For once, Leilehua
comeback is not
in vain

Over the past two weeks, the Leilehua baseball team learned a thing or two.

The Mules discovered the importance of competing from the first out of the game. They were victimized by slow starts in a pair of key losses to division rivals Aiea and Mililani.

In their defeat to Aiea a week ago, the Mules gave up five runs in the top of the second. Five days later vs. Mililani, Leilehua was again put in an early hole, as a four-run first helped lift the Trojans to the win.

Leilehua also found out it has the ability to make things interesting with a rally or two of its own, coming back to make both games close.

Yesterday, Leilehua was plagued by another slow start, but this time the Mules would not be denied, scoring 13 unanswered runs on 17 hits to beat Oahu Interscholastic Association West front-runner Campbell 13-4 at Fred Wright Park in Wahiawa.

"That's how we've been," Leilehua head coach Kevin Tosaka said. "Against Aiea and Mililani, we did the same thing. We gave up a lot of runs early and had to come back. But anytime you get more than 10 hits, you have a chance to score some runs."

Campbell jumped on Mules pitcher Andrew Ontai, who made his second start of the season. Usually a reliever who enters from his spot as the Leilehua's starting shortstop, Ontai began his day by hitting leadoff batter Victor Glenn Cachuela with a 2-0 pitch. Tristan Bailey followed with a solid single to right-center, and advanced to second as Cachuela drew a throw hustling into third base.

An RBI single by Jacob Kaku and a two-run double by Ramsey Sakamoto put the Sabers up 3-0 with one out. A Leilehua fielding error allowed the fourth Campbell run to cross the plate.

But Leilehua responded just as quickly, with John Olley and Casey Yamaguchi driving in runs in the bottom of the first to cut the deficit in half.

From there, Ontai found his rhythm, allowing just two singles over the next five innings to hold the Sabers scoreless as Leilehua's bats stayed hot. The junior right-hander struck out four while walking one to earn the win. Ontai is now 2-0 as a starter this year.

"Andrew's a fighter, a competitor," Tosaka said. "We have a lot of faith in him. Even in that first inning, we weren't going to bring in anyone else."

Leilehua scored three times in the second, with an RBI single by Ontai, a fielder's choice off the bat of Joshua Pastor and a wild pitch bringing in the runs.

The Mules bunched five hits in a four-run fourth. Olley's two-run double into the gap in left center did the most damage. Gavin Uyeda added an RBI single as well. Olley sparked Leilehua again in the fifth inning, with an RBI single off Saber reliever Blaine Dikito.

"I felt pretty good after the first inning," Ontai said. "In the first, I was a little shaky and didn't hit my location very well. But coming back with those runs made me feel better. After that I started getting my locations down and started to pitch relaxed."

At Fred Wright Park

Campbell (6-2)	400	000	0	--	4	5	3
Leilehua (5-2)	231	430	x	--	13	17	1

James Bannister, Shaye Asoao (4), Blaine Dikito (5) and Ian Pantorilla. Andrew Ontai, Joshua Pastor (7) and Gavin Uyeda. W--Ontai. L--Bannister.
Leading hitters--Cam: Ramsey Sakamoto 1-3, 2b, 2 RBIs. Lei: John Olley 3-4, 2b, 3 RBIs; Kelsey Yoshikami 3-3, run; Ontai 2-4, 3 runs, RBI; Bryant Moniz 2-3, run, RBI; Uyeda 2-4, RBI.

Mililani 19, Waialua 0

Kelsey Nakata and Curt Ueda combined on a two-hitter to lead the Trojans past the Bulldogs.

Nakata struck out four batters in three innings and Ueda pitched the final two innings, striking out three.

At Waialua Recreation Center field

Mililani (7-0)		380	26	--	19	17	0
Waialua (0-7)		000	00	--	0	2	1

Kelsey Nakata, Curt Ueda (4) and Kamaka Crabbe, Richie Manano (4). Shawyn Tyler, Shayne Tyler (4), Justin Manglallan (5) and Manglallan, Shawyn Tyler (5). W--Nakata. L--Shawyn Tyler.
Leading hittres--Mil: Tony Aquino, 1-3, 3b, 2 RBIs; Matt Arakaki, 3-5, 2b, 3 RBIs; Nakata, 2-2, 3b, 3 RBIs; Ryan Tsutsui 1-1, 2 RBIs.

