Kiley Oeda watches her pop-fly foul out to the right field. Sean Nakamura | SL

View image 1 of 5

Kaili Ann Akimseu pitched a complete shut-out game against Punahou and allowed only 5 hits while striking out 5. Sean Nakamura | SL

View image 2 of 5

Mid-Pacific's Jenna Kumabe, left, collides with Punahou catcher Sara Jinee Buck, right, at home to score a run in the first inning. Sean Nakamura | SL

View image 3 of 5

Punahou runner Sarah Sumida, left, looks to steal second base in the first. Brien Ing | SL

Purchase image 4 of 5

Nicole Lopez jogs to home plate after hitting a 3-run home run over the center-field fence in the sixth against Punahou. Sean Nakamura | SL

View image 5 of 5

MANOA-- Mid-Pacific Institute posted their fourth shutout of the season as they breezed by Punahou, 6-0 for their ninth straight victory on Senior Day to improve to 11-3 in the Interscholastic League of Honolulu Division I standings at Frear Softball Field on a windy Tuesday afternoon. As the regular season concluded today, Kamehameha-Kapalama, Maryknoll, and Mid-Pacific all finished at 11-3 and will have a playoff to determine the regular season crown.  

Mid-Pacific started the season at 2-3 and since their loss to Maryknoll on Mar. 22, they won nine straight games.  The Owls beat the Buffanblu earlier on Mar. 24 and today they churned out eight hits and scored six runs in the first four innings.

“What our coach tries to stress most is we take one game at a time and try not to press for the next games coming up. We try to take it one inning and one pitch at a time,” said senior catcher Taylor Ann Oda.

“It feels great, that’s what I wanted to do, this is their day and I wanted them to enjoy it with a win so it feels great to win and their happy and I’m happy,” said junior pitcher Kaili Ann Akimseu, on sending the seniors out with a victory.

Nicole Lopez went 1 for 3, 3 RBI, scored two runs, and she hit home run in the bottom of the fourth. Taylor Ann Oda batted 2 for 3 and scored a run and Kiley Oeda went 1 for 3 and an RBI. Kaili Ann Akimseu pitched all seven innings and recorded five strikeouts.

“Today was a big game for us and throughout the day I was really nervous, but I’ve been thinking about how our team always pulls through in the end and Kaili has always been on her game and no matter what situations we’ve been in and she’s been able to pull herself out in the toughest situations she’s been doing really well,” said Oda, on Akimseu.

In the bottom of the first inning, lead-off hitter Jenna Kumabe hit a double to centerfield to get the Owls going. Oda hit a single to centerfield and advanced to second on the throw while Kumabe moved to third. Punahou pitcher Nicole Nishizawa walked Lopez to load the bases. Lindsey Matoi reached first base on an error by short stop Katelyn Chagami and Kumabe and Oda scored to put the Owls up 2-0.

“I think whenever we start off strong and whenever we get ahead first our team has the most confidence, even if we’re down in the innings, we know we’re going to come back eventually as long as we keep working as hard as we do,” said Oda.

Sarah Onishi grounded out to Chagami and Lia Nakamoto struck out. Kiley Oeda hit an RBI single to centerfield to score Lopez to make it 3-0 and Matoi moved to third. Nishizawa walked Breeze-Lyn Morita, but Samantha Sakihara grounded out to second baseman Sarah Sumida to end the inning.

“That made me more calm, the offense was able to do their job therefore I should be able to do my job as a pitcher to make sure that we continue to have that lead,” said Akimseu, on jumping out to an early lead.

In the top of the third inning, Akimseu struck out Alyssa Rasmussen and caused Elyse Nakamoto to hit a pop fly to Matoi for the second out. Akimseu struck out Sumida to end the inning.

“I think I did pretty well that we were able to hold them down the whole game. It’s always a team effort and they’re always here to back me up and do their job defensively and offensively, they scored the runs and held Punahou down,” said Akimseu.

“Our pitcher threw a shut out and she’s doing really good this season. She knew we had our back on defense and she came out and pitched a really good game,” said Lopez, on Akimseu.

In the bottom of the fourth, Morita grounded out to short and Sakihara struck out for the first two outs. Kumabe reached first on another Chagami error and Nishizawa walked Oda. Lopez blasted a home run over the centerfield fence to put the Owls up big, 6-0.

“I had two strikes and all I was thinking of putting the ball in play and it came off the bat and I didn’t even know it was over at first, I thought it was a routine pop fly and it went over,” said Lopez, on her home run.

Mid-Pacific will get back to work and will host Maryknoll (11-3), on Thursday. The pair split the season series as Maryknoll beat Mid-Pacific 3-2 on Mar. 22 while the Owls returned the favor and beat the Lady Spartans, 4-3 on Apr. 5. The winner of this game will play Kamehameha-Kapalama on Saturday to determine the regular season champion and receives a berth into the state tournament.