Prep Beat

By Star-Bulletin Staff

Thursday, May 6, 1999

Iolani one win
from ILH title

The linescore will not show an 'S' for 'Save' next to Erik Yamamoto's name. Technically, the senior right-hander didn't earn one despite bailing Iolani out of a bases-loaded jam in the top of the sixth against nemesis St. Louis yesterday at Ala Wai Field.

That 'S' instead ended up on Yamamoto's chest.

Yamamoto struck out Jeremy Yoro on three pitches in the sixth, then struck out two more batters in the seventh to end the game as the Raiders shut out St. Louis, 5-0, in the Interscholastic League of Honolulu baseball tournament semifinal.

Iolani, winner of the past three state titles, advanced to Saturday's 6 p.m. championship game. The Raiders await the winner of today's elimination game between St. Louis and Mid-Pacific. Yesterday, the Owls eliminated Kamehameha, 8-4.

"My feeling is we'll see St. Louis on Saturday and again in the state tournament," said Iolani coach Dean Yonamine, whose team has already secured a state berth as the regular-season champ.

The Raiders had seen way too much of St. Louis -- and its ace, Brandon League -- this season. Both meetings resulted in 9-1 losses to the Crusaders, Iolani's only defeats.

Yesterday, St. Louis coach Vince Passas and Iolani's Yonamine decided to rest their stars -- League and Yamamoto both pitched last Saturday.

Passas instead went with Isaac Harbottle on the mound and lost the gamble four batters into the first inning.

With runners at first and second and one out, designated hitter Blaine Umeda drilled the first pitch to deep center. Kalvin Koverman misjudged the ball and the mistake turned into a three-run, inside-the-park homer for the Iolani sophomore.

"It was a fastball," Umeda said of the pitch. "I wasn't watching where it went, I just kept running hard.

"This (win) gives us a lot of confidence going into Saturday and the state tournament. Today, we all showed up to play."

League relieved Harbottle with one out in the first. He struck out the next two batters to end the inning. The Raiders eventually figured out League's curveball and scored on a single to center by Taylor Kimura in the fourth and a full-count, pitch-hit single to left-center by Derek White in the fifth.

Those were the first earned runs off League by the Raiders in 22 innings. The sophomore had also struck out 27 Iolani batters going into yesterday's game.

Iolani starter Kanoa Fong pitched five strong innings, giving up three hits, and getting solid support from his outfield. Center fielder Douglas Jackson and right fielder Kevin Kam each snared two long fly balls to frustrate the Saints' power hitters.

Yamamoto, who has not lost in two seasons, relieved Fong in the sixth after loading the bases on a triple by Chad Santos and two consecutive walks.

"You come out, throw strikes, and let your defense work for you," said Yamamoto. "This was a pivotal game and our attitude was one of confidence."

Win or lose, Iolani is in the state tournament. The question is only of seeding.

"There's not a lot of pressure on us but we want to have the momentum going into the state tournament," said Yonamine. "The last three years, we've gone into the states on an upswing."

St. Louis	000 000 0-0 5 0
Iolani		300 110 x-5 8 1

Isaac Harbottle, Brandon League (1), Chad Santos (6) and Joe Cabansag; Kano Fong, Erik Yamamoto (6) and Travis Mitsuda.

WP-Fong. LP-Harbottle.

Leading hitters-StL: Chad Santos 2-3, 3b; Kalvin Koverman 2-3. Iol: Blaine Umeda 3-run HR; Travis Mitsuda 2-2, 2b; Tyler Kimura RBI; Derek White RBI.

Mid-Pacific 8, Kamehameha 4: At Iolani, Rex Rundgren's single to left drove in Bryan Lee with the go-ahead run in the third and the Owls went on to beat the Warriors.

Lee finished 4-for-4 with two doubles and four RBIs. Brandon Fujimoto went the distance for Mid-Pac, scattering seven hits with three strikeouts and a walk.

Joshua Martin and Paki Lum both hit solo homers for Kamehameha in the losing effort.

Kamehameha	002 001 1-4 7 1
Mid-Pacific	003 302 x-8 15 0

Bruce Simeona, Ekolu Smith (4) and Isaac Bancaco; Brandon Fujimoto and Jacob Flick. W-Fujimoto. L-Simeona.

