Brian Bautista | SL

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Brian Bautista | SL

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On a night the reigning All-Hawaii Pitcher of the Year was not at her best, Mililani's Haunani Bautista did not forget to pack her bat. The sophomore two-way player drove in four runs with two home runs and a double to lead Trojans in a 13-5 romp of Campbell in an Oahu Interscholastic Association Western Division softball season opener at McKinley's Tiger Softball Stadium.

"She's a good two-way player," noted Campbell coach Shag Hermosura of Bautista. "She hit the ball well."

Indeed she did. Bautista ignited the Trojans' attack with a lead-off homer to center in a three-run second inning.  She lined a two-run homer in a five-run third and hit an RBI double in the seventh.

But in the circle, the southpaw Bautista scattered nine hits and uncharacteristically walked eight in the complete-game win in the statewide televised game. She also had two wild pitches.

"I had some jitters," Bautista admitted. "Some things weren't working for me, but I had to push through."

Added Mililani coach Rose Antonio: "Possibly first game jitters, it's on TV, I don't know the answer. But she brought her bat. Her bat came tonight."

Despite committing two errors, Bautista's defense made plays to keep the damage minimum. She had two double plays turned in behind her, including a nice play by right fielder Lana Nakayama, who flagged down a liner and doubled off a runner at first in the fourth inning. Catcher Kodie Ancheta threw out a base stealer.

"If it wasn't for all those plays they made, I think the score would've been very different," Bautista said.

Sabers' starting pitcher Kaienna Fuentes-Arellano went four-plus innings. She was charged with 10 runs (all earned) and 10 hits, while freshman Lily Perreira gave up three runs in her three innings.

Bautista was not the only Trojan to pack her bat. No, 9 hitter Ancheta hit a two-run homer to right, and lead-off hitter Kahiau Aina added a three-run shot to left.

Despite the pop, Antonio thinks this year's offense will rely on line drives rather than fence-clearing shots.

"(We have) different weapons from last year," Antonio said of this year's offense. "It was a power-hitting team last year."

The Sabers have a lot of youth with 20 underclassmen, nine of them freshmen

But Hermosura still has high hopes for his squad.

"I think we're going to roll the next nine (games)," he said.

Roosevelt drops from D1 East

Roosevelt athletic director John Chung confirmed his softball is short of players, forcing the perennial East contender to drop  from Division. I. Softball coach Walter Kahahawai said four players joined the flag football program. Adding to that, two players transferred to Campbell.