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Many bumps in the road meant nothing to the Maryknoll Spartans, who made school history Thursday night.
The Spartans steadied their rocky road of a season at the right time and capped it off by earning a gigantic koa trophy after beating ‘Iolani 5-2 in the Division I final of the DataHouse/HHSAA Softball State Championships at Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium.
It was the school’s first softball state title and an enthusiastic crowd of fans filling the first-base side was loving every minute of it.
After a hot start led to a 3-0 lead, Maryknoll (12-5) fought off the Raiders’ comeback bid, ending it in the bottom of the seventh when pitcher Jenna Sniffen struck out ‘Iolani slugger Ailana Agbayani, who swung and missed a pitch on the outside corner with two runners on base.
Maryknoll’s Jenna Sniffen struck out 10 ‘Iolani batters and hit a three-run homer in the Spartans’ state championship clinching 5-2 win Thursday night.
“The umpire was calling strikes on the outside,” said Agbayani with tears in her eyes about that final strikeout. “He called the outside pitch right before a strike so I really had to just protect the plate because I didn’t know what he was going to call.”
Agbayani was attempting to give ‘Iolani (12-4) a repeat state title to go along with the pre-COVID one it won in 2019, the last time a state tournament was held when Agbayani was a freshman. One potent swing of the bat by the Raiders senior in that situation and the game would have been tied.
Sniffen also talked about that final out: “Obviously, Ailana is a very dangerous hitter, so to be able to get ahead in the count and get her out was huge.”
Only a sophomore, Sniffen was the game’s shining star. She struck out 10 and her three-run bomb to center field gave the Spartans that first-inning 3-0 lead.
Agbayani’s two-run round-tripper to left in the third, however, made it a tight 3-2 ballgame.
Thanks to Oklahoma University commit Nellie McEnroe-Marinas’ two-run shot in the fifth, Maryknoll was back in command at 5-2 heading to the final two and a half innings.
Sniffen, though, made sure there was no Raiders comeback, recording seven of her strikeouts over the final three frames.
After that third out in the bottom of the seventh, the Maryknoll girls charged the field and celebrated with abandon (see video below).
“To be in this position (as state champions) is just crazy, especially since we started the season off rough,” Sniffen said. “And just to be part of history is a big deal to me and especially to my teammates. Our bond on this team is very special. In the beginning of the season, it was more of put it together so we could be here, which was our goal. This team is very special.”
One major Maryknoll fan was crying happy tears while the squad was accepting its championship trophy.
“It’s been a long time and this was really special,” said Sally Uekawa, the wife of Spartans coach John Uekawa. “We’ve been doing this for 17 years and it’s a lot of emotion. We’e been through a lot this year. I wanted this for him.”
Maryknoll’s Jenna Sniffen (above) struck out 10 batters. Teammate Carys Murakami (below) just misses taking out an ‘Iolani runner during Thursday night’s championship game. (Action photos by Parish808 Photoghraphy. Go to Parish808Photography to purchase these and other photos of the game).
Maryknoll played ‘Iolani six times this season and the series wound up as an even 3-3 split. The Raiders won the ILH championship, but the Spartans turned the tables at the big dance.
“This is not only a team effort, but a family effort,” Coach Uekawa said while holding young grandson Braxton in his arms. “She (Sally) is always by my side and so are my children who are all here. And those girls on the team are like a secondary family for me.”
About the seventh-inning situation with the tying runner at the plate, Uekawa said, “We just grin and bear it. That’s how this team is. They just grit it. I think they had to find themselves after going through the process. They got to a point where they knew how to play together. We’re a small school, but look at the fanfare we’ve got here. It’s fabulous. The support has been unbelievable.”
Ailana Agbayani hit a two-run homer in the ‘Iolani loss.
For the Raiders and Agbayani — the daughter of ‘Iolani coach and former Major Leaguer Benny Agbayani — it was a close second place.
“We left it out in the field,” she said. “We tried as much as we could. That’s all we can ask for. We were the last two teams standing.”
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ALSO AT BedrockSportsHawaii.com:
‘The Carys And Nellie Show’ Pushes Maryknoll Into State Softball Championship Game
