WAIPI'O — Boosted by junior shortstop Charisse Tanabe's two-run homer and spectacular plays on defense, Roosevelt stunned perennial power Mililani, 3-1, last night to win its first O'ahu Interscholastic Association softball championship.

A vocal crowd of about 500 at Central O'ahu Regional Park watched the Rough Riders finish 14-1 in league play and earn the OIA's top seed and first-round bye for the state tournament May 12 to May 15 at Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium.

The two-time defending league champ Trojans fell to 12-3 and will begin state tournament play in the first round.

Tanabe broke a 1-1 tie with one out in the top of the fourth inning by blasting an 0-1 pitch over the center-field fence. She then ended three of the final four innings with big-league plays, including a run-and-stab over second base and 360-degree turn before throwing out a runner at first to strand a runner at third base in the sixth.

"She's a very good athlete, and she made unreal stops," Trojans coach Rose Antonio said.

The defensive support — including catcher Lindsay Takekawa's throw to nab a potential base stealer at second in the third inning — helped starter Lianna Bajarin scatter seven hits and strand nine runners.

Bajarin had only one strikeout but also walked only one against the Trojans' powerful lineup.

"To be honest, we didn't really think about (an approach to Mililani's lineup)," Roosevelt coach Clay Okamura said. "Mililani is a mean team, take nothing away from them. But we didn't think about (them), we were more concerned about what we had to do. And Lianna did a hell of a job."

The Rough Riders took a 1-0 lead in the first inning after Kamalei Pitoy drew a two-out walk, advanced on Bajarin's single to left and scored when the ball was misplayed in left field. But the Trojans tied it in the bottom half after Rebecca Lee singled with one out, advanced on a groundout and eventually scored on a wild pitch.

Cierra Kapea led off the fourth with a seeing-eye single through the left side, setting up Tanabe's one-out homer.

"I just wanted to get on base," Tanabe said. "(The pitcher) just made a mistake, and I went with it."

Tanabe said the Rough Riders' ascent to the top of the OIA is the result of effort and teamwork.

"We just had to stay together as a team and work hard," she said. "We had faith in Lianna, and she proved us right.

"It feels good."

Reach Wes Nakama at wnakama@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-2456. Read his blog on high school sports at www.preptalk.honadvblogs.com

ROOSEVELT (14-1) 100 200 0—3 11 2

MILILANI (12-3) 100 000 0—1 7 1

Lianna Bajarin and Lindsay Takekawa; Kylee Rodrigues, Kishti Kamaka (5) and Rebecca Lee. W — Bajarin. L — Rodrigues.

Leading hitters — Roosevelt: Charisse Tanabe home run, 2 RBIs; Bajarin 3-3; Cierra Kapea 3-4; Kamalei Pitoy 2-3. Mililani: Lee 2-4; Courtney Senas 2-4.

THIRD PLACE

KAPOLEI 2, CASTLE 1:

Shavanna Holt-Santiago scattered eight hits as the Hurricanes beat the Knights in the third-place game.

CASTLE (11-5) 100 000 0—1 8 2

KAPOLEI (12-4) 101 000 0—2 5 2

Leisha Li'ili'i and Alyssa Cipriano. Shavanna Holt-Santiago and Cherece Beyer. W — Holt-Santiago. L — Li'ili'i.

Leading hitters — Castle: Chandelle Dacosin 2-3, triple. Kapolei: Dorian Acierto triple; Alyssa Aipa 2-3.

Reported by Jasmine Dang.

FIFTH PLACE

CAMPBELL 6, LEILEHUA 0:

Katie Manuma pitched a no-hitter with one strikeout as the Sabers beat the Mules in the fifth-place game.

LEILEHUA (6-10) 000 000 0—0 0 3

CAMPBELL (12-3) 111 003 X—6 10 0

Kaylen Ynigues, Alex Smith (5) and Ciara Paracuelles. Katie Manuma and Jaycelyn Kim. W — Manuma. L — Ynigues.

Leading hitter — Campbell: Gerika Pantohan 2-3, triple.

Reported by David Perreira.