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The Honolulu Advertiser

Posted on: Sunday, February 15, 2004

SOFTBALL
Kapolei wins softball crown

Tajia Acierto pitched a complete game and drove in a run to lead Kapolei to the girls state softball title.

Photos by Eugene Tanner • The Honolulu Advertiser


 •  Soccer: Punahou girls beat Mililani, 1-0
 •  Softball: University High rolls to first D-II title
 •  Roundup: Kaiser's Assily to play UH football
 •  Game statistics

By Wes Nakama
Advertiser Staff Writer

Tajia Acierto pitched a complete game to lead Kapolei to the girls state softball title.

Kailua's Courtney Kessell held Kapolei scoreless until allowing a run in the fifth inning and three more in the sixth.

Division I

Championship
Kapolei 4, Kailua 1

Third place
Kamehameha 1, Punahou 1 (time limit)

Fifth place
Mililani 4, Lahainaluna 3

Consolation
Baldwin 3, Pearl City 0

Division II

Championship
University 10, Kalaheo 0

Third Place
Lana'i 10, Honoka'a 1 (6 innings, time limit)
The Kapolei softball team, in just its third year at the varsity level, won its first state championship last night by defeating defending state champion Kailua, 4-1, last night at the University of Hawai'i's Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium.

Kapolei High School, which opened in 2000, also won a team state title last fall in girls bowling.

Last night, sophomore Tajia Acierto pitched a complete game, went 2 for 2 and drove in a run, and junior Austi Paris slammed a three-run homer in the bottom of the sixth inning to lead the Hurricanes (15-1) before at sellout crowd of 1,200.

The Surfriders (14-2-1) scored a run and had the bases loaded with two outs in the top of the seventh, but Acierto got a groundout back to the pitcher to end the game.

"It's amazing that this happened in just three years," said Paris, who was a freshman on Kapolei's first varsity squad in 2001. "But we knew we could do it because we worked so hard, from weight training in August all the way to all the work we've done until now. We said we didn't come all this way to lose."

Acierto and Surfriders starter Courtney Kessell were locked in a scoreless duel for four innings, until Amanda Shigetani got a one-out walk, stole second, took third on an error and scored on Acierto's single to center.

Paris provided three valuable insurance runs with a line drive shot over the center-field fence after Chaz Ebalaroza walked and Anita Manuma singled to lead off the sixth.

"I was just trying to move the runners up, because there were no outs," Paris said. "I was just waiting for the right pitch and staying low for (Kessell's) riser, because she struck me out with that the last time at bat. I saw the ball come right down the middle, so I went after it."

Reach Wes Nakama at wnakama@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-2456.



THIRD PLACE

Kamehameha 1, Punahou 1: Only a tournament-imposed time limit could keep these two Interscholastic League of Honolulu teams to seven innings — and a tie to end their seasons.

During the regular season, Kamehameha defeated Punahou, 2-1, in 21 innings, believed to be the longest softball game in Hawai'i high school history.

Yesterday, Sarah Weisskopf's RBI double in the first inning gave Punahou a 1-0 lead. Kamehameha tied it with two outs in the sixth on an RBI single by Emi Snow.

  • KAMEHAMEHA (14-1-2) 000 001 0—1 7 1
  • PUNAHOU (13-4-1) 100 000 0—1 4 2

Kate Robinson and Kaulana Gould. Taila Autele, Sarah Weisskopf (4) and Kaha Weir.

Leading hitters—Kamehameha: Robinson 3 for 3, double; Brandi Peiler double; Emi Snow RBI single. Punahou: Weisskopf RBI double.



FIFTH PLACE

Mililani 4, Lahainaluna 3: The Trojans used a three-run fifth inning en route to a 4-1 lead before the Lunas scored two runs in the top of the seventh.

Tami Bernades hit a two-run single in the seventh inning for the Lunas of the Maui Interscholastic League.

Dana Lee pitched a complete game for the victory for Mililani of the O'ahu Interscholastic Association.

  • LAHAINALUNA (17-3) 000 001 2—3 6 0
  • MILILANI (14-3) 000 031 x—4 5 2

Tiffany Nava and Tasha Dagdilao. Dana Lee and Charity Senas, Stacy Takata (7). W—Lee. L—Nava.

Leading hitters—Lahainaluna: Piilani Uyeda 2-2; Tami Bernades 2-run single.



CONSOLATION

• Baldwin 3, Pearl City 0: Nicole Alconcel pitched a five-hit shutout as the Bears of the Maui Interscholastic League defeated the Chargers of the OIA.

Alconcel and Dayne Carvalho each had two hits for the Bears.

  • BALDWIN (16-4) 010 100 1—3 9 0
  • PEARL CITY (10-5-1) 000 000 0—0 5 2

Nicole Alconcel and Sanoe Kekahuna. Corrie Nishikida, Marina Guzman (7) and Noelle Hirahara. W—Alconcel. L—Nishikida.

Leading hitters—Baldwin: Alconcel 2-4, RBI; Dayne Carvalho 2 for 2. Pearl City: Kellie Nishikida 2-3.

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