Punahou pounds Kauai

Only time itself could slow down Bucky Aona, Jared Pate and the rest of the top-seeded Buffanblu.

Starting 2 hours after the scheduled 4:30 p.m. game time, Aona immediately made up for the lost time.

The junior blasted a mammoth solo homer over the back fence in right-center in the first inning, and Pate teamed up with Scott Hiramoto to throw a no-hitter as Punahou rolled over Kauai 10-0 in five innings to advance to the semifinals of the Wally Yonamine Foundation Baseball State Championship yesterday at Les Murakami Stadium.

Aona's shot, estimated at 400 feet, was the first homer in the tournament and it set the tone for rest of the game.

"That's a Division I-caliber shot," Punahou coach Eric Kadooka said. "I hope people take notice."

Aona, who spent the extra hours before the game feeling a little anxious, got the exact pitch he was looking for and knew what to do with it.

"I was already looking curveball and he threw it," Aona said.

As dominating as the Buffanblu bats were, the pitching was even more impressive. It was the first no-hitter pitched in the state tournament since Roosevelt's Chris Mols tossed one in 2002, and it was the first by Punahou since Glenn Goya pitched a perfect game in 1972.

"I was just happy to be out there," Hiramoto said. "We wanted to try to rest Jared and we got him out of there as soon as possible."

They didn't need much from their ace as the Buffanblu scored all 10 runs in the first three innings. Ahead 2-0 after the first, Michael Chock ripped an RBI double and Kyle Fujimoto singled home two more runs in the second to chase Red Raiders starter Shannon Oketani, who recorded just four outs in the game.

Reliever Stanton Yoshimori didn't fare much better, giving up a run on a wild pitch and a two-run double to Steven Dannaway that made the game 8-0.

"We come out here trying to put pressure on the other team from the get-go," Kadooka said. "You never save anybody in this game, but in a tournament format, and since we were able to get some runs early, we were able to get Jared some rest."

Pate threw just 23 pitches in two innings, walking one batter and hitting another. He will be available to pitch in today's game, but whether he will start will be a game-time decision.

"We'll just come to the ballpark tomorrow and see what we want to do then," Kadooka said.

The Buffanblu face Waiakea at 5:30 p.m. in the first semifinal game.

Punahou got an even more dominating performance by Hiramoto, who picked up the win. He didn't allow a baserunner in three innings and struck out five.

"Scott's a young pitcher, and to put him in this atmosphere and see him throw strikes like he did was encouraging," Kadooka said. "It gives the team confidence in having another pitcher."

A sacrifice fly by Chock and an RBI double by Landon Nakata capped the game's scoring.

Jordan Buster proved to be the lone bright spot for the Red Raiders, pitching two scoreless innings of relief. The freshmen gave up just one hit in his first appearance this season.

"He's lucky if he's even 100 pounds and doesn't look like much, but we've heard good things about him," Red Raiders coach Hank Ibia said. "This was a good experience for him and we're expecting to see more of him in the next three years."

Kauai takes on Moanalua in a consolation game today at 12:30 p.m.

At Les Murakami Stadium

Punahou (19-2-1)		262	00	--	10	9	0
Kauai (12-2)		000	00	--	0	0	1

Jared Pate, Scott Hiramoto (3) and Michael Chock. Shannon Oketani, Stanton Yoshimori (2), Jordan Buster (4) and Aaron Adachi. W--Hiramoto. L--Oketani.
Leading hitters--Pun: Landon Nakata 1-2, 2b, 2 runs, RBI; Kyle Fujimoto 1-3, run, 3 RBIs; Bucky Aona 2-3, HR, 2 runs; Steven Dannaway 1-3, 2b, 2 RBIs; Kaohi Downing 3b, run; Chock 1-2, 2b, 2 RBI; Reyn Kubota 2 runs.

Waiakea 11, Moanalua 5

Kekoa Yockman's three-run triple highlighted a seven-run third inning as the Warriors (13-2) overcame a shaky start to defeat the Menehunes (10-3).

Donovan Souza gave Moanalua an early 3-0 lead with a three-run triple in the bottom of the first inning.

But two costly errors to open the third paved the way for Waiakea's big inning as the first seven batters reached base.

"We bunted really well and then got that big triple down the right-field line," Warriors coach Tommy Correa said. "We settled down after that and Justin (Kekaualua) took over from there."

After giving up four runs and five hits in the first two innings, Kekaualua dominated the Menehunes over the final five innings, giving up just one hit the rest of the game. He allowed a walk and a double to open the seventh. But after a visit to the mound from Correa, he retired the final three batters, including the last batter with his 11th strikeout.

"I felt it wasn't my best, so I just tried to get the ball in the strike zone so they could hit it to my fielders and let them make the outs," Kekaualua said.

Peter Arakawa led the Menehunes with two hits and three runs scored.

"That Arakawa was pesky and just creating havoc out there," Correa said. "Fortunately, we got out to a big lead and had a cushion in that last inning that gave us a lot of leeway."

At Les Murakami Stadium

Waiakea (13-2)	017	020	1	--	11	11	2
Moanalua (10-3)	310	000	1	--	5	6	4

Justin Kekaualua and Raymond Velez. Adam Arakawa, Kekoa Lee (3), Chance Daskauskas (7) and Donovan Souza. W--Kekaualua. L--A. Arakawa.
Leading hitters--Waik: Keko Yockman 2-3 2b, 3b, run, 3 RBIs; Sheldon Otsuka 3-4 2b, 2 runs, RBI; Jesse Yamashita 2-3 run; Garrett Amaral 2b, RBI. Moan: Peter Arakawa 2-2, 2b, 3 runs; A. Arakawa 2-3, 2b, run, 2 RBIs; Souza 1-3, 3b, 3 RBIs.