Nanakuli's Mahina Piilani touches home plate to the score the game winning run in the Division II title game against Aiea. Greg Yamamoto | SL

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Nanakuli's Mahina Piilani touches home plate to the score the game winning run in the Division II title game against Aiea. Greg Yamamoto | SL

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MANOA - When Mahina Piilani scored the winning run with two out in the bottom of the seventh on a wild pitch to give Nanakuli a dramatic 6-5 win over third-seeded Aiea to claim the DataHouse Division II state softball championship, it was the second biggest comeback of the night.

The biggest comeback was from Nanakuli coach Ricky Gusman, who suffered a heart attack on Monday and returned to coach his third consecutive Division II championship in the all-Oahu Interscholastic Association final at Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium.

Guzman said he had been released from the hospital earlier in the day. The ordeal gave him a new look at sports.

"I told them before the game, it's the old cliche, ‘It's just a game,'" Gusman said. "When i got the girls together earlier, I kind of held back my emotions,  and said, ‘It's the old cliche. it's just a game.' It really is. Three days ago, I didn't know if I'd ever see you guys again. It brought things back into perspective. ‘Tonight, lets play the game. Lets have fun. Win or lose. Just have fun."

Aiea coach Alan Higuchi echoed the same sentiment for his team after the heart-breaking loss.

"I just told them, ‘It's just a game,'" Higuchi said. "If we can learn from this experience throughout the season, that's what we're here for."

Pitcher Emma Kawaiaea, one of two seniors on the team, clutched the championship trophy against her heart after the game.

"It feels awesome," she said. ‘I feel speechless, but I knew I had confidence in my team."

The Golden Hawks jumped on Aiea starting pitcher Poamai Tuli for three runs in the second inning on an error, wild pitch and RBI single by Daria Kawaauhau.

Aiea pulled to within two in third on Vevesi Liilii's solo home run and a wild pitch after Kayla Higuchi's triple.

Na Alii then gained the lead in the fifth on Higuchi's RBI single and later on a bases-loaded walk by Tuli to make it 4-3.

Aiea added an apparent insurance run in the sixth when Liilii doubles and scored an out later on Higuchi's second RBI single to make it 5-3.

But the Golden Hawks tied the game in the sixth against Aiea reliever Vevesi. Ashley Van Gieson and Keani Nahinu led off with success infield singles before Kawauuuhau walked to load the bases. After Kika Mahoe struck out, Cheyenne Lute's two-run single tied the game at 5. Vevesi was pulled for Tuli, who got the last two outs.

Down 5-3 in the sixth, Cheyenne Lute's two-run single tied the game at 5.

Aiea mounted a threat in the top of the seventh. Tull and Taira Shibata hit back-to-back singles. After discussion, Aiea elected to intentionally walked Liilii, who was 3 for 4 with a homer and two doubles. The move paid off, as Riley Tagawa grounded to third for a force at home to end the threat and set up the Golden Hawks' comeback.

"I thought that was a great move," Alan Higuchi said. "Sometimes you do stuff like that, based on what your strategy is."

"I was mad,' Vevesi said of the intentional walk. ‘But I just tried to keep my head up for the team."

Piilani led off the home seventh with a walk, but Autumn McCoy struck out. Chalysssa-Ann Belford reached on a squib single to third, advancing Piilani to second. The runners advanced on Kaelynn Navarro's sacrifice. On a 1-2 pitch, Piilani scored from third on Tuli's wild pitch to end the game

Vevesi, though, was proud of her team's accomplishment.

"I felt like we came really far,' she said. "This is the first time I've ever been in a state tournament,"

As for Nanakuli's Gusman, he decided to show up for the game as he was being released from the hospital late in the morning.

"Was some tense moments," he said of the game. "With my health and to going through what I had to go through with the heart attack and all that kind of stuff. I did a little procedure yesterday; I thought maybe it might not be a good idea to come out here with all this excitement. But even though it was tense, my heart was good, so, hey, I wouldn't miss it for the world."