HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL
Warriors upset No. 2 Buffanblu
The showers that washed out much of the Interscholastic League of Honolulu baseball schedule last week may have been a blessing for the Kamehameha Warriors.
Although a young Kamehameha pitching staff had performed well, the Warriors' struggles at the plate led to a 1-3 start to the regular season. So when last week's games were rained out, the Warriors went to work under the cover of the school's batting cages.
The extra swings may be starting to pay off as the Warriors have won their last two games since returning to action and evened their record yesterday with a 3-1 win over No. 2 Punahou at Central Oahu Regional Park.
Kamehameha shortstop Aaron Nichols' two-run single with two out in the top of the fourth inning gave the Warriors the lead, and pitchers Kapono Chang and Ashkhon Kuhaulua shut down the Buffanblu to preserve the win.
Although the season is still young, Kamehameha coach Vern Ramie is pleased with the strides the Warriors have already taken since the start of the ILH schedule, which began with a 10-1 loss to Punahou.
"It's a big turnaround," Ramie said. "The first week we didn't have anybody swinging the bat real well. We were just giving away a lot of at-bats, a lot of strikeouts.
"The (rainouts) gave us a chance to regroup a little bit and work on some things. The kids have been working real hard, I'm real proud of them. They knew they were capable of playing a lot better than we were."
Chang struck out three over five innings and earned the win. Kuhaulua picked up the save as the Warriors didn't allow a ball to leave the infield in the final three innings.
Punahou jumped ahead in the bottom of the first inning when Maika Murashige led off with a single to center and scored on Matthew Suiter's double down the third-base line.
The Buffanblu threatened to extend their lead in the third, loading the bases with one out. But Chang got Zachary Kometani to hit a chopper up the middle which Nichols converted into an inning-ending double play.
The Warriors then took the lead with their two-out rally in the fourth. After two quick outs, Parker McCready walked, Evan Kitamura singled to center, and Isaac Kitamura drew another walk to load the bases.
Nichols then ran the count to 2-2 before drilling a curveball from Punahou right-hander Scott Hiramoto into right field. His line drive just cleared the glove of a leaping Murashige to score McCready and Evan Kitamura for a 2-1 lead.
"Scott has a lot of stuff, he has a good fastball and his curveball was working real well," Nichols said. "So I was just setting up for the fastball and looking for the curve.
"They throw strikes and they come right at you. So we had our chances and weren't able to capitalize and Aaron got the big hit."
At Central Oahu Regional Park
Kamehameha (3-3) |
000 |
210 |
0 |
-- |
3 |
7 |
1
|
Punahou (2-2) |
100 |
000 |
0 |
-- |
1 |
6 |
0 |
Kapono Chang, Ashkhon Kuhaulua (6) and Stuart Kam. Scott Hiramoto, Jeeter Ishida (5) and Zachary Kometani. W--Chang. L--Hiramoto. S--Kuhaulua.
Leading hitters--Kam: Aaron Nichols 2-4, 2 RBIs, 2 sb; Waylen Sing Chow 2b. Pun: Maika Murashige 2-3, 2b; Matthew Suiter 2-2, 2b, RBI.
No. 1 Iolani 8, Mid-Pacific 5
Chris Johnson rapped out two hits, including a home run, as the Raiders defeated the Owls.
At Iolani School field
Mid-Pacific (3-2) |
100 |
040 |
0 |
-- |
5 |
4 |
2
|
Iolani (5-1) |
104 |
021 |
X |
-- |
8 |
12 |
2 |
Rick Goto, Austin Sloan (2), Kase Kaneko (3), Robert Dittrick (5) and Aaron Fujiki. Wally Marciel and Jarvis Nohara. W--Marciel. L--Kaneko.
Leading hitters--MPI: Fujiki 2-3, 2b, 3 RBIs; Russell Doi 2 RBIs. Iol: Case Miyahira 2-4, 2 runs; Marciel 2-3, 2b; Chris Johnson 2-4, 2 runs, HR; Reyn Nagamine HR, 3 RBIs; Mike Hirokawa 2-4; Nohara 2-2.
