KAHULUI — The Baldwin High School softball team has not won a Maui Interscholastic League title since 2015.

The 2020 Bears appear to have a vision of changing that this season.

Baldwin rode the complete-game, five-hit pitching of Aliya Harmon, three home runs, and an 18-hit attack to a 14-4, six-inning win over Maui High at Patsy Mink Field on Wednesday.

“It was good, I think I got things started for the team because we were kind of in a slump,” senior third baseman Avei Silifaiva said of her three-run homer that gave the Bears a 7-1 lead in the second inning.

The Bears improved to 3-0 in MIL play, while knocking Maui High (2-1) from the unbeaten ranks. Baldwin advanced to the state final four last season as the MIL runner-up.

“For me being a senior, I’m really driven this year,” Silifaiva said. “We’re a strong team, we have a young team, too. I think we can take it all this year.”

Harmon struck out seven in a dominant performance on the mound.

“I have so much confidence in her,” Silifaiva said of her teammate. “Like whenever she’s on the mound, I have no doubts. She can do her thing and we just have to back her up.”

The Bears did indeed back up Harmon with a barrage of offense.

Alyssa Ferreira was 3-for-4 with a run, an RBI and a triple; Harmon was 3-for-4 with a run and an RBI; Silifaiva was 2-for-4 with her bomb and a double; Lili Kahoohanohano-Davis was 3-for-4 with a homer, a double, and three runs; Kayla Tuaoa was 3-for-4 with a double, a homer and three RBIs; and Maka Sonognini was 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI.

Baldwin took advantage of three Maui High errors in the second to score seven times – the large blows in the frame were a double by Kahoohanohano-Davis, the homer by Silifaiva and an RBI single by Ferreira.

“Today’s game was really good,” Baldwin coach Sanoe Kekahuna said. “Hats off to Maui High, they came to play. They weren’t going to just roll over. They are a great program, they are great competition for us. So, hats off to Maui High, but also at the same time, hats off to our girls. We came to play and we didn’t give up.”

Kekahuna was happy to see her team battle back after giving up a run in the top of the first inning on an RBI groundout by Jer-Zee Ragasa.

“We’ve been working hard the past few weeks now for competition such as this,” Kekahuna said. “You know, great program like Maui High, you expect a good game.”

The Sabers are still alone in second place in the MIL Division I ranks.

“Aliya is definitely one of the best pitchers in the league right now,” Maui High coach Erick Jon Rivera said. “Definitely we will work on our batting, but three major errors in that big inning, so we have to get back to the drawing board. I could say we’re young, but we’ve got to gel together.”

* Robert Collias is at rcollias@mauinews.com.

Maui High 100 012– 4 5 4

Baldwin 071 124–14 18 4

Ashanti Ortiz, Rheannon Sardina (5) and Paige Beatty; Aliya Harmon and Sammy Martinez. W-Harmon. L-Ortiz. 2B-Baldwin: Jessica Ai, Lili Kahoohanohano-Davis, Kayla Tuaoa. 3B-Baldwin: Alyssa Ferreira. HR-Baldwin: Kahoohanohano-Davis, Tuaoa, Avei Silifaiva.

Leading hitters–Baldwin: Ferreira 3-4, run, RBI; Harmon 3-4, run, RBI; Silifaiva 2-4, run, 3 RBIs; Kahoohanohano-Davis 3-4, 3 runs; Tuaoa 3-4, 3 RBIs; Maka Sonognini 2-4, run, RBI.

KS MAUI 16, KING KEKAULIKE 3, 5 innings

King Kekaulike 210 00– 3 2 3

KS Maui 716 2x–16 10 1

Taylor Sakamoto and Pua Farm; Jerriah Solomon, Piikea Keahi (4) and Melia Kama. W—Solomon. L–Sakamoto. 2B–Kamehameha Maui: Kalena Viela, Robynn Yoshida 2. HR–Kamehameha Maui: Viela.

Leading hitters–King Kekaulike: Cathy Hokoana 2-3, RBI. Kamehameha Maui: Viela 3-3, 3 runs, 5 RBIs; Yoshida 2-4, run, 3 RBIs.

*****

MIL Standings

DIVISION I

W L Pct GB

Baldwin 3 0 1.000 —

Maui High 2 1 .667 1

Kamehameha Maui 2 2 .500 1 1⁄2

Lahainaluna 1 2 .333 2

King Kekaulike 0 3 .000 3

Wednesday’s Results

Baldwin 14, Maui High 4, 6 innings

Kamehamema Maui 16, King Kekaulike 3, 5 innings

Friday’s Game

Kamehameha Maui at Molokai, 4 p.m.