Dragons top Pine Lasses in softball
LAHAINA – The race for the state tournament in Maui Interscholastic League Division II softball is far from decided, but Hana High School took a large step toward a state spot on Wednesday.
In a rare midweek game for both schools, the Dragons outlasted Lanai, 5-3, on a four-hitter by Jaynalee Hoopai.
The contest was a makeup of a rainout on Lanai earlier this season and started at 2 p.m. at Lahainaluna’s on-campus field, allowing both teams to get home Wednesday evening.
Hana freshman Harmony Gonsalves-Cosma went 2-for-3 with a double and two RBIs.
The Dragons improved to 5-1 on the season – second-place Lanai is 5-3.
Gonsalves-Cosma’s double off the fence in left field gave Hana its first run in the second inning and her line-drive single in the fourth gave it a 4-3 lead.
“I was thinking, ‘Get my runners home,’ ” Gonsalves-Cosma said of the key at-bats. “We knew with the way Jayna was pitching, we were in good shape.”
Hoopai struck out eight batters and walked four.
The MIL receives two slots straight to the D-II state tournament and the league’s third-place team will host the Kauai Interscholastic Federation runner-up in a play-in game for the final spot in the 12-team state tournament.
The Pine Lasses are done with their regular-season slate, but could be a factor in the league tournament.
“It’s anybody’s game,” Lanai coach Robbie Sanches said. “Hana’s a good team. We just made a few errors at the wrong time. We’re still in it.”
* Robert Collias is at rcollias@mauinews.com
Lanai……120….. 000….0-3….4…..3
Hana……030……101….x-5….5…..4
Claire Vila and Jordan Sanches; Jaynalee Hoopai and Breeze Kalalau. W-Hoopai. L-Vila. 2B-Hana: Harmony Gonsalves-Cosma.
Leading hitter-Hana: Gonsalves-Cosma 2-3, 2 RBIs, run.