Pearl City 8, No. 8 Aiea 7

Kurt Tanabe scored the go-ahead run on a fielder's choice and after blowing a four-run lead in the bottom of the seventh Jason Tamanaha came back and held Na Alii scoreless in the eighth to help the Chargers defeat Aiea.

At Aiea Recreation Center field

Pearl City (6-1)	100	203	11	--	8	11	2
Aiea (5-2)	120	000	40	--	7	10	0

Craig Calantoc, Jason Tamanaha (6) and Paul Domingo. Lance Powell, Cody Akino (6), Hoku Piho (8) and Brian Morihara. W--Tamanaha. L--Piho.
Leading hitters--PC: Rylan Nakahata 2-4, 2b; Dustin Kim Seu 2-4, 2b; Kurt Tanabe 2-4, 2b; Pate Ikehara 2-3, 2b; Domingo 2b; Thomas Yamasaki HR, 3 RBIs. Aiea: CJ Tausaga 3-3, 2b; Derek Grace 2-4, HR, 3 RBIs; Shane Koga HR; Kurt Nishi 2b.

Waianae 10, Nanakuli 0

Pitchers Andy Kuakini and Darius Fuller teamed up for a two-hit shutout as the Seariders defeated the Golden Hawks.

At Nanakuli H.S. field

Waianae (6-1)		215	20	--	10	8	0
Nanakuli (1-7)		000	00	--	0	2	0

Andy Kuakini, Darius Fuller (5) and Peter Carba. Devan Harris and Nathan Naehu. W--Kuakini. L--Harris.
Leading hitters--Wain: Clayton Uyechi, 2-2, 2b, 2 runs; Liko Manuel, 2b; Josh Telles 3b.

Kapolei 4, Radford 3

Two pitchers combined to hold the Rams to four hits in the Warriors' win.

John Santiago shut out the Rams before giving way to Howard Vinhasa, who gave up three runs in the sixth. John Santiago closed the door in the seventh.

At Radford Field

Kapolei (3-4) 030	100	0	--	4	3	1
Radford (1-7) 000	003	0	--	3	4	4

John Santiago, Howard Vinhasa (5), Santiago (7) and Michael Kahalehoe, Justin Purvey (7). Kyle Blair, Sean Irish (4) and Kyle Howell. W--Santiago. L--Blair.
Leading hitters--Kapo: Kahalehoe 2b. Rad: Kizuku Scott 2 RBIs.

OIA EAST
McKinley 13, Kalaheo 3

Roger Kraemer, Andrew Mitani and Kyle Nagatori each drove in two runs as the Tigers needed just five innings to defeat the Mustangs.

At McKinley H.S. field
Kalaheo (1-6) 010 02 -- 3 4 6
McKinley (3-5) 320 44 -- 13 12 2

Kyle Okumura, Austin Kehrer (5) and David Pershin. Ryan Goto, Kalen Kuniyuki (5) and Andrew Mitani. W--Goto. L--Okumura.
Leading hitters--McK: Roger Kraemer 2-4, 2b, 3b, 2 RBIs; Mitani 2-4, 2 RBIs; Kyle Nagatori 2-4, 2 RBIs; Jefferson Okada 2-3; Jarren Hirasaki 2b; Devin Okinaga 2b.

No. 10 Kaiser 6, Roosevelt 5

Jarryd Maeda singled home Neale Asato with two outs in the the seventh inning for the game-winning run as the Cougars overcame a two-run deficit in the final inning to pull out the win.

At Kaiser H.S. field

Roosevelt (6-2)	003	000	2	--	5	8	2
Kaiser (5-2)	003	000	3	--	6	11	2

David Chow, Keoni Manago (6) and Kevin Fujii. Reyn Kimura, Trent Hamada (3), Toby Inouye (7) and Jarryd Maeda. W--Inouye. L--Manago.
Leading hitters--Roos: Manago 2b; Fujii 2-3, 3b, 3-run HR; Nickolas Wong 2-3, RBI. Kais: Maeda 3-4, 2b, RBI; Scott Uyehara 2-2; Landon Kaaua 2-4; Colby Ho 2-run HR.

Kalani 8, No. 7 Kailua 6

Darren Takemoto drove in three runs to help the Falcons hand the Surfriders their first league loss of the season. Stuart Mikami went 3-for-3 with a double and an RBI for Kailua, while Tyler Harrison went 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI.

