Punahou's Jolie Fujita beats the throw home off of Bailey Akimseu's single to left center field. Sylvia Lee | SL

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A controversial runner interference/fielding error in the fourth inning helped spark a five-run rally for the Buffanblu. Sylvia Lee | SL

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MAKIKI — The Buffanblu (1-0) answered back and held strong to defeat the Maryknoll Spartans (0-1), 11-4 to open the Interscholastic League of Honolulu softball season Saturday afternoon on the campus of Punahou School.

The fourth inning was the pivotal point in the game.

Going into the top frame with the score tied at two, a lead-off single from Baylie Kahele followed by two more hits loaded the bases with one out. Kaylah Santos brought in the go-ahead run with a dribbler that was thrown to first base for an out when she failed to run after the ball hit her bat.

Punahou pitcher Bailey Akimseu walked the next batter and with two outs and the bases loaded again, she fell behind in the count three balls to one strike against Nohea Hee. Akimseu battled back and struck her out to retire the side and leave three Maryknoll runners stranded.

In the bottom half of the inning, the Buffanblu rallied for five runs to take the lead that they wouldn't relinquish for the rest of the game.

Maryknoll pitcher Kahilu McNicoll let up a lead-off walk followed by a backwards K. Alyssa Rasmussen then hit a soft roller to Spartans' second baseman Logan Carlos who misplayed the ball on a controversial runner interference no-call.

Ashley Nakagawa was the courtesy runner for Janell Sato who was on first base. Nakagawa appeared to have crossed in front of Carlos at the same time she reached the groundball for a fielding attempt, but the umpires determined it was not interference.

McNicoll seemingly wasn't bothered as she notched a three-pitch strikeout to the next batter, but then proceeded to let up a walk and three singles while throwing a wild pitch in each of those at-bats, ending in a five-run inning for the Buffanblu.

A controversial runner interference/fielding error in the fourth inning helped spark a five-run rally for the Buffanblu. Sylvia Lee | SL    Purchase image

The Spartans tried to battle back but Akimseu and the Punahou defense held strong. Maryknoll would only score one more run in the game while leaving two runners left on base in each of the fifth, sixth and seventh innings.

"Last year [Akimseu] was a sophomore and in those situations she would've not been able to finish," Punahou coach Bob Makahilahila said of his starting pitcher. "Her confidence, her experience and I think her maturity has really come to so far."

Akimseu went the distance, giving up six hits and three earned runs while nabbing five strikeouts, three of which came with runners in scoring position. She also went 1 for 2 at the plate with one run batted in and two walks drawn.

"During the preseason, we didn't just throw her out there. We had to take baby steps," Makahilahila said. "But towards the end, we told her, ‘Hey, you're the pitcher so you got to get ready,' and she got up there and threw seven innings today. That was pretty awesome."

On the other side for the Spartans, McNicoll also went the whole way, sitting down eight Buffanblu batters on three strikes, but allowing 10 hits, nine walks and six earned runs. She also threw eight wild pitches, two of which resulted in a run scored.

At the plate, she went 1 for 4 with one run scored.

While both pitchers walked a fair number of batters, six of McNicoll's walks ended in a scored run, compared to only two for Akimseu.

"You could see today when we had runners in scoring situation; last year those were opportunities we couldn't execute on," Makahilahila said. "This year they're executing on them and it feels good because there's some maturity there. There's some experience and the fact that they were able to do it today was really nice for us."

Designated player D'Asha Saiki batted in the three-hole and led the Buffanblu going 2 for 3 with two doubles, three RBIs, one walk and two runs scored. Jolie Fujita batted cleanup going 1 for 4, with two RBIs and one run scored.

For the Spartans, Carlos went 1 for 2 with two RBIs on a double in the third inning to get their first scores of the game.