Aiea routs Kalani in OIA baseball

The quarterfinal win earns Na Alii a spot in the state tourney

It all boiled down to readiness.

Aiea showed how ready it was last night at Central Oahu Regional Park, jumping all over Kalani in the first inning en route to a 7-1 victory in the quarterfinals of the Oahu Interscholastic Association baseball tournament.

"We're aggressive by nature," said Na Alii coach Ryan Kato, whose team wrapped up a spot in the upcoming state tournament and moved into a semifinal matchup today at home against Kaiser. "It starts in the preseason; that's when we start gearing to play. Everything we do every day is in preparation for game time, in anticipation of that first pitch of every game."

It didn't hurt that Aiea (10-1) had a bye as the West Division's top seed and was able to rest a bit longer than Kalani. The Falcons (8-4) had to beat Waianae on Tuesday for the right to advance.

Na Alii rallied for four first-inning runs on five hits off Kalani starter Darren Takemoto and reliever Joshua Markwith, who came in with only one out. Aiea's Reid Nakamura hit a two-run single and Derek Grace and Brian Morihara added RBI base hits.

"We played not to lose," Falcons coach Shannon Hirai said.

But Kalani's problems ran much deeper.

"Some of our kids, and I don't know for what reason, played intramural basketball today," Hirai added. "That right there shows me how much they wanted this."

Na Alii lefty Cody Aquino allowed four hits in 5 1/3 innings and didn't run into trouble until the sixth, when he gave way to right-hander Randy Castillo. Castillo didn't allow a hit and struck out three the rest of the way.

"Whatever he wanted to throw (was working)," Kato said about Aquino. "He gave us the same performance that we've come to expect. That's why he's our No. 1 (pitcher)."

After Aiea scored single runs in the second, third and fourth for a 7-0 lead, Aquino walked three batters in the sixth, when the Falcons got their only run on Jason Lee's sacrifice fly to left. Kalani didn't maximize its comeback potential, leaving the bases loaded as Castillo fanned Chris Pieper and Terrence Lum to end the threat.

"I lost my touch, and I couldn't find it," Aquino said about his sixth-inning trouble. "I think my release point was off, but I wasn't worried because I had my defense backing me up."

Na Alii's final three runs came via Grace's sacrifice fly, Herbert Chung's run-scoring fielder's choice and Brian Morihara's RBI single.

The Falcons lost in the quarterfinals for the fifth straight year.

"We can't get over the hump, and the kids are putting pressure on themselves," Hirai said. "We were seeded last year and didn't make it. It's something that's hard to pinpoint, but it's a struggle every year."

The Falcons still have a chance to make the states, but to do it they have to get to and win Saturday's fifth-place game. They play at Leilehua today.

Kato, whose team lost to Kalani twice in the preseason, also lost to Kaiser, today's opponent, in the preseason.

"They can play," said Kato about the Cougars. "And I expect them to come at us."

Aiea last won the OIA title in 2004.

At Central Oahu Regional Park

Kalani (8-4)	000	001	0	--	1	4	1
Aiea (10-1)	411	100	x	--	7	11	1

Darren Takemoto, Joshua Markwith (1), Kenn Kamoto (2) and Jason Lee, Dillon Matsuda (1), Lee (2). Cody Aquino, Randy Castillo (6) and Herbert Chung.W--Aquino.L--Takemoto.

Leading hitters--Kaln: Jason Lee RBI.Aiea:Chung 2-3, 2b, RBI; Derek Grace 2 RBIs; Reid Nakamura 2 RBIs; Brian Morihara 2-3, 2 RBIs; Keenan Naeole 2-2.

No. 5 Moanalua 7, Castle 2

Mike Amarozo held the Knights to two runs on seven hits in seven innings to pick up the win for the Menehunes, and Kekoa Lee's two-run double highlighted a three-run third inning as Moanalua advance to the semifinals.

David Mohika doubled and drove in two runs to lead the Knights.

At Moanalua H.S. field

Castle (7-5)	100	010	0	--	2	7	2
Moanalua (10-1)	005	020	x	--	7	7	2

Pulama Silva, Barron Meyer (6) and David Mohika. Mike Amorozo and Wade Iwanaga.W--Amorozo.L--Silva.

Leading hitters--Cas: Mohika 2-3, 2b, 2 RBIs; Corey Paredes 2-3, 2b.Moan: Kekoa Lee 2-3, 2b, 2 RBIs.

No. 3 Kaiser 5, No. 7 Leilehua 0

Toby Inouye tossed a seven-hit shutout while striking out three and Jarryd Maeda drove in two runs as the Cougars blanked the Mules.

Kaiser's Colby Ho and Scott Uyehara added two hits apiece, while John Olley and Joshua Pastor did the same for Leilehua.

At Kaiser H.S. field

Leilehua (9-3)	000	000	0	--	0	7	0
Kaiser (10-1)	111	020	x	--	5	10	1

Brett Nakasone, Casey Yamaguchi (5) and Ehukai Woolley. Toby Inouye and Jarryd Maeda.W--Inouye.L--Nakasone.

Leading hitters--Lei: John Olley 2-4; Joshua Pastor 2-4.Kais: Colby Ho 2-3, 2b; Maeda 2-3, 2 RBIs; Scott Uyehara 2-4; Noel Okuma 1-3, 2b, RBI.

No. 10 Kailua 4, Pearl City 1

Preston Nakata gave up just one run on three hits and escaped a jam in the bottom of the seventh inning to give the Surfriders the victory.

Kailua got hits from seven different hitters and took advantage of critical errors by the Chargers, scoring two runs in the seventh on a balk and sacrifice fly.

At Pearl City H.S. field

Kailua (10-2)	001	100	2	--	4	7	4
Pearl City (8-3)	000	000	1	--	1	3	4

Preston Nakata and Mike D'Alessio. Jason Tamanaha, Scott Muraoka (7) and Jeff Domingo.W--Nakata.L--Tamanaha.

Leading hitters--Kail: Limahai 2-3.

ILH

No. 1 Punahou 3, Kamehameha 2

Zachary Kometani singled home Jeeter Ishida with the winning run in the bottom of the eighth inning to give the Buffanblu the victory.

The Warriors took a 2-0 lead in the first inning but couldn't score again as Paul Snieder recorded the victory in relief of starter Carl Graves. A solo homer by Matt Suiter in the fourth inning cut the lead to one and the Buffanblu scored one more in the fifth to tie the game.

At Aloha Stadium

Kamehameha (6-8)	200	000	00	--	2	5	1
Punahou (12-2)	000	110	01	--	3	7	2

Jordan Inafuku, Ashkon Kuhalua (4) and Stuart Kam. Carl Graves, Paul Snieder (6) and Zachary Kometani.W--Snieder.L--Kuhalua.

Leading hitters--Pun: Matt Suiter HR; Kometani 2-4, RBI; Danny Cho 2b.

Damien 7, Saint Louis 7

The game was called due to darkness in the bottom of the seventh inning with the score tied. It will be completed today.

The location and time were not known last night.