HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL
ILH breaks out the bats for real
By all accounts, the Kamehameha Warriors are one of the teams to beat this season on the diamonds of the Interscholastic League of Honolulu.
With their entire pitching staff intact from a team that barely lost in last year's state-tournament final, Kamehameha has the respect and even admiration of its ILH foes.
ILH BASEBALL
This week's games
YESTERDAY
Iolani 5, Kamehameha 4
FRIDAY
Saint Louis vs. Iolani at Ala Wai Field, 3:15 p.m.
SATURDAY
Iolani at Mid-Pacific, 3 p.m.
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Iolani may have moved up a notch, as well, after edging Kamehameha 5-4 yesterday in the ILH season opener at the Raiders' field. With UH coach Mike Trapasso among the 100 or so fans on hand, it was Iolani that looked like a serious threat to win the league championship.
The Raiders, a team with speed and defense, turned to ace Kelsey Outram for a solid effort. It was a freshman out of the bullpen, Sheldon Lee, who closed out the win for Iolani.
In the meantime, Iolani got the most out of its seven hits, a total matched by Kamehameha. Case Miyahira, a two-sport standout, smacked a two-run single that broke a 1-all tie. After Reyn Nagamine followed with another two-run single, Iolani was in control before having to hold on for dear life when the visiting Warriors rallied in the final innings.
The Raiders will travel to Southern California and play four games during spring break, which is why three games are on their slate this week. After just one game, the much-anticipated parity in the ILH is already reality.
Raiders tip Warriors in ILH opener
By Paul Honda
phonda@starbulletin.com
Freshmen aren't supposed to be this good in the clutch, but Sheldon Lee is proving conventional wisdom wrong.
The reliever delivered in the seventh inning, recording the final two outs to snuff out a Kamehameha rally as Iolani posted a 5-4 win yesterday in the opening game of the Interscholastic League of Honolulu baseball season.
A crowd of about 100 watched at Iolani's field.
Lee saved the victory for winning pitcher Kelsey Outram, who surrendered just two earned runs and seven hits over 6 1/3 innings against last year's state-tournament runner-up.
"It's gonna be like this every game," Raiders coach Dean Yonamine said, noting Kamehameha's comeback after Iolani took a 5-1 lead. "We couldn't come out flat. Shel came in and did great. He's done that the whole preseason."
Lee displayed the composure of a much older pitcher.
"I wasn't expecting to pitch today. It was pretty (nerve) wracking, but I just tried to throw strikes with all my pitches," said Lee, who mixed a fastball, curveball and changeup.
Iolani, which was 10-6 in nonconference play, got key hits from Case Miyahira and Reyn Nagamine. The two came through with clutch two-run singles in the pivotal fourth inning. With the game tied at 1, Miyahira faced an 0-2 count against Warriors reliever Chris Pascual. After taking a ball, Miyahira smacked an inside fastball to left for a single, scoring Justin Yamamoto and Kela Marciel.
"He was struggling to get strikes over," Miyahira said of Kamehameha starter Ashkhon Kuhaulua. "He had to go to his fastball. Normally, he has movement on it."
Nagamine then singled to right, bringing home Lionel Fujioka and Miyahira for a 5-1 Iolani lead.
Mitchell Kauweloa, who was 3-for-3 to pace Kamehameha, socked a two-run single in the top of the fifth to bring his team within 5-3.
With one out in the top of the seventh, Outram gave up a double and a walk before Yonamine brought in Lee, a 5-foot-10 left-hander. Waylen Sing Chow sent a sacrifice fly to center, bringing home Kapena Kalehuawehe-Gomes to make it 5-4.
Lee then issued an intentional walk to Kauweloa, but also walked John Worthington to load the bases. Lee then got Kuhaulua to ground out to third, ending the game.
"We've gotta throw strikes and play better defense. If not, you'll be playing from behind no matter who you play," Kamehameha coach Vern Ramie said. "Our kids came back. We were one base hit away from taking the lead."
Kuhaulua, who took the loss, went 3 2/3 innings and gave up four runs on five hits. Both starting pitchers were a bit edgy in the opening frame.
"Their pitcher settled down quicker than ours did," Ramie said.
Kauweloa was impressive, hitting the ball with authority in his three at-bats.
"It's good to see. He was struggling for a few games before this," Ramie said of the 6-2 senior. "He's made an adjustment and it's coming together for him."
The game came together for Outram, as well.
"My curveball was falling in for strikes," he said, noting that the four-run fourth inning helped settle him down. "It was comfortable to have a big lead."
Iolani 2, Kamehameha 1
At Iolani H.S. field
Kamehameha (0-1) |
100 |
020 |
1 |
-- |
4 |
7 |
1
|
Iolani (1-0) |
100 |
400 |
x |
-- |
5 |
7 |
2
|
Ashkhon Kuhaulua, Chris Pascual (4), John Worthington (5) and Vance Nobriga. Kelsey Outram, Sheldon Lee (7) and Grant Iwamoto.
W--Outram. L--Kuhaulua. S--Lee.
Leading hitters--Kamehameha: Mitchell Kauweloa 3-3, 2 RBIs; Kapena Kalehuawehe-Gomes 2-3, double, 2 runs. Iolani: Case Miyahira 2-4, double, 2 RBIs, 2 runs.