HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL
Na Alii get just enough to win
By Kyle Galdeira
Special to the Star-Bulletin
Aiea starting pitcher Derek Grace picked the right opportunity to unleash his best performance of the season.
In a classic pitchers' duel, No. 6 Na Alii held on for the 1-0 victory over No. 3 Kaiser yesterday afternoon in the first semifinal game of the OIA championship tournament held at Central Oahu Regional Park.
Grace threw a complete game four-hitter, and struck out six Cougar batters while walking just one. It was his pitching assignment since midway through the regular season when he was sidelined with shoulder soreness.
"I think his performance pretty much speaks for itself," said Aiea head coach Ryan Kato. "He was lights out. He told me he wanted the ball, and I was a little bit leery because he's coming off a sore arm. But he said, 'Coach, I want the ball, give me the ball,' and these guys work so hard during the season that when they say stuff like that, as a coach, I've just got to go with it. So he took the ball, and the rest is history."
Kaiser (10-2) starting pitcher Russel Sasaki was saddled with the loss, despite a stellar performance. The southpaw also notched a complete game, allowing the one run on five hits and one strikeout.
Na Alii (11-1) scored the game's deciding run in the bottom of the fourth inning. Cody Aquino singled to lead off the inning, and then stole second base. Sasaki got Grace to fly out to center field, and picked up the second out when Shane Koga grounded out to second baseman Joseph Honma. However, Aquino moved over to third base on the play, and came home when shortstop Andrew Uehara couldn't handle Reid Nakamura's sharp grounder that could have ended the inning.
"This is a total team effort," Kato said. "This team is a very close-knit group, and they know each other well. As far as a total team, this is what we have this year."
The Cougars had a golden opportunity to take the lead in the first inning, but could not capitalize. Uehara led off the game with a single to left field, and moved over to second base on Mason Masaki's sacrifice bunt. After Grace uncorked a wild pitch to the backstop, and Colby Ho walked, Kaiser had runners on first and third with one away. But Grace bore down to get Jarryd Maeda to fly out to right, and Nanea Baird to ground out to second.
"It feels good because I have no pain," Grace said. "With my arm problems, the hardest thing to throw was my fastball, so coach told me that if I don't get my fastball back to where it was before that he wasn't going to let me start."
Aiea, the No. 1 seed out of the Western Division, will take on Moanalua in the championship game set for tomorrow at 5:30 p.m. at Central Oahu Regional Park. Na Alii last won the OIA title in 2004, making them the only team other than Kailua to accomplish the feat this century.
"I tell them to just keep doing what they've been doing," Kato said. "They're on a mission. The mission was from day one to go out there and get a bye in the OIA tournament, which we accomplished, and then to get into the state tournament, which we accomplished, and the next goal is to win the OIA. We've put ourselves in a position to do it, so they still have that to take care of."
Kaiser, along with Aiea, Kailua and Moanalua, has already secured a state tournament berth, and will play in the OIA third-place game tomorrow at 2 p.m. at Central Oahu Regional Park.
At Aiea H.S. field
Kaiser (10-2) |
000 |
000 |
0 |
-- |
0 |
4 |
1
|
Aiea (11-1) |
000 |
100 |
X |
-- |
1 |
5 |
0 |
Russel Sasaki and Jarryd Maeda. Derek Grace and Tripper Chung. W--Grace. L--Sasaki.
Leading hitters--Aiea: Cody Aquino 2-3, run.
No. 5 Moanalua 7, No. 10 Kailua 5
John Soares tripled and drove in two runs and Jordan Monico added an RBI triple as the Menehunes overcame an early 4-1 deficit to come from behind for the win.
Jared Coloma picked up the win in relief of Markus Miyashiro, who gave up four runs in four innings.
Zachary Akamine and Kurt Sasaoka each had two hits for the Surfriders.
At Moanlua H.S. field
Kailua (10-3) |
030 |
100 |
1 |
-- |
5 |
8 |
0
|
Moanalua (11-1) |
010 |
042 |
x |
-- |
7 |
13 |
3 |
Nathan Alvarado, Patrick Murphy (2), Zachary Akamine (5), Kili Vierra (5) and Mike D'Alessio. Markus Miyashiro, Jared Coloma (5), Peter Arakawa (7) and Wade Iwanaga. W--Coloma. L--Murphy.
Leading hitters--Kail: Akamine 2-4; Kurt Sasaoka 2-3; Kelii Klobucar 2b. Moan: John Soares 3b, 2 RBIs; Jay Yoshizawa 2-3, Jordan Monico 2-3, 3b, RBI.
Castle 5, Pearl City 4
Corey Paredes hit a two-run single in the first inning and Lyle Kitagawa drove in two more runs with a double in the second inning as the Knights jumped out to an early 5-0 lead before holding on for the victory and keeping their state playoff hopes alive.
