Softball
Titan pulls away from Leaf, 8-4, for Classic Title


 



WAIPIO—Team Titan scored four runs in the top of the seventh to pull away from Team Leaf, 8-4 in the 10th annual New City Nissan Goodwill Softball Classic at Patsy T. Mink's Central Oahu Regional Park on Sunday night.

The all-star game blended players from the Oahu Interscholastic Association and the Interscholastic League of Honolulu Division I and II. Almost every school had at least one representative.

Shevan DeFreitas (Waipahu) hit two solo home runs to lead Team Titan and added a single in the top of the seventh. DeFreitas, who will be attending in Southwestern Oregon, gave Titan an early 2-0 lead after her solo home runs in the second and fourth innings.

"I was really stoked to represent my school, knowing that a couple girls can get chosen and I'm thankful. I guess I saw my pitch and I went for it and I was really blessed," said DeFreitas.

Kayla Higuchi (Aiea) added a run for Leaf after Samantha Sakihara's (MPI) single. However, Kassidy Misaki (Kalani) and Kayla Higa (Kapolei) added runs for Titan in the sixth to make it 4-1.

Haley Suzuki (Kaiser) reached on error and later scored. There was a scary moment as Kaili-Ann Akimseu was hit in the face from Shayna Ige's single that stopped the game momentarily and DeFreitas came in and pitched the remainder of the game. It was reported during the postgame ceremonies that Akimseu was okay. Khaliah Kahoano (Pac-Five) added another run to close the gap to make it, 4-3.

"It was an honor because only two people out of four were selected from Kaiser and it was so much fun and I played with some of my friends from club for the past six years and I got to play with them again. It makes you really want to appreciate softball and to come together with other softball players, it was an amazing experience," said Suzuki, who will be attending Puget Sound and intends to study English.

From the top of the lineup, Mahina Chong (Waianae), Ashlynn Yagin (Campbell), Kiana Ulufale (Campbell), and DeFreitas all singled and ended up adding runs for Titan to break open the game and never looked back.

When asked about playing with players she competed against, Suzuki replied, "I got to play with Kamalani Dung (Kamehameha) and battled against her in states and it was fun to play with her and to be on the same team as such great pitcher."

Dung from Leaf, Christine Hipa (Kamehameha), Rachel Ogasawara (Kamehameha) and Kylie-Ann Bello (Mililani) from Titan could not play tonight because of their graduation ceremonies.  

Rasela Vili (Saint Francis) scored a run for Leaf in the bottom of the seventh for the last score of the game.

"It was really fun and you get to know everybody. You don't just play against them, you come together and play together," said DeFreitas.

Team Rogue edges out Team Armada, 5-4

Team Rogue's Emma Kawaiaea (Nanakuli) drove in Jenna Kumabe (Mid-Pacific) for the winning run to claim third-place over Team Armada in eight innings. The game went into extras and used the international rule where the runner starts at second base.



Reach Brandon Ching at [email protected].




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