No. 7 Iolani outlasts No. 5 Waianae

Iolani's Ailana Agbayani celebrates after recording the final out against Waianae. Greg Yamamoto | SL

The Agbayani sisters did work Wednesday afternoon.

Freshman Ailana Agbayani tossed eight strikeouts in relief to pick up the pitching win and senior Aleia Agbayani homered, tripled and drove in four runs to help No. 7 Iolani edge No. 5 Waianae, 11-10, in the opening round of the DataHouse Division I Softball Championships at Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium.

Both teams went tit for tat throughout the game as Waianae continually answered back to never trail by more than three runs at any point.

In the top of the seventh, the Seariders responded right off the bat with Xailey Kamealoha's two run home run to make it just a one-run game. Ailana Agbayani put the tying run on first base with a walk, but she would induce a pop up and two strikeouts to seal the victory.

The younger Agbayani also tripled and batted 3-for-4 with three runs scored while the older Agbayani started the game in the circle.

A battle to the very end, but freshman Ailana Agbayani came up clutch with three hits and three runs, and closed the game out in the pitching circle with two K's to strand the tying run at second. Iolani advances to #HHSAA quarterfinals against Kealakehe #ChaseForTheChampionship pic.twitter.com/xVny7mnuQK
— Spencer Honda (@SpncerHonda) May 2, 2019

The Seariders got on the scoreboard in the first frame by capitalizing on a pair of Iolani defensive errors to plate two runs. Kai Barrett and Tori Lynn Meada responded with a pair of doubles in the latter half of the inning to give Iolani a 3-2 lead. In the second inning, Waianae briefly tied it up before Iolani again inched out to take the lead as the Seariders continually responded to remain within striking distance in what was an intense battle of cat and mouse.

Kamealoha finished 2 for 5 to lead Waianae with three RBIs. Paiaala Wilcox-Molina went hitless but batted in a pair of runs while Journey Rodrigues went 2 for 3 with two RBIs.

Iolani's Barrett also homered to finish 2 for 3 with three RBIs.

The Raiders move on to face fourth-seeded Kealakehe in a noon quarterfinal Thursday.