KAPA‘A — The Kapa‘a High School Lady Warriors softball team is heading to the 2023 Datahouse Hawai‘i High School Athletic Association Division II Softball Championships following its 26-0 win over the Moloka‘i High School Farmers in a play-in game at Kapa‘a High School on Wednesday.
With two outs in the fourth inning, Kapa‘a pitcher Sienna Yamashita got aboard on a single. Following in her footsteps, Rhea Furtado banged a home run, the sole home run in the contest, scoring Yamashita and raising the score to 22-0.
Lilinoe Kuhaulua-Leong followed with a two-run single, and Ishawara Kaui-Reconsai conked another two-run single to round out the scoring at 26-0.
Yamashita was heading toward a no-hitter after opening with three straight Moloka‘i whiffs. But in the fourth inning with two away, Yamashita hit Christina Hanapi, who stole second and third bases before the Warriors hurler whiffed the third out to stop the scoring threat.
In the fifth inning with one out, Moloka‘i’s Natalie Pastrana singled to spoil the no-hitter. Pastrana was stranded at first after Yamashita struck out the following two Farmers in order.
Yamashita finished the outing by allowing no runs, one hit and one hit batter, striking out nine Moloka‘i batters and allowing no walks.
Tania Yamamoto suffered the loss for Molokai, giving up 10 hits, striking out one and walking more than 10 Warriors.
Furtado had the hot bat for Kapa‘a with her home run and a single. She scored four times. Kuhaulua scored three times, and whacked a triple and a double, and when coupled with Moloka‘i errors, an inside-the-park home run. Yamashita scored four times and had three singles. Hailey Gibson scored five times and hit a double, and Charlize Kenney, scoring four times, had a single.
With the win, Kapa‘a will be joining the Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation champion Waimea at the state championships. The Warriors first game will be on the tournament’s opening day, May 2, at McKinley High School.
w Info: sportshigh.com
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 808-245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
