku-You. Despite four errors behind her, she pitched the distance, allowing five runs, all unearned, eight hits and a walk while striking out two. A two out error in the first paved the way for two unearned runs that gave the Trojans a 2-0 lead. But Kapaku-You delivered a third-inning grand slam off Mililani starter Aubree Kim to give Kapolei a 4-2 lead.

"It felt really good because the first time I was up, I popped up to the catcher," Kapaku-You said of the slam. "It was a curve or screw (ball) that hanged over the plate."

But the Trojans capitalized on a Kapolei error to take a 5-4 lead in the bottom of the sixth, only to see it disappear in the top of the seventh.

"I knew we weren't done yet," Kapaku-You said of the team's rally. "I'm really happy for my seniors because they worked really hard. A lot of them played for four years and to get them a championship is really good."

In an ironic twist, error-prone performance, ended on a nifty sliding catch by left fielder Dallas Pollard-Brownell that ended the game and stranded the tying run on second. It came after she dropped a fly by Tarah Aniya for a two-base error.

The errors were uncharacteristic of both teams. Mililani coach Rose Antonio didn't have an answer; Saffery said his players admitted to him they were nervous.

"We just didn't take care of the ball tonight," Antonio said. "You don't take care of the ball, this is what happens."

The Trojans were the first to capitalize on errors. With two out in the bottom of the first, Maya Yoshiura reached on third baseman Raina McKean's fielding error. The Trojans then took a 2-0 lead on back-to-back run-scoring doubles by Merilis Rivera and Shannon Pascua-Stanton. Tristen Cozo's single moved Pascua-Stanton to third, but Okamoto grounded out to third.

In the Kapolei third, Mililani shortstop Yoshiura dropped Shaycelynn Hoohuli's pop up. Tayzha Meyers chopped a single between third and short and Ciena Kauhi flared a single to left to load the bases. Kapahu-You then drilled an 0-1 offering for her grand slam before Kim retired the next two hitters.

"Talk about turning the tables, that was incredible," Saffery said. "She was put in this situation two, three times in the series and she popped up, grounded out. This one here I said, ‘Just find the right pitch.' No disrespect, but this was the time to get greedy and find the right pitch and swing hard...I said, ‘If you want it all, go get it.' And my god, it was a great swing on a good pitch."

But in the sixth, the Trojans regained the lead with the aid of an error, of course. Aniya reached on shortstop Laugatausala Pedebone's fielding error and took second on Okamoto's sacrifice before inch hitter Tracie Okamura was hit by a pitch. After a wild pitch moved the runners, Brooke Yasuda grounded out to first to allow Aniya to score to tie the game at 4 and move Okamura to third, where she scored on Keri Toguchi's single to short. Kristen Ishii's double to left scored Toguchi to put the Trojans ahead, 5-4 before Yoshiura grounded out.

The Hurricanes then sent eight batters up in top of the seventh. Meyers reached on third baseman Rivera's fielding error and took second when Kauhi chopped a single over third. Kapaku-You drew a walk to load the bases. Pedebone then drew a four-pitch walk to plate the tying run. After Kaimi struck out, Kim had trouble fielding a grounder off the bat of Pollard-Brownell, allowing Kauhi to score the go-ahead run. Kim struck out the next two batters, but the damage was done.

The Trojans had their two-year reign on the title snapped, but they made it a game.

"They kept fighting," Antonio said. "That's the character of this team. That's what we want to see."

Reach Stacy Kaneshiro at [email protected].