Castle's Rayla Keanu hit a solo home run to lead off the fifth inning in the Knights win over Moanalua. Greg Yamamoto | SL

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SALT LAKE — Kristie Morikawa knows there's a first time for everything. She just couldn't believe this one happened in the bottom of the seventh inning Tuesday afternoon.

Morikawa's ninth-ranked Moanalua softball team mounted a valiant comeback attempt, but ultimately shot itself in the foot one too many times in a 7-6 loss to visiting Castle in an Oahu Interscholastic Association Division I East game before a sparse crowd of about 75 at Na Menehune's home field.

Shayla Young reached base four times and scored thrice, while Jessica Kaupiko drove in a pair of runs to lead the Knights (1-0) in the down-to-the-wire finish.

Na Menehune (0-1) chipped away at a four-run deficit and loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom of the seventh to put the tying run on third and the winning run — in the form of courtesy runner Lacey Wilson-Pena — on second.

However, after a first-pitch strike to leadoff batter Makamae Kaleikini, Castle coach Jon Berinobis called for time to speak with the home plate umpire, who then conferenced with his base umpire and soon after ruled Wilson-Pena out because she had pinch hit in the previous inning for a different player, who then re-entered the game.

Berinobis said he doesn't recall ever being a part of a similar situation — especially not to end a game.

"No, not really," Berinobis said. "This year I have somebody who can keep my scorebook, because in the past I had myself doing the book and I had my coaches out on the bases. They caught that though. We saw her come up swinging (in the fifth inning) and then they entered her as a courtesy runner (in the seventh)."

Morikawa was just as stumped following the game.

"Nope. Never have seen anything like that," Morikawa said. "It's interesting. I'm not too sure what to say about that. It was all around just kind of a funky game."

Funky, it sure was. The game was checkered by a number of bizarre plays that affected both teams.

An initial third strike call to a Moanalua batter that was almost immediately changed by the umpire to ball four — which drew the ire of Berinobis.

Later in the game, it appeared that Kaleikini tagged up to score from third after a sacrifice fly by Rheyl Arakawa-Lee. However, after Kaleikini crossed the plate, the umpiring crew determined that she left the bag early, which resulted in an inning-ending double play.

Na Menehune, however, did not help their own cause. The fourth inning came to a close when Raven Rosa-Lasco was caught stealing on a 2-0 count with two outs. They also committed six costly errors, which led to four unearned runs for the Knights.

"Very random," Morikawa said of the errors. "I always say that ‘my grandma could have caught that' and totally, my grandma could have caught a few of those. Clearly we were a little bit out of focus today — I don't know what it was — but those are things that we know how to do and that we practice so it's just about refocusing and getting back to it."

Meanwhile, the Knights scored at least one run in all but one inning and effectively worked the count against Moanalua starting pitcher Kyler Tsukada, who had 11 three-ball counts. She ended up walking six, striking out five and allowing six hits — the lone extra-base hit being a solo home run by Rayla Keanu to lead off the top of the fifth inning.

Young, a freshman shortstop and leadoff hitter, drew a walk in her first and third plate appearances and came around to score both times. She had an RBI-single to score Cybelle Murakami her second time up and also singled and came around to score in her final at-bat.

"She's been doing a great job for us," Berinobis said of Young. "She still has a lot to learn as far as coverages and just getting a little bit more energy from my middle infielders, but we're almost all brand new in the infield."

Kaleikini batted 2 for 3 with a two-run home run and Genice Gabriel added a solo homer for Moanalua.  

The Knights never trailed in the game.

Na Menehune got within a run at 3-2 after three innings, but Castle answered with a pair of runs in the top of the fourth.

Moanalua plated two runs in the top of the seventh when Taylor Takushi scored on an RBI-single by Arakawa-Lee and Iyana Reed came in to score on an illegal pitch by Knights' pitcher Mele Turner, who turned in six innings of work before giving way to Kacie Lam for the final three outs.