"So close, and yet so far".

For 3-straight years that was the scenario for the baldwin softball team losing in the quarterfinal round of the state tournament in 2004, 2005, and oh-6....each by one run.

And each time pitcher Nicole Alconsel suffered the loss.

But that all changed this past weekend, when Alconsel, in her senior year, put together a performance for the ages leading Baldwin to the state title, and gaining our acknowledgement, as the KHON2 Athlete of the week.

Her play was enough to give just about everyone chills.
In a quarterfinal victory over an offensively gifted Campbell team.
Alconsel struck out 10, en route to a two hit victory.

She followed that up with a one-hitter the next night against Saint Francis, fanning 8 batters, and also hitting a two run homer that accounted for all the scoring in the game.

It was déjà vu all over again in the championship against top-seed Mililani, a team that ended Baldwin's season 2 of the past 3 years.

The third seeded bears again relied on Alconsel's arm and bat...a 7 k, 5 hit display of pitching pageantry, to go along another late-inning two run blast to lock up the two nothing "W", and Baldwin's first state title since 2001.

O the mound, Alconsel says she took a slightly different approach.

Which makes her timely offensive outburst, all the more impressive...especially in the final...when she went deep against Trojans ace, and former KHON2 Athlete of the week, Makani Duhaylonsod.

Aconsel's joy could be seen through her tears, following Saturday's epic win.

Aconsel is planing to take her softball talents to UH Hilo next year.

Congratulations to Nicole Alconsel...the KHON2 Athlete of the Week.