OIA leads way in state softball

By Wes Nakama
Advertiser Staff Writer

The O'ahu Interscholastic Association, with a record six teams in the Division I state softball tournament, proved its worth yesterday by advancing four squads into today's quarterfinals.

Kaimuki catcher Brandi Sasaki rips a single to score a run in the third third inning, igniting the Bulldogs to a 4-0 victory over Kaua'i. Eugene Tanner • The Honolulu Advertiser

In the nightcap, Kailua defeated Moanalua, 1-0, in a meeting of two OIA teams. The OIA actually has five teams in the quarterfinals, as league champion Kapolei had a first-round bye.

"Being in the OIA and getting through the OIA tournament is tough," Kaimuki coach Lene Tausaga said. "But I think playing in all those tough games really helped us prepare."

When the OIA's allotment of six teams — based on a Hawai'i High School Athletic Association formula — was announced last September, it raised some eyebrows, especially since the powerful Interscholastic League of Honolulu saw its number of berths reduced from two to one.

But all of the OIA teams earned their way into the quarterfinals yesterday with strong performances:

KAILUA 1, MOANALUA 0

Courtesy runner Shyla-Ann Pedro scored on an error with one out in the bottom of the seventh inning to lift the Surfriders into tonight's highly anticipated showdown with No. 1 seed Punahou.

Courtney Kessell, who pitched a one-hitter with nine strikeouts, led off the inning with a single. Pedro went to second on Alisha Vegas' sacrifice and took third on Brittany Tokunaga's infield single before Natasha Fabinal hit a sharp grounder to short.

Daisy Phanphongsa's throw home was on line, but could not be handled as Pedro slid safely.

Sarah Robinson pitched a four-hitter with eight strikeouts for the Menehunes.

"Sarah is a good pitcher, she has good movement," said Kessell, a three-time Advertiser All-State first-team selection. "We expected them to give us a tough game."

Kailua defeated Moanalua twice in the regular season, 2-0 and 7-0.

"They made some new adjustments and played well," Surfriders coach Bernard Victor said. "(Robinson) pitched really well."

Moanalua entered the tournament with an 8-6 record as the OIA's sixth-place team, but took league champion Kapolei to eight innings before losing 6-2 on Feb. 2.

"Our league is so competitive, there's so many good teams," Kessell said. "I wish more teams could make the state tournament."

Kailua has reached the past three state championship games, winning in 2003 and losing to league rival Kapolei last year.

But Victor said the Surfriders did not take a first-round victory last night for granted.

"Like I told the girls before the game, we don't look at Punahou yet," Victor said. "We had to get past Moanalua first, which I knew wasn't going to be easy.

"Now we can talk about Punahou."

MOANALUA (8-7) 000 000 0 i 0 1 1
KAILUA (15-1) 000 000 1 — 1 4 3

Sarah Robinson and Shelby Nakachi; Courtney Kessell and Erin Guerrero. W — Kessell. L — Robinson.

Leading hitters — Moa: Lauren Moss 1-2. Kai: Kalina Kama 1-2; Meghann Pasion 1-3; Kessell 1-3; Brittany Tokunaga 1-3.

KAIMUKI 4, Kaua'i 0

Freshman Genesis Fruean pitched a two-hitter with five strikeouts and went 2 for 3 with a double, home run and three runs batted in for the Bulldogs, who finished fifth in the OIA after going 6-6 in the regular season and 2-2 in the league tournament.

Kaimuki took a 1-0 lead in the third inning on Brandi Sasaki's run-scoring single, then went up 3-0 in the fourth on Fruean's two-run homer over the left-field fence. Fruean added an RBI double in the sixth.

"I think we deserve to be here," Fruean said. "We worked hard for it."

Kaua'i, which won its first Kaua'i Interscholastic Federation title since 1998, fell to 11-2.

KAIMUKI (9-8) 001 201 0 — 4 7 0
KAUA'I (11-2) 000 000 0 — 0 2 0

Genesis Fruean and Brandi Sasaki; Sherri Gebauer and Starlene Kelekoma. W i Fruean. L — Gebauer.

Leading hitters — Kaim: Fruean 2-3, double, home run, 3 RBIs; Kanoe Nicola 2-3, double; Antonina Atiga-Mareko double. Kaua'i: Krystal Ijima triple.

MILILANI 9, LAHAINALUNA 2

Dana Lee's two-run single highlighted an eight-run second inning as the Trojans rallied after trailing 2-0 in the first.

Lee batted 3 for 5, including a double, and Kimberly Goo homered and drove in two runs for Mililani.

MILILANI (13-3) 080 001 0 — 9 13 2
LAHAINALUNA (11-3) 200 000 0 — 2 6 4

Makani Duhaylonsod and Skye Virtudes; Desiree Sumajit, Ikapela Watson (2), Tiffany Bonafacio (7) and Tasha Pagdila. W — Duhaylonsod. L — Sumajit.

Leading hitters — Mili: Dana Lee 3-5, double, 2 RBIs; Kimberly Goo 2-5, home run, 2 RBIs; Elsa Apo 2-3, double, RBI; Duhaylonsod double. Lah: Jessica Maielua 2-4; Kelci Fushikoshi 2 RBIs.

PEARL CITY 10, HILO 0

Shanna Vierra's two-run single spiced a seven-run third inning and the Chargers went on to win a game shortened to five innings by the 10-run rule.

Marina Gusman-Brown went 3 for 3, stole two bases, scored three runs and pitched four scoreless innings.

HILO (4-7) 000 00 — 0 3 2
PEARL CITY (13-3) 107 11 — 10 10 0

Jonette Ugalde and Chante Ching; Marina Gusman-Brown, Corrie Nishikida (5) and Noelle Hirahara. W — Gusman-Brown. L — Ugalde.

Leading hitters — Hilo: Daysha Whitney 1-1, Ugalde 1-2, Harley Cockett 1-3. PC: Gusman-Brown 3-3, 3 runs; Shanna Vierra 2-3, 2 RBIs; Nishikida 2-4, RBI.

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