Hurricanes wipe out Surfriders in quarterfinals, 14-2

Kapolei's Ciena Kauhi was 2 for 4 with a run scored and two RBIs in a mercy rule shortened win over Kailua. Greg Yamamoto | SL

KAILUA — Second-ranked Kapolei delivered a series of scoring waves to cruise past Kailua in the playoffs, 14-2 at Bernard Victor Field Thursday afternoon.

The Hurricanes batted around the lineup in the second and fourth innings and delivered a four-run knockout punch in the top of the fifth against the Surfriders for a 10-run mercy rule victory in the Oahu Interscholastic Association Division I quarterfinals.

Kapolei, who was coming off a 12-2 five-inning win over Kaimuki, moves on to face top-ranked and defending state champion Campbell in Friday's 5 p.m. semifinal at McKinley.

The Surfriders had a strong first inning, retiring the first three Kapolei batters and getting back-to-back hits in the bottom of the frame to take a 1-0 lead, but saw it all wash away in an error-filled second inning. Kapolei scored five unearned runs on five Kailua errors, two passed balls and just two hits and take an unwavering 5-1 lead before Kailua got out of the inning.

"I thought we capitalize on a lot of errors and we had some good hits as well," said Kapolei coach Tony Saffery. "I have a feeling they're better than. Going through their box scores in the East, they had some great games so we don't come in here taking them lightly. I knew it was going to be a battle."

Kailua committed eight total errors in the contest.

"The first inning (we) came out strong and what not, but to commit (eight) errors in one game thats a tough break," said Kailua coach Tamara Kaluau. "Kapolei just came out firing, hitting hard which they normally do. It's hard to come back in a ball game with that kind of stats."

Errors aside, the Hurricanes earned their next batch of runs. Kapolei was able to score nine more runs in the fourth and fifth innings thanks to 12 total hits from the team.

"All of a sudden we got a little confidence to swing the bats," said Saffery.

Dallas Pollard-Brownell led the effort and batted 3 for 4 with three RBIs and one run scored. Winning pitcher Sadie Kapaku-You also helped her cause and drove in three runs on two doubles. Ciena Kauhi and Laugatausala Pedebone also pair multiple hits for the Hurricanes.

"I guess we was just seeing the ball really well and we were waiting for it, trying to get good hits instead of swinging for the fences," said Kapaku-You.

Akamulei Makua had a solo home run in the bottom of the frame to stop the string of Kapolei scores, but it was all for naught as the Hurricanes were able to hold off the late charge and end it in five innings.

Kailua starter Dyani Cummings-Lani took the loss and was charged for eight earned runs.

Kapaku-You tossed three strikeouts against two walks and was tagged for five hits.

She hopes her team's offensive surge in the past two games carries over to when they face Campbell. The Sabers beat Kapolei in walk-off fashion the last time the two teams played.

"We're just excited to play them again," she said. "We're hitting the ball better, hopefully we take that into the next game."

Reach Michael Lasquero at [email protected].