Softball
Pearl City's Rodriguez sweeps Mililani, 2-0, 12-3




PEARL CITY - Right-hander Sella Rodriguez pitched Pearl City 14 solid innings to help the Chargers sweep Mililani, 2-0 and 12-3, Saturday in O'ahu Interscholastic Association Red West softball at the Chargers' diamond.

The sweep ties the Chargers (3-1) with the defending state champion Campbell Sabers (3-1), who were idle. They meet in a doubleheader next Saturday at Patsy Mink Central O'ahu Regional Park. The nightcap will be televised by OC 16.

The defending OIA Red champion Trojans (2-4) saw their losing streak extend to four.

Rodriguez tossed a three-hitter in the opener, retiring 11 in a row at one juncture, for the complete-game win. She gave up three early runs in the second game, allowing 10 hits in going the distance. She didn't walk a batter in either game and struck out just one (in the opener).

"The keys to our success, No. 1, is our pitcher Sella Rodriguez," Pearl City coach Keoke Behic said. "Outstanding, both games. She didn't walk anybody. She threw a lot of strikes. She put the ball in play, which is what we wanted her to do.

"And then, we came up with some timely hitting. To be successful, you have to pitch well, play defense and make timely hitting. That's what we did today, both games."

Rodriguez was in such control in the opener that her outfield practically had the game off. Of the 21 outs, 12 were on grounders. The outfielders only recorded three put outs. She retired the first seven batters she faced before giving up a ground single to left by Kanani Lanias. Rodriguez then retired the next 11 in a row.

Jade Yadao-Valdez broke the drought by leading off the seventh with a perfectly executed bunt single to third. After taking second on a ground out, Yadao-Valdez went to third on Joen Baker's line single off that deflected off Rodriguez to put runners at the corners with one out. But after a caught stealing of second, pinch hitter Chesarey Silva grounded out to third to end the game.

The Chargers did all their damage against Mililani starting pitcher Tiari-Jay Fernandez in the bottom of the first inning. Sierra Mendiola led off with a single, but was forced out at second when Sierra Tadriarca reached on a grounder to short. Keani Passi was hit by a pitch before the runners advanced on a passed ball. After Maya Nagata walked to load the bases, Courtney Ahlo's sacrifice fly to center scored Tadiarca and sent Passi to third, where she scored on a wild pitch to make it 2-0.

Fernandez settled down by retiring the next 16 of 17 batters, but the damage had been done.

In the second game, the Chargers were powered by two big innings.

Trailing 1-0 after the first inning, Pearl City scored four in the top of the second inning. An error, an RBI double by Al Johnson, an RBI ground out by Mendiola and a run-scoring single by Tadiarca accounted for the scoring.

The Chargers then sent 12 batters up in an eight-run sixth to cushion their 4-3 lead. Mendiola had a two-run single, while Tadiarca and Passi added RBI singles. The big blow came from Nagata's three-run home run to left-center.

Passi paced the Chargers by batting 3 for 4 with a double in the second game.


Reach Stacy Kaneshiro at [email protected].




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