OIA Softball
Moanalua pounds Kailua in OIA Red East softball, 10-0


  



Thu, Apr 10, 2014 @ [ 3:30 pm ]


F/5TH 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Kailua 0 0000XX024
Moanalua 8 2 00XXX10100

W: Cyanne Fernandez    L: Teah Kauhi

MOA: Najae Reed 2-3 2 runs 2 rbi; Cyanne Fernandez 2.0 IP 0 ER 4 K
KAIL: Robi Lono 1-1; Shaelyn Kumai-Farrell 3.0 IP 0 ER


WAIPIO — There are no cases of "senioritis" on the Moanalua softball team.

A trio of seniors combined on a two-hitter and seven different players got at least one hit to lead Moanalua to a 10-0 thrashing of Kailua in an Oahu Interscholastic Association Red East game at Patsy T. Mink Central Oahu Regional Park Thursday afternoon. The game ended after the top of the fifth inning due to the mercy rule.

"We're trying to stay focused every game — I think that's our key word," Na Menehune coach Kristie Morikawa said. "We want to come out hard and not take our foot off the gas."

Morikawa's squad put the pedal to the metal from the get-go Thursday. It sent 12 batters to the plate in the eighth-run bottom of the first inning. Najae Reed and Makamae Kaleikini each hit a two-run single to left in the inning to fuel the Moanalua offense.

"In past games we seemed to get the lead early and then kind of sit back a little — and that's something that we're working on — so it was really, really good to see that first inning," Morikawa said.

Reed — the sixth batter in the lineup — lined a 1-1 pitch along the third-base line, scoring Cyanne Fernandez from third and Chrissi Omalza from second.

"The bases were fully-loaded so I had to put something out there, so I just gave it my all, tracked it real well and it happened, so I guess when you really put your mind to it things happen," said Reed, one of 10 seniors.

Reed's hit made the score 3-0, but Moanalua wasn't done yet. It added five more runs in the frame, including a pair of Kaleikini's two-RBI single that plated Jadeen Sakauye and Tara Dumlao to score the score 8-0. Seven of those runs scored were scored with two outs.

"We've been telling kids that we have to be able to hit everyone and hit every pitch and at this point, it's not so much about physical ability, it's just discipline — sitting, waiting, seeing the pitch and doing what you've got to do with it," Morikawa said.

Na Menehune added two more runs in the bottom of the second. Omalza led off with a single and advanced to third when Ariel Ajimura drew a four-pitch walk. Reed then reached on a fielder's choice — which erased Ajimura at second base. Dior Motas, who was courtesy running for Omalza, came home on a pass ball and Reed scored on a ground ball single back up the middle by Sakauye.

"Each time someone gets on base we get more pumped up and it makes all the people who have yet to bat do well, too," Reed said.

Meanwhile, the trio of Fernandez, Leisha Yamauchi and Ajimura kept the Kailua offense at bay. Fernandez, who started and went two innings, had four of her team's five strikeouts. Yamauchi relieved her in the third and allowed one hit and Ajimura pitched the top of the fifth and allowed one hit. No Surfriders advanced past second base.

Despite the lopsided score and her team's fourth victory in a row to improve to 10-1, Morikawa said there is still room for improvement.

"We're not there yet, almost there, but we always talk about how it's just a mental game and these 10 seniors, they've put in so many years of work that at this point, it's just about having your head and heart at the right place at the right time," Morikawa said.

It was the second time that the teams have met this season. Moanalua beat Kailua, 13-2, back on March 10 in a game that was also played at CORP.

Na Menehune, who are ranked fourth in the ScoringLive/OC16 Power Rankings, closes out the regular season at Kaimuki Saturday.

Kailua, which fell to 5-5, plays Castle and Kahuku next week to wrap up the regular season.

Note: The Kailua softball team was presented with the Life matters Award and a check for $500 to the school's athletic department from representatives from Hawaii USA Federal Credit Union before the game. It was the second of three awards that will be given out. For more information or to nominate a team, visit scoringlive.com/lifematters.



Reach Kalani Takase at [email protected].




Show your support

Every contribution, no matter the size, will help ScoringLive continue its mission to provide the best and most comprehensive coverage of high school sports in the state of Hawaii and beyond.

Please consider making a contribution today.

ADVERTISEMENT


IMAGE GALLERY



MORE STORIES

No. 1 seeds Aiea, Kailua to face off for OIA Division I baseball crown

Na Alii posted a 3-1 win over Roosevelt behind Aidan Yoshida's complete game, while two pitchers combined...

Sabers, Na Menehune to meet in OIA semifinal round Monday

Campbell defeated Roosevelt in four sets Thursday, while Moanalua topped Waipahu in the nightcap as both...

Late surge propels Kapolei to mercy-rule win over Kalani

The Hurricanes found their offensive groove in the late stages, scoring 14 runs down the stretch to back...

Kapaa takes down Kauai for second straight league win

Bob Manintin pitched six strong innings as the Warriors snapped the Red Raiders' seven-game winning streak.

Waianae holds off Castle; Mililani next

Teizsha Kaopuiki hit two home runs to power the Seariders in the opening round of the OIA Division I...

Surfriders erase early deficit, pull away from Falcons

Ninth-ranked Kailua scored 10 unanswered runs behind six scoreless innings of relief from DJ Kauahi to...