Asamura leads Mililani into OIA softball semis

By Wes Nakama
Advertiser Staff Writer

None of Mililani High School's past 61 opponents in O'ahu Interscholastic Association competition dating to 1998 have been good enough to beat the Trojans. Without its ace pitcher and

Mililani's Charity Senas takes a cut during the Trojans' OIA semifinal against Castle. Senas hit a home run in the third inning for Mililani. Eugene Tanner • The Honolulu Advertiser

Miki Asamura pitched a four-hitter and went 3-for-3 with a run-scoring double to help Mililani defeat the visiting Knights, 2-0, in the OIA semifinals. The Trojans (12-0) will play the winner of today's Kailua-Leilehua semifinal for the championship at about 2:30 p.m. tomorrow at Kailua.

The Kailua-Leilehua game was rained out yesterday.

Mililani, the OIA's four-time defending champion, defeated Castle (10-2) in extra innings in last year's title game. But Castle's pitcher in that game, Lia Pedrina, injured her tailbone on the bases during Wednesday's quarterfinal victory over Kapolei.

She was not in uniform yesterday. Also missing from the lineup was starting center fielder Sachelle Featheran, who was sick. Featheran is one of the Knights' best hitters.

Catcher Anuhea Young took the mound and pitched well, but doubles by the Trojans' Charity Senas and Asamura produced one run in the first inning, and Senas' home run over the left-center field fence made it 2-0 in the third.

That was enough for Asamura, who struck out five.

"Miki is awesome," Castle coach Jon Berinobis said. "She hits her spots and mixes it up, and her catcher (Erika Au) does a great job with her pitches. We struck out 11 times against her the last time we played (in the preseason), and we had only five today, so I guess that's a positive note."

Asamura has been a positive force for Mililani all season, but so has Senas. While Asamura has drawn the headlines for perfect games, Senas was batting .564 during the regular season with three home runs and 20 RBIs.

Her home run yesterday was the second in as many days.

"She's a strong hitter, very disciplined at the plate," Berinobis said. "She the type who can carry a team."

CASTLE (10-2) 000 000 0—0 4 0
MILILANI (12-0) 101 000 X—2 9 0

Anuhea Young and Kristen Uza. Miki Asamura and Erika Au. W —Asamura. L — Young.

Leading hitters: Castle—K. Souza double. Mililani—Charity Senas 2-3, double, home run; Asamura 3-3, double; Thiffany Anguay-Kalau 2-2, triple.

• KAPOLEI 5, MOANALUA 2: Pitcher Tajia Aceirto batted 3-for-4 and first baseman Malamaisaua Manuma 2-for-3 to lead the Hurricanes over the Menehunes to move on to the OIA fifth-place game.

Moanalua (8-5) 000 110 0—2 5 2
Kapolei (10-3) 100 040 X—5 7 1

Kandyce Love, Mika Tanji (2) and Jazminn Yamamoto. Tajia Aceirto and Yasmin Yoro. W — Aceirto. L —Tanji.

Leading hitters: Moanalua—Kepua Lee double. Kapolei—Aceirto 3-4; Malamaisaua Manuma 2-3; Austi Paris double.

• PEARL CITY 4, WAI'ANAE 3: Krystal Plunkett hit a solo homer that sparked the Chargers as they rallied in the top of the seventh inning to defeat the Seariders in a consolation bracket game.

Kanani Numata had a two-run double for Pearl City.

Pearl City (9-4) 000 000 4—4 7 3
Wai'anae (9-4) 100 020 0—3 6 1

Krystal Plunkett, Corey Nishikida (6) and Stacie Sakata. Tracy Kane and Shaylla Moses. W — Nishikida. L — Kane.

Leading hitters: Pearl City—Sakata 2-3; Marci Lobendahn 2-3; Plunkett home run; Kanani Numata double, 2 RBIs. Wai'anae—Crystal Hanohano 2-4; Kane homer, 2 RBIs; Moses double.

• Correction: Alexis San Nicholas was the winning pitcher in Leilehua's 2-1 victory over Wai'anae on Wednesday. Another pitcher was credited with the victory.

MIL

• LANA'I 3, BALDWIN 2: Lyn Bolo singled to right scoring Justine Ige to give the visiting Pine Lasses the win in nine-innings over the Bears.

Baldwin's Sabrina Alesna-Mindoro struck out 15 Lana'i batters.

Angela LaRose hit a double that scored two runs to tie the game at two-all in the bottom of the sixth-inning.

Lana'i 020 000 001—3 7 1
Baldwin 000 002 000—2 6 2

Jerri Fauatea and Liana Alboro. Sabrina Alesna-Mindoro and Jenna Mailou. W — Fauatea. L — Alesna-Mindoro.

Leading hitters: Lana'i — Gaby Ozoa 2-4; Lyn Bolo 2-5. Baldwin — Chevy Wong 2-4; Alesna-Mindoro double, Angela LaRose triple, 2 RBIs.