At Kahala Field

Kailua (6-1)	022	000	2	--	6	8	4
Kalani (6-1)	005	120	0	--	8	12	1

Kevin Matsumoto, Preston Nakata (6), and Michael D'Allessio, Nakata. Shamus Kumashiro, Jordan Sumida (4), Micah Takahashi (5), Joshua Markwith (6) and Preston Pires. W--Sumida. L--Matsumoto.
Leading hitters--Kail: Tyler Harrison, 2-3, 2b, RBI; Ryan Rodrigues, 2 RBIs; Matsumoto, 3b. Kaln: Pires, 2-4, RBI; Marcus Fujita, 2-3, 2 runs; Ridge Carpenter, 2-4, run; Darren Takemoto, 1-2, 3 RBIs; Stuart Mikami, 3-3, 2b, RBI.

Kaimuki 14, Farrington 12

Corey Morihara hit a double and a home run to lead the Bulldogs past the Governors.

Alex Mendoza hit a grand slam in the seventh innning, but it wasn't enough.

At Kaimuki Field

Farrington (1-6)	002	012	7	--	12	3	2
Kaimuki (1-7)	442	013	x	--	14	11	8

Anthony Gabrillo, Nathan Serdinia (2), Andrew Ganaban (2), and Alison Tolentino, Gabrillo (2). Kaeo Neal, Corey Morihara (5), Perry Faleao (7), Akon Sexton (7), Morihara (7), and Chase Nanod. W--Neal. L--Gabrillo.
Leading hitters--Farr: Alex Mendoza, grand slam, 3 runs, 4 RBIs; Gabrillo, 2 runs; Tolention, 2b. Kaim: Daren Muramoto, 2b, 3 runs; Neal, 3-4, 3b, 4 runs; Morihara, 2-3, 2b, HR, 4 runs, 3 RBIs; Swaine Seto-Mook, 3-4, 2b, 2 RBIs; Nanod, 2 RBIs.
Junior varsity
Moanalua 11, Kahuku 1
Waianae 33, Nanakuli 2

ILH
No. 2 Punahou 3, Iolani 0

Jared Pate hurled a six-hit shutout, striking out four, as the Buffanblu won their fourth straight.

At Aloha Stadium

Iolani (5-6-1)	000	000	0	--	0	6	2
Punahou (10-1-1)	001	020	x	--	3	6	2

Ian Mopas, Jon Sakoda (4), Jon Okada (5), Robson Bunda (6) and Riley Yamamoto. Jared Pate and Michael Chock. W--Pate. L--Mopas.
Leading hitters--Iol: Kyson Morikuni 2b. Pun: Bucky Aona 2-3, 2 RBIs; Kaohi Downing 2-2, 2b.

No. 6 Mid-Pacific 3, Pac-Five 1

Adam Tamashiro drove in two runs with a single in the second and Jared Hara pitched four shutout innings as the Owls defeated the Wolfpack.

At Aloha Stadium

Mid-Pacific (8-4)	020	100	0	--	3	6	1
Pac-Five (2-10)	000	000	1	--	1	5	2

Jared Hara, Jayson Kramer (5) and Kip Masuda. Samson Aina, Tyler Simao (4) and Aaron Chilcoe. W--Hara. L--Aina.
Leading hitters--MPI: Adam Tamashiro 2-4, 2 RBIs; Chad Takabuki 2b; Blayne Fuke 2b. Pac: Chilcote 2-3, 2b; Tony Onitsuka 2-3, 2b, RBI.

No. 1 Kamehameha 16, Maryknoll 6

The Warriors capitalized on 10 Spartan errors to score 16 runs in a rout to improve to 10-2.

At Ala Wai Field

Maryknoll(1-11)	003	102	0	--	6	6	10
Kamehameha (10-2)	071	051	2	--	16	8	3

John Worthington, Waylen Sing Chow (3) Troy Samura (6) and Stuart Kam. Peter Kirst, Spencer Kim (5) Nick Holmberg (6) and Ryan Matsumoto. W--Worthington. L--Kirst.
Leading hitters--Mryk: Ikaika Duyag, 2b; Brett Ikei, 2 2bs. KS: Nick Freitas, 2-4, 5 RBIs, 3b; Kam, 2 RBIs, 3b; Jamie Smeigh, 3b; Eli Chee, 2-3, RBI, 2b, 3b; Kamu Freitas, 2 RBIs.