Kiana Domingo smashed two of Leilehua's four total home runs in a trouncing of Waianae. Michael Lasquero | SL

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WAHIAWA — Kiana Domingo belted two of her team's four home runs and No. 5 Leilehua trounced No. 2 Waianae, 8-1, Saturday at Kaala Elementary School field.

The third-place Mules (6-3) pulled to within a half game of the second-place Seariders (6-2) in the tight Oahu Interscholastic Association Division I West. Only 1 1/2 games separate the second- through fourth-place teams. The beneficiary of the Mules' win was first-place and top-ranked Campbell (8-0), which was idle Saturday. The Sabers widened their lead to two games with four to play, including against Waianae on Thursday and Leilehua on April 11.

"That's this division," Leilehua coach Wendell Au said. "Everybody's tough."

Since 2013, the West has accounted for five of the six OIA state tournament berths in Division I and four of six from 2006 to 2012.

The Mules avenged a 6-4 loss to the Seariders on March 5.

"Never underestimate anybody in the (West)," Waianae coach Robert Kalaola said. "Today was a good day for (Leilehua). But our girls will pull through. We have a lot to learn. The second half of the season is starting, so this is where we learn."

Meanwhile, junior third baseman Domingo had a blast ... or two. She led off the fourth inning with a homer to left and did the same to start the fifth.

"It felt good," Domingo said of her performance. "I've been in a slump the past couple of games. It's finally to get what I've been working hard for."

Alyssa Abe scattered five hits, allowing a run, five hits and three walks with six strikeouts for the complete-game win. But through three innings, she was trailing 1-0 on Kailah Gates-Coyaso's second-inning RBI single as Waianae starting pitcher Mya Keliiwaiwaiole had silenced the Mules on two hits.

Despite Keliiwaiwaiole's command of the Mules, the Seariders started the fourth inning with Alohilani Napalapalai. It was not entirely a surprise move since Keliiwaiwaiole pitched five innings and Napalapalai finished the last two innings in the Seariders win against the Mules.

"We want to give our pitchers that confidence going into the second half of the season," said Kalaola referring improving the team's pitching depth.

The Mules had other ideas. Domingo greeted Napalapalai by smashing her first offering over the left-field fence to tie the game at 1. She was the first of nine batters to come in the inning, which also featured a run-scoring triple by Torie Au, a two-run home run by Jacelyn Kepaa and an infield double by Mikayla Pinera.

With four runs already in, Pinera hit a pop up just in front of home plate, but the ball fell between a confluence of Waianae fielders about three feet fair but spun into foul territory. By the time the ball was fielded, Pinera was at second base with an eight-foot double. Waianae argued that the ball should have been foul because it was not touched by the fielders before it rolled foul, but umpires ruled the ball was touched. Pinera eventually scored after a hit-and-error play to make it 5-1.

"It comes down to one inning in this division," Au said. "Hitting has evolved into the game so it's just a matter of who hits that streak. That's the bottom line."

Domingo led off the fifth with her second homer to make it 6-1. Gianna Araki hammered a two-run homer in the sixth that made it 8-1.

The Mules struggled with the finesse pitching of Keliiwaiwaiole but pounced on the harder-throwing Napalapalai. Domingo said her team struggles with finesse pitching. She said her first homer was off an inside fastball.

The defending state champions began the season 2-3. But after a 7-6 loss to Campbell, Leilehua has won four in a row.

"I felt we had a better mindset this time around," Domingo said. "Our win against Mililani the last game really set us up to get into the mood for this one."

Leilehua hosts last-place Aiea (0-8) next Saturday. Au said his team cannot let up, adding that Aiea was tied with Campbell 8-8 before falling, 13-8, last week.