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Kupihea helps Saints beat Cowgirls, go out on top

By Robert Collias 4 min read

KAHULUI -- It was a bittersweet night for the Saint Francis School softball team on a wet Saturday night at Patsy Mink Field.

Sierrah Kupihea tossed a three-hitter with 14 strikeouts to lead the Saints to a 4-1 win over Kohala in the championship game of the HHSAA/DataHouse Division II state tournament.

It is near the end for the school that announced earlier this year it would cease operations at the end of the current academic year.

Kupihea is headed to Texas A&M-Texarkana to continue her career, but she will leave with two straight state crowns. She struck out the first eight batters in the Cowgirls lineup on Saturday on her way to being named the Most Outstanding Player of the tournament.

""I don't think I've ever done that," Kupihea said of the eight straight strikeouts to open the game. "It's a little bittersweet since it's the last time any of us are competing ever for the school."

The Saints also captured the D-II state boys volleyball crown earlier in the day on Oahu.

"I think all of the teams wanted to go out with a bang, something to be remembered by," Kupihea said.

St. Francis (15-4) took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning on a sacrifice fly by Kaena Kelinnio, the catcher who is on her way to the University of Hawaii.

The Cowgirls (14-7) tied the game in the top of the fourth inning on a cannonading solo home run by Mikaylya Kekoa that sailed into the Kahului night.

Kekoa was intentionally walked in the sixth to load the bases with one out, but the Saints got out of the jam with a strikeout-rundown double play that ended at the plate.

The Saints took the lead for good in the fifth inning on an RBI double by Aulani Garcia. They added two insurance runs on Jordyn Lono's two-run homer in the sixth.

Kekoa finished with a complete-game four-hitter.

"Both teams, both pitchers were great," Saint Francis coach Randy Langsi said. "(Kupihea) I think pitched her best game. In the game before this yesterday she pitched unbelievable as well. She did an outstanding job for us, and also our catcher -- the battery we have, the communication is great. Kaena calls her own pitches.

"Those two are probably the best tandem we've ever had at Saint Francis."

Langsi said going out with a second straight state crown was the goal as soon as the school announced its closure.

"It's memories at this point, there's no going back, there's no redemption, there's no coming back," Langsi said. "We had to end it this way. That's been our whole thing this year, to play hard for the school and finish on top. It wasn't easy. I'm so proud of the girls and I had an outstanding coaching staff."

Both coaches were impressed by the Maui High grounds crew that got the game played after the third-place game was canceled by rain.

"Oh man, I mean Class A," Langsi said. "There was no way I thought we were going to play because this field was under water."

Kohala coach Terrence Alcoran said, "Mikayla pitched a good game, it just so happened that they had better hits than us. We played pretty much error-free. I'm so proud of these girls -- they're young, just two seniors, so, hey, we're going to be back again next year."

* Robert Collias is at rcollias@mauinews.com

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Kohala 001 000 0--1 3 0

Saint Francis 100 012 x--4 4 1

Mikayla Kekoa and Kayla Joy Juan-Kealoha. Sierrah Kupihea and Kaena Keliinoi. W--Kupihea. L--Kekoa. 2B--Kohala: Danyka Cazimero-Roxburgh; Saint Francis: Aulani Garcia, Shaylann Marie Grace. HR--Kohala: Kekoa; Saint Francis: Jordyn Lono.

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DATAHOUSE SOFTBALL STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS

Saturday's Results

DIVISION II

At Patsy Mink Field

Consolation final

McKinley 7, Molokai 6, 6 innings

Fifth-place game

Honokaa 9, Waimea 4, 4 innings

Third-place game

Waialua vs. Kamehameha Hawaii, ccd.

Championship

St. Francis 4, Kohala 1

DIVISION I

At Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium

Fifth-place game

Roosevelt 7, Campbell 7, tie

Third-place game

Punahou 7, Baldwin 6, 6 innings

Championship

Iolani 17, Leilehua 2, 5 innings

Starting at /week.