HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL
Punahou 3-peats in state baseball
The Buffanblu plate a run in the ninth inning to defeat ILH rival Kamehameha 4-3 on Maui
By Fred Guzman
Special to the Star-Bulletin
WAILUKU, Maui » What Punahou failed to do during the ILH season the Buffanblu accomplished when it counted most.
Unable to preserve an early 3-0 lead, Punahou capitalized on Kamehameha's fifth error of the game to post a 4-3, nine-inning victory to capture their third straight HHSAA/Wally Yonamine Foundation state high school baseball title.
Maika Murashige dropped a bunt down the third-base line that Kamehameha reliever Waylen Sing Chow fielded cleanly but launched his throw down the right-field line at Iron Maehara Stadium.
Murashige advanced to third base on the miscue, and came home on Matt Suiter's fly to center. Paul Snieder, who pitched brilliantly in relief, retired the side in the ninth for the victory.
Punahou didn't waste any time staking starter Jeeter Ishida to a 2-0 lead as Bucky Aiona singled to left and Steven Dannaway doubled to right.
Punahou increased its lead to 3-0 in the third as Suiter led off with a single to left, stole second, advanced to third on the catcher's throwing error and came home on Aiona's grounder to second.
Kamehameha finally solved Ishida's offerings in the fourth, scoring a pair of runs as Makana Kitamura tripled down the line in right to drive in Mitchell Kauwekoa and courtesy runner Tyler Hee.
That was the end of the evening for Ishida, who was replaced by Carl Graves. The lefty was up to the challenge, striking out Keahi Piiohia and inducing Vance Nobriga to fly to right.
After Stuart Kam walked and Ed Dun was hit by a pitch to open the sixth, Punahou coach Eric Kadooka summoned Snieder from first to the mound with a 2-0 count on Kitamura and no outs.
Snieder walked Kitamura, loading the bases. Piiohia then lofted a fly into shallow right-center that fell among three players. Tyler Hee scored the tying run on the play.
THIRD PLACE
Waiakea 7, Castle 5
Waiakea erupted for four runs in the top of the first inning and added three more in the second by accumulating five hits and capitalizing on four Castle errors.
Waiakea starter Brian Simeona helped his own cause by driving in the game's first run with a single to left, scoring Joseph Velez.
He was followed to the plate by Simeona, Kevin Seaver and Kekoa Yockman.
A bases-clearing double to the fence in left-center by Yockman was the big hit in the second.
But the lead didn't hold up for long as the Knights picked up one run in the bottom of the second and four in a wild third inning that had everyone -- players, coaches and fans -- scratching their heads.
With the bases loaded and none out, Castle's Brandon Kon hit a soft liner that Waiakea shortstop Kevin Seaver appeared to grab on a short hop.
But the umpires ruled the ball was caught on the fly, with the toss to second producing a double play.
Meanwhile, the Castle runner on third jogged home thinking he was scoring a run only to be tagged out as he belatedly retreated to third for what officially went down as an inning-ending, rally-killing triple play.
FIFTH PLACE
Kamehameha-Hawaii 7, Baldwin 5, 5 inn.
The Warriors defeated the Bears in a game stopped after the top of the fifth inning because of the 2-hour time limit.
Kamehameha took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second as Makaala Heiden led off with a double and eventually scored on a wild pitch.
The Warriors added three runs in the third, taking advantage of three Baldwin errors.
The Bears rebounded for five runs in the fourth, collecting six hits while sending 10 players to the plate for a short-lived 5-4 lead.
But Kamehameha again made the most of three hits and three Baldwin errors to score three runs in the bottom of the fourth for the final margin of victory.
Baldwin (12-3) |
|
000 |
50 |
-- |
5 |
7 |
5
|
KS-Hawaii (14-1-1) |
013 |
3x |
-- |
7 |
8 |
5 |
Shaun Shiima, Keitz Murakami (4) and Logan Kanamu. Kelii Kimi, Andrew Love (3) Blake Amoral (4) and Kolten Wong. W--Amoral. L--Murakami.
Leading hitters--Bald: Kainoa Klask 2b. Kam: Reese Alnes 2-3, 2b, RBI; Wong 2-2; Makaala Heidenfeldt 2b.
CONSOLATION
Kailua 9, Waimea 8, 5 inn.
Although the Surfriders led 11-8 at the time the game was stopped, the result goes down as a victory for Kailua over the Menehune in a game featuring 24 hits.
Waimea's Quinton Natividad led the offensive fireworks with four hits and driving in four runs.
Kelii Klobucar drove in three runs for Kailua.
Kailua (12-5) |
|
512 |
10 |
-- |
9 |
12 |
1
|
Waimea (12-3) |
|
260 |
00 |
-- |
8 |
12 |
2 |
Nathan Alvarado, Pat Murphy (2), Michael D'Alessio (4) and D'Allesio, Rayner Yokoi (4). Reggie Vigilia and Brenden Hew. W--D'Alessio. L--Vigilia.
Leading hitters--Kail: Preston Nakata 2-4, 2b; Kurt Sasaoka 3-4, 3b, RBI; Aaron Kunioka 3-3; Kelii Klobucar 2-4, 3 RBIs; Zach Akamine 2-4, 2b, 2 RBIs. Waim: Quinton Natividad 4-4, 2b, RBI; Isaac Castillo 2-4, HR, RBI; Bradley Frasco 2-2, 2b; Keith Nonaka 3b, RBI.