Punahou rallies in extras against Maryknoll to extend ILH softball tournament

HONOLULU — The Punahou softball team made timely and dramatic plays to lift itself over Maryknoll in extra innings and keep its season alive at Sand Island Park on Tuesday.

Now the Buffanblu must do it all over again.

Punahou’s five-run outburst in the top of the ninth inning was just enough of a cushion to keep Maryknoll at bay in the bottom half; it extended the ILH double-elimination tournament with the 7-5 victory.

[Note: See below for more photos of the game.]

Freshman Kahiau Aina had the go-ahead hit and senior Shayla Yamashita followed with a two-RBI knock, plus a crafty move on the basepaths to provide another key insurance run.

It was the third time in five meetings this season that Punahou (12-5) and Maryknoll (11-5) went to extras.

“Every single game against Maryknoll can go either way,” Buffanblu coach David Eldredge said. “They’re never out of the woods, especially with a player like Jenna Sniffen.”

Sniffen, the Arizona-bound senior star, hit a three-run blast in the bottom of the ninth to make things interesting, but Punahou’s Paige Brunn, who threw the final 4 1/3 innings in relief of Tasi Taufahema, held on for the win.

Maryknoll took a 2-1 lead in the fifth inning behind a strong start from pitcher Kasi Cruz, who lasted eight frames, but suffered its first loss of the tournament on its home field.

The winner of Thursday’s 3:30 p.m. rematch at Sand Island will receive the ILH’s second and final berth to the state tournament. The loser’s season is done early despite fielding one of the most competitive teams in the state.

Thursday’s winner will then face first-round winner Kamehameha for the overall ILH title and a first-round bye in states.

So, pressure?

“It’s just the opposite,” said Spartans coach John Uekawa, who credited Punahou for its strong pitching. “We try not to put the pressure on. In order for us to play well, we have to play relaxed and not think about winning or losing. It’s just a matter of playing the game. At the beginning of the season, we were kind of like that. Sometimes you lose that and we’re just trying to get it back. Maybe it might start on Thursday.”

The teams were knotted at 2-2 at the end of the seven innings of regulation. After an uneventful eighth, Punahou made its move.

Austen Kinney opened up with a grounder to third that Sniffen fielded on the run, but her hurried throw across the diamond skipped by the first baseman and Kinney went all the way to third on the error.

Kealoha Cox then drew a walk, and Maryknoll gave an intentional free pass to leadoff hitter Taryn Ho.

That set the bases-loaded stage for Aina, who got one through to bring home pinch runner Taimane Mataafa-Alferos.

In the fifth, Aina had made an ill-advised throw during a Spartans intentional pickle situation that allowed a run to come in.

“What I was proud about Kahiau was, she made a couple mistakes on the defensive side. And for a young freshman, very easy to get your head down, especially in a big game like this,” Eldredge said. “I’m just proud that she kept her head up and attacked her last at-bat the way she should.”

Three batters later, Yamashita poked one through the hole at shortstop to score two more. On an ensuing pickoff attempt at first base, Yamashita bought some time for another teammate to score. Yamashita then came around as the last run of the inning.

“I was actually not hitting the best. I didn’t have any hits before that,” Yamashita said. “I was talking to (an assistant), and he told me those hits didn’t matter. I knew I was going to come up to hit again, and it was a big situation. I just had to stay calm and make good contact with the ball.”

As for the rundown, she said, “When I left the bag, I kind of saw the throw already, so I knew if I was going to be out, I might as well get in a pickle and try to see if our runner at third could score, and she did.”

Punahou senior Shayla Yamashita high-fived a Buffanblu assistant coach upon reaching first base with a key two-RBI hit in the ninth. (Spectrum News/Brian McInnis)

Shayla Yamashita reacted after her pickle situation between first and second base resulted in a Buffanblu run coming in, and a stolen base at second. (Spectrum News/Brian McInnis)

Maryknoll’s Reyni Hiraoka slid safely into third base. (Spectrum News/Brian McInnis)

Brian McInnis covers the state’s sports scene for Spectrum News Hawaii. He can be reached at brian.mcinnis@charter.com.