Campbell's Summer Palipti touches home plate against Waianae. Stacy Kaneshiro | SL

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Campbell's Caragh Morris makes contact with a Waianae pitch. Morris would finish 2-for-4 on the afternoon with 3 runs and 2 RBIs. Stacy Kaneshiro | SL

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Campbell's Summer Palipti touches home plate against Waianae. Stacy Kaneshiro | SL

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Campbell's Caragh Morris makes contact with a Waianae pitch. Morris would finish 2-for-4 on the afternoon with 3 runs and 2 RBIs. Stacy Kaneshiro | SL

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'EWA BEACH-Two-time defending league champion Campbell started four freshmen for its season opener. But when the dust settled, it was a veteran that made the difference.

Senior Summer Palipti slugged a one out, solo home run to center in the bottom of the ninth inning to lead the Sabers over Waianae, 8-7, in a wild O'ahu Interscholastic Association Red West girls' softball game Tuesday at Campbell.

"It feels really good….knowing that I'm sick," said Palipti, while helping teammates take down the temporary outfield fence after the game.

The homer was her first hit of the game off Waianae starter Rae Diorec.

The Seariders rallied from a 6-3 deficit with a four runs in the top of the seventh to take a 7-6 lead, only to see the Sabers tie it in the bottom of the seventh to force extra frames.

It wasn't' a pretty sight, as the teams combined for 11 errors. The Sabers had the potential game-winning run on second base in the bottom of the seventh doubled off second after center fielder Kaley Kamaka made a diving catch of a liner by Kawehi Kahana.

Palipti's homer was the fourth of the game on a windy day. Freshman designated player Caragh Morris drilled a two-run home run in the bottom of the first to give the Sabers a 2-0 lead. Kamaka hit a lead-off homer in the top of the fourth and Kylie Kaluhiokalani did the same in the fifth for the Seariders.

The teams had met over the weekend in a Saint Francis preseason tournament; the Sabers won handily, 10-0, behind freshman right-hander Elisa Favela, who went the distance Tuesday for Campbell. She allowed 13 hits, seven runs, five earned with two walks and a strikeout.

"This was pretty good for us," Waianae coach Lincoln Kaiwi said. "When we last played Campbell, it was 10-0. We did a pretty good job of holding down on the bats. We had a lot of mistakes that pretty much was the killer right there. The team with the most mistakes will end up at the bottom."

Waianae's Diorec allowed eight runs, but only four of them earned because of the team's six errors.

But the Seariders cashed in on two Campbell errors in their four-run seventh to take a 7-6 lead.

"Today, we made a lot of mental errors, fielding errors and base-running errors," Campbell coach Shag Hermosura said. "We have to correct that. But we're not going to push the panic button. We're just going to continue to teach them as best as we can."

Pitcher Favela, DP Morris, second baseman Cydney Curran and right fielder Chardonay Pantastico were the four freshmen who started for the Sabers, who also have four other ninth graders on the bench.

Although Palipti was the team's ace last season, Hermosura said he went with Favela because of her strong performance against Waianae over the weekend.

"She had a couple mistakes pitches that were supposed to be out(side) but went back in," Hermosura said. "Of course, the wind is a factor, too, but there's no excuse. We still have to make our pitches."

He said Palipti will be in the rotation.

After Morris' first-inning, two-run homer, the Sabers added to their lead in the second on a squeeze play by Jessica Arata to make it 3-0.

The Seariders pulled to 3-2 on the solo home runs by Kamaka in the fourth and Kaluhiokalani in the fifth.

Campbell took advantage of two Waianae errors in a three-run fifth that was highlighted by Kahana's two-run single that made it 6-2.

Waianae pulled to 6-3 in the sixth on Kaluhiokalani's two out, RBI single.

Paige Kahalepuna's two-run single with the bases loaded tied the game at 6 with an error on the play scoring the the seventh run. Kahalepuna was thrown out trying for third base on the play to end the inning.

Campbell tied it in the seventh. Morris led off with a single and stole second. Nashlynn Anguay's sacrifice moved Morris over, but a throwing error on the play scored Morris and allowed Anguay to take second with no outs. Kamaka robbed Kahana of a hit with a diving catch of a line drive. Morris took off on contact and was easily doubled off. Pinch hitter Mahealani Crowell grounded out to the pitcher to end the inning.

Neither team scored until Palipti's homer won it.

"It was a fastball down the middle," she said. "I was looking inside middle. She was throwing inside all day."