As an 8-year-old youth softball pitcher facing the first batter in her first game, Sarah Robinson promptly recorded a strikeout.

Some nine years and 500 Ks later, she's still mowing 'em down.

Robinson, now a Moanalua High School junior, had five more strikeouts on Saturday in a three-hit, 2-1 victory over Kailua to lead Na Menehune to their first-ever O'ahu Interscholastic Association Eastern Division championship.

And starting Thursday, she will try to help Moanalua win its first league title as the 12-team OIA Playoff Tournament enters its quarterfinal round. The playoffs begin with tomorrow's four first-round games; Na Menehune (11-1) earned a bye.

"We were underdogs coming into this season," said Robinson, a 5-foot-9 right-hander. "I didn't know who our catcher would be, who would play shortstop, center field ... But it worked out good. I really like the players we have on this team; we have good chemistry."

Moanalua also has a new coach, Kris Morikawa, an alumnus who was promoted after guiding Na Menehune's JV team the past few years.

Morikawa knew the cupboard was not bare when she took over the varsity, especially with Robinson as her ace.

"Over the summer I knew we had talent," said Morikawa, who also teaches English at the school. "But being around the program and as a teacher here, I always knew there was some 'beefing' going on. So that was our biggest obstacle — I knew the girls gotta get along if we wanted to win."

It helped somewhat that the team includes three sets of sisters: the Ronolos (first baseman Britni and shortstop Jamie), the Chan twins (catcher Kawehi and center fielder Nanea) and the Dela Cruz's (right fielder Dawn and left fielder Hoku).

But it also helps when you're winning.

After a 3-2 OIA season-opening loss to Castle, Moanalua has won 11 straight with Robinson leading the way.

For the season, she is 10-1, with a 0.47 earned run average and 76 strikeouts in 74 innings pitched. Robinson also has been a leader at the plate, batting .444 with three home runs and 14 runs batted in.

MEMORABLE '06 FINISH

Her success should not surprise anyone who watched last year's state tournament, when Robinson pitched a two-hitter with eight strikeouts and slammed a three-run homer against Waiakea in the first round and then tossed a four-hitter with seven strikeouts to help Na Menehune shock OIA champ and No. 2 seed Kailua, 4-0, in the quarterfinals.

Moanalua eventually lost to defending champion Mililani in the semifinals, but it was an historic first final four appearance for Na Menehune, who entered as the OIA's No. 5 seed.

But the real breakthrough for Robinson came last summer, when she switched club teams and did not play offseason volleyball as she had in the past.

"I was playing on smaller club teams before, but then last year I joined the Pearls (coached by Randy Tamura)," said Robinson, who also helped Moanalua take third place in the recent volleyball state tournament as a starting middle blocker. "We played in a Colorado tournament and I think the competition helped me get better, and I didn't have to juggle volleyball and softball."

When she wasn't with the Pearls, Robinson was training on her own along with her sister, Kate, a University of Hawai'i first baseman/pitcher and former All-State first team selection from Kamehameha. Together they went through the intense summer workout program required of all Rainbow Wahine players.

"We would come here (to Moanalua's field) and do the same drills they do at UH," Robinson said. "We worked on throwing faster and the movement pitches, and also on conditioning. We worked out every day."

FAMILY ALWAYS NEARBY

The result is a fastball that now hits about 60 mph (up from 54-56 mph last season), plus effective screwballs, curves, risers and drops that move in, out, up and down the strike zone.

The offseason conditioning also should help in weeks like this and later this month in the state tournament, when Robinson may be called on to pitch three or four straight days.

"The kind of player she is, she works really hard but a lot of (her effectiveness) is in her head," Morikawa said. "When game time comes, she can flip a switch and really focus."

It also helps to have strong family support nearby. Robinson's dad, Pete, is Na Menehune's pitching coach and Kate often is sitting behind the backstop intensely watching every delivery.

"Kate is so into the zone during the games," Pete said. "Every inning, she'll notice something and will tell Sarah afterward."

Morikawa doesn't seem to mind the intervention.

"That's such an asset to have," Morikawa said. "They listen to each other."

Pete and Kate have been there for almost all of Robinson's 502 strikeouts since that first one nine years ago, and they'll no doubt be there for many more.

Starting Thursday.

Reach Wes Nakama at wnakama@honoluluadvertiser.com.