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Kaylie Kihara hit a two-run single in the bottom of the sixth inning to break a 2-all tie as No. 1 Mililani edged No. 2 Campbell 4-2 on Friday night at Tiger Softball Stadium.
“Both teams played good, pitched well, hit well. Our pitcher feeds the defense, and our defense makes the plays. We’ve got to take care of the ball,” Lady Trojans coach Rose Antonio said.
Kahiau Aina and Hinano Bautista socked solo home runs for Mililani, now 4-0 in Oahu Interscholastic Association West play (14-2 overall). Bautista went the distance from the pitching circle, permitting two runs on five hits with one strikeout and two walks. It was another stellar performance by the southpaw, who pitched to contact and allowed her defense to come up with at least three defensive gems.
Her only strikeout came on the final at-bat, a changeup against Nanea Pantastico for a swing and a miss for strike three.
“Our defense is the best. Our bond is so strong. I say we’re sisters because we bond so well. I’m so grateful for them,” Bautista said.
Campbell’s only losses in league play have been to the defending state champion Lady Trojans. On March 4, Mililani blew open a pitchers’ duel with eight runs in the top of the sixth inning. Campbell then rallied with seven runs in the bottom of the frame, but the visiting Trojans hung on for a wild 10-8 win.
This time, Campbell ace Kaienna Fuentes-Arellano had Mililani’s big bats under control most of the night. She scattered eight hits, struck out one, walked one and hit two batters. She is the first OIA pitcher to limit Mililani to fewer than 10 runs in one game.
“Ever since the first game, we’ve worked hard on staying out of the hot zone,” Fuentes-Arellano said. “Keeping everything low and just spinning the ball. Working in and out.”
It may have been Fuentes- Arellano’s best pitching performance despite the loss. As usual, Bautista got stronger in the pitcher’s circle with each inning.
“Campbell is a very strong team. You have to be very smart on what you pitch to them because that whole lineup is strong. Kaienna is a person I truly respect on and off the field,” she said.
Facing yet more delays to building of its softball facility, Mililani is in its third consecutive season of playing all games on the road. That hasn’t affected its energy, especially in pregame. Bautista’s solo blast to right field gave Mililani a 1-0 lead with two outs in the bottom of the first inning.
Aina had a base-running miscue in that first inning and was tagged out after getting picked off by Sabers catcher Mya Mendoza. However, Aina made up for it with a towering solo homer to center in the top of the third inning. That ball cleared both the softball and baseball fences to give Mililani a 2-0 lead.
Bautista was humming along until the top of the fifth. Keyra Moses-Fuller, the No. 9 hitter, singled with one out, and after Pantastico flied out, Fuentes-Arellano clubbed a high fly ball to left that cleared the fence for a two-run home run. That tied it at 2.
The game seemed destined for extra innings, but the lower half of Mililani’s lineup stepped up in the bottom of the sixth. Aubri Nakashima socked a one-out single to right, and Lana Nakayama followed with a bunt single. Both runners advanced on a wild pitch, and with a full count, Kihara lined an opposite-field single to left, scoring Nakashima and Nakayama for a 4-2 Mililani lead.
“I’ve been seeing the ball real well. In the beginning of the count, I was trying to hit to the right side,” Kihara said. “I got all outside (pitches), so I was looking for it.”
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“Both teams played good, pitched well, hit well. Our pitcher feeds the defense, and our defense makes the plays. We’ve got to take care of the ball,” Lady Trojans coach Rose Antonio said.
Kahiau Aina and Hinano Bautista socked solo home runs for Mililani, now 4-0 in Oahu Interscholastic Association West play (14-2 overall). Bautista went the distance from the pitching circle, permitting two runs on five hits with one strikeout and two walks. It was another stellar performance by the southpaw, who pitched to contact and allowed her defense to come up with at least three defensive gems.
Her only strikeout came on the final at-bat, a changeup against Nanea Pantastico for a swing and a miss for strike three.
“Our defense is the best. Our bond is so strong. I say we’re sisters because we bond so well. I’m so grateful for them,” Bautista said.
Campbell’s only losses in league play have been to the defending state champion Lady Trojans. On March 4, Mililani blew open a pitchers’ duel with eight runs in the top of the sixth inning. Campbell then rallied with seven runs in the bottom of the frame, but the visiting Trojans hung on for a wild 10-8 win.
This time, Campbell ace Kaienna Fuentes-Arellano had Mililani’s big bats under control most of the night. She scattered eight hits, struck out one, walked one and hit two batters. She is the first OIA pitcher to limit Mililani to fewer than 10 runs in one game.
“Ever since the first game, we’ve worked hard on staying out of the hot zone,” Fuentes-Arellano said. “Keeping everything low and just spinning the ball. Working in and out.”
It may have been Fuentes- Arellano’s best pitching performance despite the loss. As usual, Bautista got stronger in the pitcher’s circle with each inning.
“Campbell is a very strong team. You have to be very smart on what you pitch to them because that whole lineup is strong. Kaienna is a person I truly respect on and off the field,” she said.
Facing yet more delays to building of its softball facility, Mililani is in its third consecutive season of playing all games on the road. That hasn’t affected its energy, especially in pregame. Bautista’s solo blast to right field gave Mililani a 1-0 lead with two outs in the bottom of the first inning.
Aina had a base-running miscue in that first inning and was tagged out after getting picked off by Sabers catcher Mya Mendoza. However, Aina made up for it with a towering solo homer to center in the top of the third inning. That ball cleared both the softball and baseball fences to give Mililani a 2-0 lead.
Bautista was humming along until the top of the fifth. Keyra Moses-Fuller, the No. 9 hitter, singled with one out, and after Pantastico flied out, Fuentes-Arellano clubbed a high fly ball to left that cleared the fence for a two-run home run. That tied it at 2.
The game seemed destined for extra innings, but the lower half of Mililani’s lineup stepped up in the bottom of the sixth. Aubri Nakashima socked a one-out single to right, and Lana Nakayama followed with a bunt single. Both runners advanced on a wild pitch, and with a full count, Kihara lined an opposite-field single to left, scoring Nakashima and Nakayama for a 4-2 Mililani lead.
“I’ve been seeing the ball real well. In the beginning of the count, I was trying to hit to the right side,” Kihara said. “I got all outside (pitches), so I was looking for it.”
Hawaii Prep World
For high school sports record books, visit .
Continue reading...
