Home runs in softball at a record pace

The home run explosion is not limited to Major League Baseball.

The hitters on the highest level of softball in Hawaii have evolved as well.

While the MLB has its Giancarlo Stanton, Aaron Judge and Nolan Arenado, the HHSAA boasts of Jocelyn Alo, Mysha Sataraka and Kelsie Hee.

There has been an average of more than one home run per game in each of the last three years of the state tournament, the first time that has ever happened. The long ball nearly went extinct around the turn of the century. In 2000-2001, pitchers like Mitzi Ing of ‘Iolani, Baldwin’s Shannon Tabion and Leo Sing Chow of Kamehameha ruled. Twelve of the 22 games in the winner’s bracket ended with a shutout and no losing team scored more than two runs in any game.

Both of those tournaments were at Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium, but in 2002 hitters began to strike back at the same venue. After two years without seeing a girl circle the bases, Kamehameha’s Sing Chow hit two home runs from the plate and won three games in the circle.

Here’s a chart of home runs per game per year.

The biggest jump happened between 2010 and 2011, when Division II hitters began feasting on pitchers and trying to bomb their way to state titles. Kelsie Hee of St. Francis led the way with two home runs in a 20-12 loss to Waimea and Leisha Liilii of Castle hit a pair in a 9-7 Division I win over Campbell.

In 2012 Gaylan Matagiese of Waimea became the first girl to blast three round-trippers in one game, doing so in a 12-8 win over Waipahu at Central Oahu Regional Park. She wasn’t alone in the club for long, though, as Alexis Paulo-Meyers of Nanakuli blasted three to account for her team’s four runs in the Division II state final at Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium (a 12-4 loss to Matagiese’s Waimea team). Matagiese finished with four home runs in that tournament, which featured 39 dingers in 22 games.

Home runs dropped a bit despite Hee and Paulo-Meyers playing as seniors, but it is on the rise once again. The newest edition of the state tournament begins next week with Roosevelt’s Mari Foster and the St. Francis pair of Sammie Ofia and Kaena Keliinoi threatening UH’s tennis courts.

HHSAA career home runs
6: Kelsie Hee, St. Francis
5: Alexis Paulo-Meyers, Nanakuli
5: Gaylan Matagiese, Waimea
5: Autumn McCoy, Nanakuli
5: Salah Pedebon, Kapolei
3: Jocelyn Alo, Campbell
3: Elisa Favela, Campbell
3: Leisha Liilii, Castle
3: Prescious Paulo-Meyers, Nanakuli

And for some more names from the past:

Career home runs leaders for 2018 state tournament teams:
DIVISION I
Kealakehe: none
Pearl City: Marina Gusman-Brown (2006), 2
Campbell: Joselyn Alo (2017) and Elisa Favela (2016), 3
Punahou: Reina Furuya (2012) and Mysha Sataraka (2011), 2
Kapolei: Salah Pedebon (2016), 5
Lahainaluna: Five with 1
Baldwin: Nicole Alconcel (2007) and Sanoe Kekahuna (2006), 2
Leilehua: Krystin Kubo (2011), Kyla Larson (2013) and Pikake Nutter-Gaudinet (2003), 2
Maryknoll: Sarah Onishi (2014), 2
Roosevelt: none
Mililani: Merilis Rivera (2017), Courtney Senas (2008) and Maya Yoshiura (2015), 2
Waiakea: None

DIVISION II
Kapaa: Jocelyn Enrique (2008), 2
Aiea: Trinity Atuitasi (2017), 2
Konawaena: Gina Pabre (1992), 3
Molokai: Shalei Borden (2006) and Cami-Leigh Horner (2016), 1
St. Francis: Kelsie Hee (2013), 6
Kohala: Mikayla Kekoa (2017) and Setsuko Kimura (2017), 1
KS-Hawaii: Five with one
Honokaa: Kayla Raquelman (2012), 1
Kaimuki: Genesis Fruean (2005) and Tyleen Tausaga (2002), 1
Kalani: Kristi Belshe (2010) and Kristiann Endow (2009), 1
Waimea: Gaylan Matagiese (2013), 5
Waialua: none

Division I

Division II