In a classic battle between rivals, the Pearl City Lady Chargers and Aiea Lady Na Ali’i opened the regular OIA Red West Division season in dramatic fashion. The game came down to the final out with the Lady Chargers at bat in the bottom of the seventh inning and the score tied at 5-5. That’s when Tiari Walker stepped up to the plate and ended it with her game winning RBI single off of Aiea starter Raisa Strom-Okimoto that put Pearl City up 6-5 for the win.
Pearl City’s Sella Rodriguez (1-0) earned the win going the distance, allowing 5 runs on 7 hits with 5 strikeouts and 4 walked batters.
Aiea’s Raisa Strom-Okimoto (0-1) took the loss in 6 2/3 innings, allowing 6 runs on 8 hits with 7 strikeouts and 4 walked batters.
Photo by Barry Villamil | [email protected]
Pearl City's Tiari Walker had a outstanding performance at the plate hitting 2-4 which included a game winning RBI single in the bottom of the seventh inning. Walker pictured here scoring in the bottom the third inning to tie the score at 4-4.
Photo by Barry Villamil | [email protected]
Aiea's Raisa Strom-Okimoto put in a strong performance from the mound against Pearl City in the 6-5 loss to the Lady Chargers.
Photo by Barry Villamil | [email protected]
Strom-Okimoto also had a productive day at the plate pictured here scoring the games first run on a first inning lead off homerun.
The Lady Na Ali’i jumped out on top 1-0 with a lead off homerun in the top of the first inning by Raisa Strom-Okimoto off of Pearl City starting pitcher Sella Rodriguez.
In the bottom of the first inning with Strom-Okimoto on the mound for Aiea, Lady Chargers lead off batter Robi Kami stroked a double to center field and would later advance to third base on a pass ball. Strom-Okimoto walked Taylor Kawakami putting runners on first and third with no outs. Kawakami stole second base to move into scoring position. Makana Kekaulike hit an RBI single that scored Kami from third base to tie the ball game at 1-1. The Lady Chargers would leave two runners on base to end the inning.
In the top of the second inning, the Lady Na Ali’i went up 4-1 on a two out 3 RBI home run by Lauren Tauanuu that drove in runners from second and third.
Pearl City went down 1-2-3 in the bottom of the second inning.
Aiea went down 1-2-3 in the top of the third inning.
In the bottom of the third inning Kami led off for the Lady Chargers with a double. Next batter Kawakami popped out for out number one. Kekaulike drove in Kami from second base on an RBI single to pull the Lady Chargers within two runs at 4-2. Next batter Tiari Walker hit a drive to left field that went through the legs of the left fielder that scored Kekaulike from second and brought Walker all the way around the bases to tie the score at 4-4.
Both Aiea and Pearl City traded scores in the fourth and fifth innings with the Lady Na Ali’i going ahead in the top of the fourth 5-4 and the Lady Chargers coming back to tie it up at 5-5 in the bottom of the fifth on a homerun by Taylor Kawakami.
In the bottom of the seventh inning, Taylor Kawakami got on base for the Lady Chargers after being walked by Lady Na Ali’i pitcher Strom-Okimoto. Kawakami stole second base to move into scoring position. With two outs, Tiari Walker stroked a game winning RBI single to center that scored Kawakami from second base.
TOP HITTERS:
PEARL CITY: Robi Kami 3-4, 2 Runs; Taylor Kawakami 1-2, 2 Runs, 1 RBI, HR; Makana Kekaulike 2-3, 1 Run, 2 RBI; Tiari Walker 2-4, 1 Run, 2 RBI.
AIEA: Raisa Strom-Okimoto 2-4, 1 Run, 2 RBI, HR; Lauren Tauanuu 1-2, 1 Run, 3 RBI, HR; Brooke Taiese 1-4, 3B.
@ PEARL CITY HIGH SCHOOL
AIEA (0-1) 1 3 0 1 0 0 0 5
PEARL CITY (1-0) 1 0 3 0 1 0 1 6