Kailua, Kamehameha in state softball title game rematch

By Wes Nakama
Advertiser Staff Writer

The Mililani High School softball team got burned by two homegrown products last night, as Kamehameha's Brandi Peiler pitched a two-hitter and pinch-hitter Emi Snow slammed a bases-clearing double to left-center field in the bottom of the fifth inning to lift the Warriors to a 3-0 victory over the Trojans in the Chevron State Championship semifinals.

Peiler, a right-handed junior who was an Advertiser All-State outfielder last season, struck out 10 and walked three. She did not join the Warriors' rotation until the middle of the season and got the starting call over fellow ace Kate Robinson late yesterday afternoon.

"I was kinda nervous," Peiler said. "Kate was our No. 1 pitcher at the beginning of the season and she still is. But I just tried to hit spots and throw the pitches that were called. (The 3-0 lead) took some pressure off — although there was still pressure — and our defense is awesome."

Kamehameha coach Ty Sing Chow, yet another Mililani resident, said he and his staff decided on Peiler with Robinson as a solid backup plan.

"We got together and said, 'Let's go with Brandi, and if she gets into trouble we always have Kate," Sing Chow said. "Plus Brandi has been pitching really well lately."

Peiler tossed a 1-0 shutout of Punahou in the Interscholastic League of Honolulu championship game 11 days ago.

Mililani senior ace Miki Asamura pitched a three-hitter but struck out none. She walked two and had one hit batter in her third start in four days.

"That's kinda tough, that's why it's important to get seeded," Sing Chow said of Asamura's workload. "Even for us, we're fortunate we have two really good starters."

Kamehameha scored in the third after Sharee Fonoti led off with a walk, Kaulana Gould got aboard on an error and Lena Nahale was hit on the jersey by Asamura. Snow then drilled her double to the left-center field wall to drive in all three runs.

"I was hoping (to get called), because I wanted to contribute for the team," said Snow, a junior. "I know a lot of those (Mililani) girls, I kinda grew up with them. Miki is a great pitcher, she's really awesome."

Trojans coach Mike Okimoto, who also lives in Mililani, said he's familiar with Peiler and Snow.

"They're good kids," Okimoto said. "On Emi's one, I was just hoping for a ground ball, so maybe they would get only one run. But not three. Miki missed her pitch; it was supposed to be outside but she just missed it."

Peiler, meanwhile, held Mililani hitless until the seventh. That's when Asamura led off with an infield single and advanced to second on Sandy Nakamura's one-out single. But Asamura got caught in a rundown after trying to decide whether to take third on the hit, and she was tagged out diving back to second.

Peiler then got a strikeout to end the game.

"That's just the girls executing the plays, and it turned out to be big," Sing Chow said. "Mililani definitely can hit, and you gotta be careful with a team like that. That's a damned good team, they might be the best in the state, but sometimes the breaks go the other way. I feel bad for them, because I know that's happened to us before."

Mililani (14-2) 000 000 0—0 2 1
Kamehameha (17-2) 000 030 X—3 3 0

Miki Asamura and Erika Au. Brandi Peiler and Kaulana Gould. WP—Peiler. LP—Asamura.

Leading Hitters: KS—Emoani Snow double, 3 RBIs.

• Kailua 13, Waiakea 0: Waiakea softball team's magical run at the Chevron State Championship ended last night with a semifinal pounding at the hands of No. 1 seed Kailua.

Sophomore Courtney Kessell pitched a one-hitter with 17 strikeouts and no walks and the Surfriders (15-0) banged out a staggering 23 hits. Waiakea (11-3) will play Mililani for third place.

The 17 strikeouts and 23 hits are believed to be state tournament records. The Warriors' only baserunner came in the fourth inning when Laine Shikuma reached first after beating out a late and wild throw.

"That pitcher is very good and that team is very good," Waiakea coach Charlene Manu said. "(Kessell) has speed and discipline, and she's very confident out there. And they have very powerful hitters, one through nine, plus even their bench came in and hit."

When Manu, who played for Brigham Young-Hawai'i, was asked about Kessell's college potential, she had a two-word answer.

"Free school," Manu said.

Kessell, a right-hander, said she didn't have to rely on her usual strategy of mixing up pitches and keeping batters off-balanced. She added Kailua's offensive barrage, which started with Kamaile Hughes' two-run homer in the first inning, allowed her to relax early.

Kessell, who pitched in last year's state championship game but lost to Kamehameha, 4-1, said she's got more left for tonight.

"This year I'm more confident and I think our defense is better," Kessell said.

Waiakea scored two big upsets this week by beating Interscholastic League of Honolulu runner-up Punahou and Kaua'i Interscholastic Federation champ Waimea.

Kailua (15-0) 201 600 4—13 23 0
Waiakea (11-3) 000 000 0— 0 1 1

Courtney Kessell and Kainoa Hughes, Erin Guerrero (4). Elise DuPonte and Jenna Yanagi. WP—Kessell. LP—DuPonte.

Leading Hitters: Kail—Tanisha Milca 3-5; Kamaile Hughes 2-2, 2-run home run, 3 RBIs; Kai. Hughes 2-2; Pikake Choy Foo 2-2; Kessell 2-4, double; Alisha Vegas 2-2; Cienna Costa 2-2; Danielle Young double, 2 RBI.

• BALDWIN 7, KAPOLEI 4: Kristi Ah Yen went 2-for-4 with a double and two RBIs and the Bears (15-4) took advantage of six errors by the Hurricanes (12-5) to earn Baldwin a tie for fifth place with Lahainaluna.

Today's fifth-place game was canceled so the two Maui teams can return home.

BALDWIN (15-4) 000 002 5—7 7 1
KAPOLEI (12-5) 003 010 0—4 5 5

Sabrina Alesna-Mindoro and Jenna Mailou. Tajia Acierto and Jasmin Yoro.

WP—Alesna-Mindoro. LP—Acierto.

Leading hitters: Baldwin—Zoie Sevilla 2-3; Kristi Ah Yen 2-4, double, 2 RBIs. Kapolei—Malamaisaua Manuma 2-3, double; Austi Paris 2-3.

• Lahainaluna 4, Waimea 2: Tiara Kukahiko pitched a four-hitter and the Lunas (16-5) won despite five errors to eliminate the Kaua'i Interscholastic Federation champion Menehunes (10-4).

LAHAINALUNA (16-5) 000 003 1—4 7 5
WAIMEA (10-4) 001 000 1—2 4 4

Tiara Kukahiko and Tasha Pagdilao. Lynette Perreira and Kodi Oyama. WP—Kukahiko. LP—Perreira.

Leading hitters: Lahainaluna—Jessica Maielua 2-4; Tiffany Nava 2-4, triple; Kelsi Fushikoshi 2-4. Waimea—Kodi Oyama 2-3.

• Castle 7, Hilo 1: Lia Pedrina pitched a four-hitter and Anu Young went 2-for-4 with a two-run double in the third inning to help the Knights (11-4) eliminate BIIF champion Hilo (10-3).

CASTLE (10-4) 002 012 2—7 10 7
HILO (10-3) 100 000 0—1 4 3

Lia Pedrina and Anu Young. Jessica Moniz and Kristine Mihara. WP—Pedrina. LP—Moniz.

Leading hitters: Castle—Young 2-4, double; Kalena Souza 2-3.