Brian Bautista | SL

×

_22051259_B3R60570.jpg - Brian Bautista | SL

Purchase this image
4x5 5x7 8x10 image download

MANOA — The 2022 edition of the Maryknoll softball team is one for the history books.

The fifth-ranked Spartans scored in six different innings and racked up 12 hits — including two home runs — to stun No. 1 Kapolei, 9-2, Wednesday night to reach their first-ever Division I state championship game.

Maryknoll will meet reigning titlist Iolani in the Datahouse Softball Championship Thursday at Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium. First pitch is slated for 7:07 p.m.

"It's really surreal because this was our goal all season and I think my team worked hard to get here and we deserve a shot at it so we're going to do everything we can to get it," said senior Carys Murakami.

The game plan was simple for Maryknoll (11-5) against the Hurricanes (12-3) and pitcher Jerzie Liana, who entered the game with a 1.68.

"The key to it all was we had to get ahead right away." said 17-year Maryknoll coach John Uekawa. "You got one of the best pitchers on the mound. If you get her on a roll, it's almost hard to stop her."

Murakami, who bats leadoff, was at the forefront of that plan. The future Cal State Northridge Matador went 3-for-4 and scored four runs, including the opening score as she started the game with a leadoff double. She also had a solo homer to right-center in the fifth and scored the final Maryknoll run in the top of the seventh on an RBI single by Nelly McEnroe-Marinas, who was also responsible for a solo home run to lead off the third inning.

The Spartans also benefited from five Kapolei errors, with three in the fourth leading to three unearned runs that gave Marknoll a commanding 7-0 lead.

Jenna Sniffen earned the pitching win in the circle for the Spartans, allowing just one hit through six innings to keep the Hurricanes at bay for most of the game. She finished with five strikeouts, five walks and allowed three hits and two earned runs in a complete game effort.

"I think Jenna pitched lights out today," Murakami said of Sniffen (9-2). "I give her credit because she's been working really hard in the bullpen to ensure that we have a shot at it and I'm excited for our team to see what's coming and I think we played great defense overall."

A pair of RBI doubles by Alewa Ena and Liana in the bottom of the seventh helped the Hurricanes avoid the shutout.