Joslyn Eugenio used a blazing fastball and Sacred Hearts used its speed on the base paths to score early in a 5-1 victory over Kaua'i in the final of the DataHouse/HHSAA Division II Softball State Championships last night at Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium.

Eugenio, a sophomore left-hander, pitched a three-hitter with no walks.

"Mostly my fastball and a couple curves," said Eugenio when asked what pitchers were working.

She recorded 14 ground-ball outs, three infield pop-ups, one flyout and three strikeouts for the Interscholastic League of Honolulu champions.

"Jos was on. She was really good today," said Sacred Hearts catcher Chelsea Kamai.

Sacred Hearts (9-8), the tournament's top seed, jumped all over Kaua'i's Wailana Borrero, scoring all five runs over the first two innings.

In the first, the Lancers scored three runs on three hits and two walks. Corry Abellanida and Sydney "Taimane" Vegas had run-scoring singles, and Kamai scored on a wild pitch.

"We've been visitors all three games in the tournament and in each of those game we were able to come out in the first inning and score some runs," Sacred Hearts coach Wade Okamura said.

With one out in the second, the Lancers strung together four consecutive singles. Raecha Kauahikaua and Kiane Dalit reached on bunt singles, and Eugenio and Kamai had RBI hits.

"It really helps knowing we have some leeway. We just relaxed," Eugenio said.

The ILH has won all four Division II state titles. University High won in 2004, St. Francis in 2005 and Pac-Five last year.

The Lancers will move up to Division I next year after winning the ILH title. They have only one senior on their 12-player roster.

"We've been working toward that for the past two, three years now," Okamura said. "The girls are looking forward to the challenge."

Added Eugenio: "I think this team is ready. We work hard at practice and we go to softball camp before the season starts."

Of Sacred Hearts' 11 hits, 10 were singles; four were infield singles. The Lancers, who had six left-handed batters in the lineup, also stole four bases.

"We try to have our left-handed batters put the ball in play and force the other team to execute," Okamura said. "A lot of times we get guys on base and move them up. We look for timely hits, but not the big, powerful, booming hits."

Eugenio threw 55 of her 88 pitches for strikes. She allowed doubles in the first and sixth, and a single in the fifth.

"She was on," Okamura said. "We were a little concerned because she was fighting the onset of a cold. She was pumped up for a big game. She did a heck of a job."

Kaua'i, the Kaua'i Interscholastic Federation champion and No. 2 seed, scored its only run in the sixth after a fielding error by the second baseman and an RBI double by Jessica Iwata. Kaua'i (9-7) finished 0 for 5 with runners in scoring position.

"Hats off to Sacred Hearts. They played an outstanding game," said Kaua'i coach Darrell Borrero. "They put pressure on us early in the game. We just played a better team today."

Sacred Hearts won its three state tournament games by a combined, 33-2.

Reach Kyle Sakamoto at ksakamoto@honoluluadvertiser.com.