The KS Maui softball team lost to the Baldwin Bears, 14-1, on the Bears’ senior night at Patsy Mink Field on April 11, 2012. The game ended in the fifth inning under the mercy rule.

“Baldwin came out more enthusiastic than us,” Coach Angus Peters said.

The Warriors lost to the Bears on March 3 in a close game, 7 to 6, so the runaway game was unexpected.

But, the game started with the Warriors three up and three down in the top of the first inning, with no one getting on base.

The Bears scored four points quickly in the bottom of the first. The Warriors made errors in their catching, allowing the Bears to score an additional two points before ending 6-0.

The Warriors got out again quickly in the second inning and made more errors, allowing the Bears to score an additional five points. The inning ended 11-0.

Into the third inning, the Warriors had not yet gone through their batting order once.  After a single by Freshman Kristian Rosete and a sacrifice bunt by Sophomore Alea Johnson, they were able to get Rosete on second, but she was stranded there at the end of the top half with no Warrior runs.

In the bottom of the inning, the Bears loaded the bases with two singles and a walk, coupled with more hits and an error by the Warriors at first base, the Bears scored three additional points.

Sophomore Kaiulani Vila was walked to first base in the top of the fourth where she advanced to second when the Bears mishandled the ball. Sophomore Kauimakamae Uwekoolani hit a single for herself which turned into a run batted in for Vila, who score the only run for the Warriors in the game.

The Bears were able to get a few girls on the bases in the bottom of the fourth, while Warriors errors continued. However, pitcher Tiana Sakumoto anchored them to their bases, preventing the Bears from scoring.

“We stayed calm, cool, and collected,” Baldwin Assistant Coach Eric Rivera said.

The Warriors’ last chance for a full seven-inning game ended when the top of the fifth inning failed to add any digits to the scoreboard. It started out with promise when senior Auli’i Pokini hit a high fly, but that was caught and both Sakumoto and Melia Mattos both struck out.

The game was stopped early under the mercy rule stating that the game will be called if there is more than a 10-point difference in scores by the end of the fifth inning, and the Bears won, 14-1.

“This game was kind of disappointing,” junior Kaleihoku Kubota said. “Baldwin played hard.”

The Baldwin Bears also celebreated their senior night. The only senior on their team was first-year player Alyssa Ariyoshi.

“She was a diamond in the rough,” Rivera said.

The Warriors celebrate their senior game this Saturday, April 10, at 10 a.m. at the Eddie Tam field. Their opponents will be Lahainaluna. The Warriors will be saying goodbye to their three seniors: Auli’i Pokini, Melia Mattos, and Uluwehi Young.

“This next game will also be practice–” Coach Peters said, “–practice for the MIL tournament.”