Friday, April 3, 1998
Kalani looks like best
By Pat Bigold
of OIA East baseball
Star-BulletinIf any team could be considered an early favorite in the wide-open Oahu Interscholastic Association Eastern Division baseball race this season, it's Kalani High School.
The East opens tomorrow with five games. Four-time defending division champion Castle will be at Kaiser, Farrington at Roosevelt, Kahuku at Kalaheo, Kaimuki at Kailua, and McKinley at Kalani, all at 2 p.m.
The Falcons, who barely made it into the league playoffs last season with a 5-4 record, have eight returning starters and probably the division's best pitching rotation.
The ace of the staff is a conference all-star from last year: right-hander Shane Komine.
The 5-8, 140-pound senior had 54 strikeouts in 26 innings in 1997 and turned in stellar preseason performances last month.
Playing in Las Vegas, Komine struck out 14 in a loss to Durango High School. He struck out 15 in a win against Kaiser.
Falcons head coach Shannon Hirai said Komine has a fastball that's been clocked between 84 and 88 mph, and a deceptive curve.
The all-righty rotation's No. 2 pitcher, junior Robert Shimabuku, has also been able to throw in the low 80s. Shimabuku spent most of last season injured.
Senior Ryan Scoville, the No. 4 pitcher, has a good curve and changeup. But his most intriguing quality is his unorthodox style of delivery, which can be distracting to batters.
The No. 3 pitcher, senior Collin Funumura, has been called off the mound to catch in place of starter Michael Yasunaga, a senior who recently suffered a knee injury.
But Kalani, which could be around as a top contender for a few years, also has three sophomores who can throw.
Komine, who plays center field, and Shimabuku, who is the team's DH, lead the offense.
The Falcons were 4-9-2 in preseason but that included a road trip to Las Vegas for games against strong Durango and Bonanza high school teams.
What told more in preseason about Kalani's potential was a victory over defending state champion Iolani and a tie with the ILH's current front-runner, St. Louis.
Defending division champion Castle (8-1 last year) returns two regular starters: division all-star outfielder Matt Ramie (.538 in 1997) and shortstop Kalei Kanaeholo (both seniors).
The Knights have six seniors and 17 underclassmen.
Like Kalani, Castle's strength is in its pitching.
Head coach Joe Tom has four hurlers with varsity experience and they're all right-handers: Ramie, seniors Alika Shores and Kai Gier, and junior Chuco Colunga.
The Knights were 10-8 in preseason.
Kaiser, which also finished 8-1 last season (losing to Castle), is a big question mark this season.
No one suffered more to graduation than the Cougars, who have lost their entire starting lineup, including five first-team division all-stars, and a total of 15 seniors.
A bright spot for Kaiser in the bullpen is senior right-hander Jason Reeve, who has been consistently throwing off-speed stuff for strikes during the 4-6-1 preseason.
Kailua returns six starters and also has to be figured into the equation. Division all-star John Torres moves from first to third base this season.
McKinley also has six returning starters. The Tigers, who went 5-4 last year but missed the playoffs, accompanied the Falcons on the trip to Las Vegas.
McKinley head coach Les Higa said his batting order is solid from 1 through 6. Junior shortstop Zachary Lui hit three home runs in preseason and could be the offensive sparkplug.
Mid-Pacific blanks Iolani
Star-Bulletin staffBlake Sing Chow scattered four hits and Ikaika Upchurch had a three-run double in the second inning, helping Mid-Pacific thrash Iolani, 11-0, yesterday in an Interscholastic League of Honolulu baseball game called after six innings because of the 10-run rule.
MPI (2-3) broke open the game with six runs in the third, highlighted by Rex Rundgren's bases-loaded triple. Bryan Lee added a two-run triple in the sixth as the Owls pounded nine hits off four Iolani pitchers. Iolani is 2-2-1.
Winning pitcher--Blake Sing Chow.
Leading hitters--MPI: Bryan Lee 2-3, 3b, 3 RBI; Rex Rundgren 3-4, 3b, 3 RBI; Ikaika Upchurch 2-3, 2b, 3 RBI.
Punahou 10, University 6: At Ala Wai Field, Chad Sakamoto drilled a pair of triples and Chad Ebesutani had another to pace the Buffanblu.
Triples by Sakamoto and Ebesutani keyed a four-run second inning for Punahou (4-1).
Coree Motonaga and Chris Cambra each doubled and drove in two runs for University High (1-4).
Winning pitcher--Nick Torres.
Leading hitters--UHS: Ty Sakaguchi, 2-2, 2b; Coree Motonaga, 2-3, 2b, 2 RBIs; Mike Ganialongo, 2-4; Chris Cambra, 1-1, 2b, 2 RBIs. Pun: Chad Sakamoto, 2-3, 2 3b, 2 RBIs; Larry Burgess, 2-3; Chad Ebesutani, 3b, RBI.