Chloe Chun (14) celebrates her in-the-park home run to get Maryknoll on the scoreboard in the second inning. Brandon Ching | SL

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Chloe Chun (14) celebrates her in-the-park home run to get Maryknoll on the scoreboard in the second inning. Brandon Ching | SL

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At Rainbow Wāhine Softball Stadium on Monday, the Leilehua Mules were turned away by the Maryknoll Spartans, 11-6, to move on in the HHSAA Division I Softball Tournament.

Jenna Sniffen was an x-factor on the mound for Maryknoll with a game-high five strikeouts. Three others led the way for Maryknoll offensively at two runs apiece.

Leilehua got off to a slow start while Maryknoll drew first blood with a Chloe Chun solo home run down right field in the bottom of the second. That Chun homer was the only score of the second inning.

"All the hitters before us said they were focusing on outside pitches," Chun said.

Maryknoll continued to build on the margin, logging at least one run in the remaining five innings while Leilehua was still looking for answers. The third inning was where Maryknoll did the most damage.

A Nellian McEnroe-Marinas RBI double did more good for Maryknoll. They earned two runs via Carys Murakami and Haylee Cathcart. Maryknoll inflicted more damage as Sniffen used an RBI single to allow another run via McEnroe-Marinas. Then, Ua Nakoa-Chung belted a center field home run for a double score as Makena Nera came running home to make it 6-0 Maryknoll.

Leilehua finally got on the board in the fourth inning via Dynastee Kanai-Huihui from a Breeann Leong walk. Maryknoll was quick to answer back.

McEnroe-Marinas came to the rescue with an RBI single, and got to second via a throwing error. That allowed Murakami to score the next run. A Sniffen fly ball to center field added another Maryknoll run via Breli Agbayani-Shibao. Maryknoll was still in no danger with an 8-1 lead.

Leilehua made a push in the fifth inning. That started with an unearned run from Taimane Panganoran thanks to a Trinity Cabana-Rodriguez RBI. Later, a Leong RBI double to center field gave Leilehua three more runs via Kanae-Huihui, Cabana-Rodriguez, and Torie Au to cut the deficit to three. Despite that, Chun was not worried.

"We have great pitching, great defense, and we were on it," Chun added.

Maryknoll had another answer. A Cathcart RBI gave Nakoa-Chung her second run and more breathing room for the Spartans.

Leilehua outhit Maryknoll 3-1 in the sixth inning, but they only managed one run. Jerine Nartatez scored that via a Kalia Kekahuna-Fernandez RBI double.

Maryknoll added more breathing room with two runs starting with a Chun RBI single. McEnroe-Marinas and Briana-Lyn Sarae came running home to extend the lead to five, 11-6. Maryknoll kept Leilehua scoreless in the seventh inning to end things once and for all.

With the win, Maryknoll (9-5-0) moves on in the HHSAA Division I Softball Tournament to take on the Baldwin Bears (13-1-0) on Tuesday, May 10 at 2:30 p.m., while the Mules will face off against Hilo in the 6 p.m. consolation semis at McKinley.