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Friday, May 5, 2000

Leilehua pitchers blank
McKinley; Kamehameha
shuts out Punahou

By David Higa
Special to the Star-Bulletin

Two innings made the difference for Leilehua yesterday as the host Mules blanked McKinley, 8-0, in a quarterfinal game of the Oahu Interscholastic Association baseball tournament.

The victory puts the No. 7 Mules (10-1) into today's semifinal against Kailua at Rainbow Stadium. In the other semifinal, Castle faces Mililani.

Both Leilehua and McKinley struggled early, squandering scoring opportunities.

The Mules left runners on base in each of the first three innings, while the Tigers stranded runners in the second and third.

Leilehua finally capitalized on its opportunities in the bottom of the fourth.

After starting pitcher Josh Jones led off with a single, courtesy runner Nick Mehil scored on a B.J. Clifton hit.

Clifton scored on a triple by Shane Kodani. Two subsequent Tiger errors resulted in two more runs as the Mules went up 4-0.

In addition to starting the Leilehua offense, Jones kept the Tigers offense down, pitching six shutout innings. The Tigers' only threat came in the sixth when they loaded the bases.

Jones ended the threat with a strikeout, his sixth of the game. The Mules put the game out of reach in the bottom of the sixth, turning a double, triple and another Tiger error into four more runs.

Clifton came on in relief to get the final three outs.

McKinley (6-4-1) drops to the consolation bracket, with the other quarterfinal losers. The consolation winner will earn the OIA's fifth spot in the state tournament.

McKinley	000	000 0 -- 0	4	5
Leilehua	000	404 x -- 8	9	2

David Kurahashi, Blaine Yoshino (6) and George Bautista. Josh Jones, B.J. Clifton (7) and Jay Baptista. W-Jones. L-Kurahashi.

Leading hitters--McKinley: Jordan Kurahara 2-2. Leilehua: Mark Soriano 2b, 2 RBIs; Cheyne Todani 2-3, 3b, 2 RBIs; John Dolac 2-2, RBI; Desmond Yagin 3b, 2 RBIs.

KAILUA 11, KALANI 1 (6 innings):

David Horswill tossed a no-hitter and helped his own cause by driving in four runs as the Surfriders (8-2) routed the Falcons (5-6) in a game called after six innings because of the 10-run rule.

Kalani scored its only run in the first on a sacrifice fly by Travis Cononizado. Kailua tied it in the second then broke it open with a four-run third.

Horswill's two-run single highlighted the four-run third. He added a two-run single in Kailua's five-run fifth.

Horswill struck out four and walked three.

Kalani	100	000 - 1	0	1
Kailua	014	051 - 11	12	1

Yamada, Kenny Shimizu (2), Brandon Ponce (3) and Travis Canonizado. David Horswill and Lopaka Burgess. W-Horswill. L-Shimizu.

Leading hitters-Kailua: Bruddah Choy Foo 2b; Ryan Exstrom 2-4; David Horswill 3-4, 4 RBI; Kaipo Piimauna 2-2, 2 RBI.

NO. 9 MILILANI 4, CAMPBELL 3:

Galenn Nitta ripped a two-out, bases-clearing double in the sixth and the Trojans (10-1) squeezed past the Sabers (7-5) at home.

Keola Casamina walked with the bases loaded to give Mililani their first run of the inning.

Gainor Nitta pitched the final two innings for Mililani to get the win.

Campbell	101	010	0 - 3	8	0
Mililani	000	004	x - 4	5	2

Eddie Tangjian, Chad Bailey (6), Jensen Mata (6) and Mike Cabral. Keola Casamina, Gainor Nitta (6) and Bryce Watanabe. W-G. Nitta. L-Bailey.

Leading hitters-Campbell: Keahi Kapana 3-3, RBI; Kyle Nakana 2-2, RBI; Bryce Miyashiro 2-3. Mililani: Galenn Nitta 2b, 3 RBIs; Keola Casamina 2b, RBI.

NO. 8 CASTLE 5, AIEA 1:

Jordan Tom doubled in the go-ahead run in the sixth and Reid Santos pitched a three-hitter to lead the Knights (9-1) past Na Alii (8-4) into the semifinals.

Santos gave up three singles, struck out 11 and walked three.

Aiea	000	001	0 - 1	3	1
Castle	001	004	x - 5	10	0

Kagawa, Ukamitsu (6) and Paul Yoshida, Powell. Reid Santos and Russell Kimura. W-Santos. L-Ukamitsu.

Leading hitters-Castle: Jordan Tom 2-3, 2b, RBI; Tanaguchi 2-3; Reid Santos 2-3; Bobby Mamba 2b, RBI.

ILH Tournament

KAMEHAMEHA 5, PUNAHOU 0:

A two-run homer by Bronson Sardinha and a solo shot by Kai Yamashita accounted for all of the Warriors' runs in the third inning and Kamehameha went on to shut out the Buffanblu at Ala Wai Field.

The Warriors (15-3) will face Iolani (13-4) tomorrow at 6 p.m. at Ala Wai.

An Iolani win gives the Raiders the overall ILH title. A win by Kamehameha forces a decisive playoff Tuesday.

Bryan Komagome was the only Punahou batter who figured out Kahi Kaanoi. Komagome had all three Buffanblu hits.

Kamehameha	003	002	0 - 5	8	0
Punahou	000	000	0 - 0	3	3

Kahi Kaanoi and Kai Yamashita. Josh Cardwell, Doug Shimokawa (6) and Todd LaFontaine. W-Kaanoi. L-Cardwell.

Leading hitters-Kamehameha: Bronson Sardinha 2-4, 2b, 2-run HR; Kai Yamashita 2-4, solo HR. Iolani: Bryan Komagome 3-3, 2b.