HHSAA Softball
Maryknoll to take on defending champ Mililani for D1 title


Stacy Kaneshiro | ScoringLive
May 9, 2025, 4:56am

  

Thu, May 8, 2025 @ [ 4:30 pm ]

Campbell

4

Maryknoll

9

FINAL 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Campbell 0 000310451
Maryknoll 1 1 1240X9110

W: Kasi Cruz    L: Lily Perreira

MS: Sheyzhelle Iokia 2-3 3 runs 5 rbi 2 HR; Kasi Cruz 7.0 IP 3 ER 7 K
CAMP: Skylynne Gonzalez 1-2 run 2 rbi HR; Kaienna Fuentes-Arellano 3.0 IP 3 ER 2 K




MANOA - Momentum met its match Thursday night.

Her name is Sheyzelle Iokia.

Maryknoll's sophomore third baseman's fifth-inning grand slam drove the dagger in Campbell in a 9-4 win in the semifinals of the DataHouse Division I state softball tournament at Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium.

The second-seeded Spartans (14-4) will play top-seeded and defending champion Mililani (14-1) at 7:30 p.m. for the championship. Maryknoll is seeking its first title since 2022, the first year back after the tournament's two-year hiatus because of COVID. Mililani is seeking its fifth title. The Trojans are 4-6 in title games, while the Spartans are 1-0.

Iokia's insurance blast came after the Sabers pulled to 5-3 in the top of the fifth on Skylynne Gonzalez's pinch-hit two-run home run that was followed by Taylor Mendoza's homer. This after Maryknoll starter Kasi Cruz had mowed down the Sabers through the first four innings, allowing only a third-inning walk to Kaiena Fuentes-Arellano.

But with one out in the fifth, Dalexy Sanchez doubled and scored on Gonzalez's homer to left-center. Mendoza followed with her drive to left, giving Sabers hope of a comeback.

Except Iokia would rain on the Sabers' attempted rally.

In the bottom of the fifth, holding on to a 5-3 lead, Kaiya Miller led off with a walk against Campbell starter Lily Perreira, who was charged with six runs on nine hits and four walks in four-plus innings. She was replaced by right fielder Fuentes-Arellano, who got the first two batters she faced. But Reyni Hiraoka reached on an infield single that moved Miller to third. Kyla Abad drew a walk to load the bases. Iokia then ripped a 1-0 pitch over center field to make it 9-4.

"I had a feeling she would pitch me down the middle, so I was ready for that pitch," said Iokia, who added she knew the ball would clear the wall when she made contact on her D-1 state-leading 10th home run of the season.

It gave the Spartans the cushion for the rest of the game.

Maryknoll pitcher Kasi Cruz scattered five hits and three walks with seven strikeouts for the complete-game win.

Iokia also had a solo home run in the third that increased Maryknoll's lead to 3-0. Her slam shut the door on Campbell, which has made to the title games 10 times, more than any of the four semifinalists.

"You can never count Campbell out," Maryknoll coach John Uekawa said. "They're a fabulous team. But we're a really good two-out hitting team, You see a lot of these runs come with two outs."

In addition to Iolia's two-out slam, the Spartan had two two-out single earlier in the game.

The difference between this team and the 2022 state champion team is that this squad is young, Uekawa said.

Maryknoll has a combined eight freshmen and sophomores, of which five are starters.

MILILANI 19, PUNAHOU 5 - The defending state champions rallied from a 5-0 deficit entering the third, then scored 19 unanswered runs. Of Mililani's 14 wins, 13 times they scored in double figures. They even scored double digits in a 14-10 loss to Campbell.

Punahou had some early momentum against Trojans' ace Hinano Bautista, who allowed five runs on one-plus innings, her shortest outing of the year.

Punahou's Taryn Ho's three-run home run ro center - her third in as many days in the tournament - raised the Buffanblu's hopes, especially when Lexi Hinahara followed with a homer of her own.

"I had a lot of things running through my mind," Bautista said of her outing. "I made my D work as much as I could."

But she made up for it at the plate. Her three-run homer in the fourth was one of five bombs by the Trojans. Kodie Ancheta, Kahiau Aina, Makanalei Watkins-Villegas and Ori Mailo also went deep.

The steady-fielding second baseman Kamryn Aoki batted 5 for 5 with three doubles and three RBIs.

It was Mililani's eighth mercy-rule win this season, including all three games in the OIA tournament.

Division II

Karlee Rose Keale fired a five-inning no-hitter as Kapaa demolished Pac-Five, 17-0, in one D2 semifinal at RWSS.

Keale faced only one batter over the minimum in a game shortened by the 10-run rule.

The defending champion Warriors are seeking their fourth title

In the other semifinal, Sky Phoenix Lumabao hit two home runs and Pearl City outlasted Waimea, 15-9, denying an all-KIF final. 


Reach Stacy Kaneshiro at [email protected].




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