Kapolei tops Leilehua, 6-3, returns to OIA Red title game


Peaking at the right time, fifth seeded Kapolei advanced to the OIA Red championship game, knocking off Leilehua, 6-3.

"All season we had our shares of ups and downs. They are starting to put it together. It started when we played Roosevelt and it really came together when we played Mililani. Tonight, to be honest with you, I thought Taezha (Cordero) was going to tie us a knot and she did a great job on it. We couldn't get off timely hits or strong hits, and we were trying muscle everything out there I think the biggest thing we have to work on is making better adjustments at the plate," said Kapolei coach Tony Saffery.

In the top of the second inning, Kapolei's Kayla Higa scored off of Kamrynmae Kanae's sacrifice bunt to give the Hurricanes a 1-0 lead. However, Leilehua tied the game at 1 after a run from Chasity Stalcup.

The fourth inning was a big inning for the Hurricanes as they scored 3 runs off of Leilehua miscues. Emilee Guillermo slid in safely and Higa scored her second run off of a Leilehua error. Kanae added another run to put the Hurricanes up 4-1.

"We made adjustments and capitalized on mistakes they made," said Saffery. "I tell the kids to look for more than one base and to be more aggressive on the bases. There were aggressive moves we made that we got pegged out and it's something we have to talk about prior to tomorrow's game."

Kapolei added another run from Guillermo thanks to an RBI by grounder from Amayha Dycus in the top of the fifth. The bottom of the fifth, the Mules closed in on the Hurricanes, 5-3 after runs from Tiffany Abear and Jazmyn Dangaran.

In the sixth inning, Shaycelynn Ho'ohuli hit a grounder to the shortstop and made it safely to first base after the shortstop bobbled it. Elizabeth Tuason managed to get to first base off a bunt after a fielding error. Ho'ohuli then scored off a wild pitch on Stacia-Al Mahoe's at-bat.

In the seventh inning, with two Leilehua runners on base, Navarro and her defense found a way to stave off a late rally. She retired Tihani Palomares then caused Chasity Stalcup to hit a pop out. Mahina Reis hit a grounder, but she was tagged out at first to end the game.

"Our last innings are always hard for us. We can't let teams back in and we have to shut the door in the last inning," said pitcher Kacee Navarro.

Kapolei will play Campbell, who rallied past Waipahu, at Central Oahu Regional Park at 7 p.m. in a rematch of last year's title game.

"I'm excited, we had an up and down season, so to get here is a great achievement and goal," said Navarro.

"I think momentum is big, I think we will definitely go in with the right high. Now it's a matter of controlling it instead of getting overzealous," said Saffery.



Reach Brandon Ching at [email protected].