OIA Softball
Seariders thump Menes to advance


  



Wed, Apr 25, 2018 @ [ 3:00 pm ]


FINAL 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Waianae 0 09005317140
Moanalua 3 1 100308112

W: Alohilani Napalapalai    L: Jada Young

MOA: Iyana Reed 2-4 2 runs 4 rbi 2 HR; Kyler Tsukada 0.6 IP 1 ER 2 K
WNAE: Kayla Hensley 2-4 2 runs 4 rbi HR; Hepua Tambaoan-Kaeo 2.0 IP 0 ER


SALT LAKE — Waianae broke out the bats in the third and sixth innings to hammer Moanalua, 17-8, to open the Oahu Interscholastic Association Division I Playoffs at Moanalua on Wednesday.

The Seariders improved to 5-8 overall on the season and advance to the quarterfinals to take on second-seeded Leilehua on Thursday at 3 p.m. Waianae lost twice to the Mules, 12-3 on March 3 and 4-1 on March 29.

"It's going to be a good game and a battle. We have to stay on the momentum and stay strong," Waianae coach Robert Kalaola said.

Moanalua saw its four-game winning streak snapped and ends the season at 9-4 overall.

"The girls came a long way and it was a new coaching staff and they had to adapt too. We tried to change some of the culture which was different for them. They did a great job. Unfortunately, we came out on the short end," Moanalua first-year coach Dean Oshiro said.

Four Seariders registered two or more hits as Waianae belted out a season-best 14 hits with Kayla Hensley and Kiani Hensely each hitting home runs to lead the way.

"For Kiani, she has been working hard all year long and she provided what we asked for," Kalaola said.

Na Menehune took an early 3-0 lead after Summer Kamioka led off the first inning with a walk and Kellie Kitano-Maguire hit a double to right field. Raven Rosa-Lasco followed up with a home run.

"It was a matter of being patient," Oshiro said of his team's early hitting success.

Kitano-Maguire drove in her second run of the game to bring in Kamioka, this time on a double to make it 4-0.

Iyana Reed brought the boom for Na Menehune, batting 2 for 4 on two home runs for four RBIs. Leighland Tagawa | SL    Purchase image

Waianae woke up in the third inning to send 13 batters to the plate to score nine runs to break open the game. Kailah Gates-Coyaso was hit by a pitch to lead off the third and Kiani Hensley, Xailey Kamealoha, Gianni Souza-Bradbury and Kayla Hensley each found gaps with singles to tie the game at 4. Tyra-Lynn Pau reached on a fielder's choice for the first out, but Paiaala Wilcox-Molina drove in a run for the lead before Alohilani Napalapalai grounded to first for the second out.

"The girls had confidence in what they were practicing and it played a big part," Kalaola said.

Lei-Shell Kapihe reached on an error to keep the inning alive. Gates-Coyaso singled and Kiani Hensley beat out the throw for her home run to right field — Moanalua's field does not utilize a traditional fence lining the outfield. Kamealoha hit her second single of the inning to center, but Jada Young got Souza-Bradbury to pop out to third to end the inning with Moanalua looking at a 9-4 deficit.

"We got to keep the momentum going," Kiani Hensley said.

Moanalua went through four pitchers in the game with Young starting in the circle and taking the loss, giving up nine hits and nine runs — four earned in three innings of work.

Iyana Reed hit a homer deep to left field to open the bottom of the third, but Na Menehune and the Seariders went scoreless in the fourth and fifth innings.

"The girls practiced it the past two weeks and it paid off and we have to keep it going," Kalaola said.

Waianae threatened to put the game away with five runs in the sixth inning. Kiani Hensley, Kamehaloha and Souza scattered singles to load the bases to set up Kayla Hensley's grand slam. Mari Kimoto, who was tagged with hits and four-earned runs, walked Wilcox-Molina who advanced all the way to third on passed balls and scored on an error to extend the Seariders lead, 14-5.

"I was looking to hit the ball and bring them in," Kayla Hensley said of her homer.

Moanalua wouldn't go away without a fight as Kitano-Maguire and Rosa-Lasco found gaps in the Waianae defense with base hits. Reed hit her second home run of the game to make it 14-8 and finished 2 for 4 at the plate with four RBIs.

"They fought back and made it a little closer at the end and we ran out of gas. Give Waianae a lot of credit, they hit the ball," Oshiro said.

Napalapalai managed to get the win despite scattering 11 hits and giving up eight runs before Hepua Tambaoan-Kaeo pitched two shut-out innings to close out the game.

Waianae reclaiming the lead gave Napalapalai confidence moving forward and the defense was error-free.

"The girls supporting her gave her more of a confidence boost," Kalaola said.

Waianae loaded the bases off of Kyler Tsukada's walks before Lacey Wilson-Pena came into the circle. The Seariders came away with three runs off of passed balls to put the game out of reach.



Reach Brandon Ching at [email protected].




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