Leading hitters-Kam: Isaac Bancaco 2-4, 2b; Joshua Martin solo HR; Paki Lum solo HR. MP: Kenji Takanishi 3-4, RBIs; Bryan Lee 4-4, 2 2b, 4 RBIs; Dane Marcoullier 3-3, 2b.

Lucas leads
Roosevelt
past Campbell

Kukui Lucas hit a three-run homer in the bottom of the sixth inning, then pitched a perfect seventh in relief to lead host Roosevelt past Campbell, 3-2, in a first-round Oahu Interscholastic Association baseball playoff game yesterday.

With the Sabers leading, 2-0, and one out in the sixth, Dean Gushi reached first on an error, Adrian Mols singled and Lucas homered to right-center field.

Losing pitcher Joey Johnson allowed just two hits over the first five innings, striking out six.

Lucas, who went 2-for-3, relieved winning pitcher Chad Kapanui in the top of the seventh and set the Sabers down in order, striking out the last two.

Keala Noda had a double and two singles for Campbell.

In today's 4 p.m. quarterfinals, Roosevelt is at Waipahu, Castle hosts Mililani, Kailua travels to Aiea and Pearl City is at Kaiser.

Campbell	100 001 0-2 8 3
Roosevelt	000 003 x-3 4 2

Joey Johnson and Mike Cabral; Chad Kapanui, Kukui Lucas (7) and Blaine Souza, Kapanui (7). W-Kapanui. L-Johnson. Sv-Lucas.

Leading hitters-Camp: Keala Noda, 3-4, 2b; Mike Cabral, 2-4, 2b. Roos: Kukui Lucas, 2-3, 3-run HR.

Pearl City 8, Kalaheo 7: At Pearl City, Brandon Hookala drilled a seventh-inning double between short and third to drive in three runners and win the game for the Chargers.

Kalaheo took a 7-5 lead in the sixth when Nalei Sooto drilled a pitch more than 400 feet to dead center field for a two-out grand slam.

Kalaheo		010 024 0-7  9 1
Pearl City	032 000 3-8 10 1

Neil Sullivan and Nalei Sooto; Brandon Hookala, Brandon Kameoka (5), Hookala (6), Kameoka (6) and Tyler Lee W-Kameoka. L-Sullivan.

Leading hitters-Kal: Bryce Miyahira 2-4, 2b; Schad Woods 2-3, Nalei Sooto 2-2, HR, 4 RBIs; PC: Jeffrey Iwata 2-2; Chad Yamamoto 2-2, 2b; Brandon Hookala 1-3, 2 RBIs.

Kailua 14, Nanakuli 4: At Kailua, Rodney Choy-Foo went 4-for-4, driving in five runs, and the Surfriders ousted the Golden Hawks.

Pomai Mokulehua allowed only one run in four innings, striking out five, to earn the win for Kailua.

Nanakuli	000 13- 4  6 0
Kailua		335 03-14 14 0

Kevin Calleon, Junius Wong (2), Filas Ah Sui (4) and Sampson Luavasa; Pomai Mokulehua, Keahi Mau (5) and Lopaka Burgess. W-Mokulehua. L-Calleon.

Leading hitters-Nan: Maka Vickers 2-3, HR, 2b, RBI. Kai: Travis Teshima 3-4; Rodney Choy-Foo 4-4, 2 2b, 3b, 5 RBIs; Jon Torres 3-3, 2b, 3b, 2 RBIs; Jory Pearce 2-3.

Mililani 11, Kalani 1: At Mililani, Stephen Terashita had a no-hitter going until a bunt single in the fifth in the Trojans' victory over the Falcons.

That was the only hit off Terashita, who struck out three and walked three.

Travis Kochi doubled to right field to drive in two runs in the first for Mililani. Gavin Ng also had two RBI.

Kalani		000 01- 1 1 5
Mililani	322 31-11 8 0

Ross Shimabuku, Brandon Frost (3), Gert Koenings (4), Brandon Tanaka (5) and Geoffrey Sato; Stephen Terashita and Bryce Watanabe. W-Terashita. L-Shimabuku.

Leading hitters-Mil: Derek Costigan 2-3, RBI; Gavin Ng 2-3, 2 RBIs; Travis Kochi 2b, 2 RBIs..