Saint Louis 8, Damien 1
Justin Doane broke open the game with a three-run shot in the fifth inning for the Crusaders and drove in a game-high four runs in a victory over the Monarchs.
At Mid-Pacific Institute field
Saint Louis (2-4) |
200 |
041 |
1 |
-- |
8 |
10 |
1
|
Damien (1-3) |
100 |
000 |
0 |
-- |
1 |
8 |
4 |
Gavin Mendez, Kamakana Ausu (6) and Justin Doane. Evander Ledward, Jonathan Awa (6), Oliver Taoy (6) and Kai Higa. W--Mendez. L--Ledward.
Leading hitters--StL: Cameron Bayne 2-4, 2b, 2 RBIs; Doane 2-4, 3-run HR, 4 RBIs; Rick Miyamoto 2-4. Dam: Taoy 2-3, 2b; Duncan Ebert 2b.
OIA EAST
No. 3 Kaiser 9, No. 9 Kalani 8
Despite a six-run rally late in the game, the Falcons gave up six unearned runs and 11 hits in their loss to the visiting Cougars. Scott Uehara led the way offensively for Kaiser with three hits, a double and a pair of runs driven in.
At Kahala Community Park
Kaiser (4-1) |
202 |
140 |
0 |
-- |
9 |
11 |
0
|
Kalani (4-2) |
000 |
206 |
0 |
-- |
8 |
10 |
6 |
Russell Sasaki, Evan Garcia (5), Andy Uehara (6), Scott Uehara (6) and Jarryd Maeda. Micah Takahashi, Jordan Sumida (1), Darren Takemoto (3), Shamus Kumashiro (5) and Jason Lee. W--Sasaki. L--Takahashi.
Leading hitters--Kais: S. Uehara 3-4, 2b, run, 2 RBIs; Maeda 2-4, RBI; Kahanu Chan 2-3, RBI. Kaln: Joshua Markwith 2-5, run, RBI; Ridge Carpenter 2-3, run, 2 RBIs; Terrence Lum 3-3, 2b, run, 3 RBIs; Chris Pieper 2-3, run.
Moanalua 10, Kaimuki 0
The Menehunes' Shaun Kaulukukui pitched three strikeouts over three innings for the win over the Bulldogs, and combined with Keith Kunitake and Jordan Hirata for a three-hitter.
At Moanalua H.S. field
Kaimuki (0-4) |
|
000 |
000 |
-- |
0 |
3 |
2
|
Moanalua (4-1) |
|
422 |
101 |
-- |
10 |
12 |
2 |
Kamahoi Goodman, Ikaika Ayers (3), Swaine Seto-Mook (5) and Chase Nanod. Shaun Kaulukukui, Keith Kunitake (4), Jordan Hirata (6) and Wayde Iwanaga, Bryce Onaga (3), Sheldon Mow (4). W--Kaulukukui. L--Goodman.
Leading hitters--Kaim: Daren Muramoto 2-2. Moan: Peter Arakawa 2-2, 2b, HR; Jordan Monaco 3b; Trevan Kawaoka 2b; Devin Nakama 2b; Mow 2b; John Estores 2-3.
OIA WEST
Mililani 7, Radford 3
Ryne Miyamoto drove in three runs for the Trojans, who rode three-run second and fifth innings to a win over the Rams.
At Mililani H.S. field
Radford (2-2) |
101 |
001 |
0 |
-- |
3 |
9 |
1
|
Mililani (3-3) |
030 |
031 |
X |
-- |
7 |
10 |
0 |
Wes McCormick, Justin Lord (5) and Chris Strutz. Kylen Cadiam, Bryce Rivera (7) and Richie Mariano. W--Cadiam. L--McCormick.
Leading hitters--Rad: Kyle Blaire 3-4, 2 runs; Jesse Mayeux 2-3. Mili: Ryne Miyamoto 2-3, 3 RBIs; Tojo Ishida 2-3.