Chad Quillopo drove in two runs for the Chargers, who finished the season 8-4.
At Pearl City H.S. field
Castle (8-5) |
320 |
000 |
0 |
-- |
5 |
9 |
1
|
Pearl City (8-4) |
030 |
010 |
0 |
-- |
4 |
6 |
4 |
Kyle Kanaeholo, Barron Meyer (6) and Lyle Kitagawa. Jason Rasa, Shannon Liu (2) and Jeff Domingo. W--Kanaeholo. L--Rasa. S--Meyer.
Leading hitters--Cas: Brandon Kon 2-4, 2 runs; Kitagawa 2-4, 2 2b's, 2 RBIs; Corey Paredes 2 RBIs. PC: Kurt Tanabe 2b; Chad Quillopo 2 RBIs.
No. 7 Leilehua 4, Kalani 1
Andrew Ontai hit a three-run homer in the third inning and Joshua Pastor gave up just two hits in seven innings to lead the Mules past the Falcons.
Leilehua will play Castle for the fifth and final OIA berth in the state tournament tomorrow at 10 a.m. at Central Oahu Regional Park.
At Leilehua H.S. field
Kalani (8-5) |
000 |
100 |
0 |
-- |
1 |
2 |
0
|
Leilehua (10-3) |
003 |
010 |
x |
-- |
4 |
6 |
0 |
Josh Markwith, Micah Takahashi (6) and Dillon Matsuda, Jason Lee (7). Joshua Pastor and Ehukai Woolley. W--Pastor. L--Markwith.
Leading hitters--Kaln: Lee 2b. Lei: John Olley 2-3; Andrew Ontai HR, 3 RBIs.
ILH
Mid-Pacific 6, Pac-Five 5
Chad Takabuki went 3-for-4 with a double and scored three runs as the Owls defeated the Wolf Pack in 10 innings.
Ronel Trias had two hits and drove in a run for Pac-Five in a losing effort.
At Aloha Stadium
Pac-Five (5-9) |
230 |
000 |
000 |
0 |
-- |
5 |
7 |
2
|
Mid-Pacific (8-7) |
110 |
020 |
100 |
1 |
-- |
6 |
11 |
1 |
Spencer Kim, Peter Kirst (7), Samson Aina (10) and Aaron Chilcote. Robert Dittrick, Case Kaneko (1), Lyle Shimata (2), Matt McDaniel (7) and Aaron Fujiki. W--McDaniel. L--Aina.
Leading hitters--P5: Ronel Trias 2-4, RBI; Kendall Tanigawa 2-4, RBI; Ross Yamato 2b, RBI. MPI: Chad Takabuki 3-4, 2b, 3 runs, RBI; Alan Sunaga 2-5; Adam Tamashiro 2b, RBI; Michael Nagamine 2-4.
Kamehameha 5, Saint Louis 4
Tyler Hee scored two runs and Ed Dun hit a two-run single as part of a four-run third inning as the Warriors held on to defeat the Crusaders.
Cameron Bayne's two-run triple highlighted a four-run fourth inning for the Crusaders, who cut the lead to one, but didn't score again.
At Hans L'Orange Park
Saint Louis (4-11) |
000 |
040 |
0 |
-- |
4 |
6 |
2
|
Kamehameha (7-8) |
014 |
000 |
x |
-- |
5 |
3 |
2 |
Kamakani Usui, Ryan Sasaki (4) and Keoni Haina. John Worthington, Scott Fisher (5) and Stuart Kam. W--Worthington. L--Usui.
Leading hitters--StL: Cameron Bayne 3b, 2 RBIs; Rick Miyamoto 2b. Kam: Ed Dun 2 RBIs; Tyler Hee 2 runs.
No. 1 Punahou 3, No. 2 Iolani 2
Paul Snieder drove in two runs as the Buffanblu defeated the Raiders.
Travis Nishioka had two hits, including a double, and scored a run for Iolani. Jeeter Ishida went the distance for the Buffanblu, giving up seven hits in seven innings to record the win.
At Aloha Stadium
Iolani (12-4) |
010 |
001 |
0 |
-- |
2 |
7 |
0
|
Punahou (13-2) |
010 |
020 |
x |
-- |
3 |
5 |
0 |
JR Bunda, Jon Okada (5), Kelsey Outram (6) and Jarvis Nohara. Jeeter Ishida and Zach Kometani. W--Ishida. L--Okada.
Leading hitters--Iol: Wally Marciel 2-3, run; Travis Nishioka 2-3, 2b, run. Pun: Steven Dannaway 2b; Paul Snieder 2 RBIs.