LIHU‘E — The Ohana won their title in style, using a six-run rally and a walk-off home run to capture the 2010 Hawai‘i State Seniors Softball Tournament C Division championship, Aug. 5 in Wailuku, Maui. It was Paul Silva Jr.
LIHU‘E — The Ohana won their title in style, using a six-run rally and a walk-off home run to capture the 2010 Hawai‘i State Seniors Softball Tournament C Division championship, Aug. 5 in Wailuku, Maui.
It was Paul Silva Jr. whose three-run blast propelled the Ohana to a 13-12 win over Harley’s Dragons, a Maui based squad, in the title game. The right fielder finished the day 2 for 4 with two runs scored and the tournament’s biggest hit.
With 49 teams from around the state competing, Kaua‘i had eight teams in action throughout the six divisions, which were determined by final regular season standings.
The Dragons scored two runs in the top of the first inning, but Ohana leadoff hitter Cleve Shigematsu got the team started in the right direction with a solo homer of his own, immediately cutting the deficit to 2-1. Guy Ruiz got aboard on a fielder’s choice, followed by a Gary Venturini double. Both came across to score to give Ohana a 3-2 lead after one inning.
It was short-lived as the Dragons plated two in the second to take a 4-3 lead, which they extended to 6-3 in the top of the fifth inning.
The Ohana got back in the game in the bottom of the sixth, putting together a two-out rally to bring four runs across the plate. Venturini, Steve Hurst, Jack Blackstead and Silva all scored to put them up 7-6 heading into the final inning of play.
Trailing by a run, the Dragons seemed to re-capture the lead for good, plating six runs on base hits and Ohana miscues to go up 12-7.
Facing a five-run deficit and down to their final three outs, the Ohana put on a clinic with the bats, as Gordon Arakaki, Shigematsu and Stanley Dotario started the inning with a single, double and another single, though Arakaki was put out on the basepaths.
With one out, Ruiz made it a 12-10 game with a home run for his second hit of the day.
Venturini and Hurst each singled, but Hurst was out on a Blackstead fielder’s choice, bringing up Silva with two outs and the tying runs aboard. His walk-off shot launched the Ohana to the division title.
The event began with three days of pool play among the eight division teams, leading to the championship contest.
