Mid-Pac vs. Kamehameha baseball battle on OC 16
League history will be made when fifth-ranked Kamehameha and No. 2 Mid-Pacific square off at Central Oahu Regional Park today at 6 p.m.
For the first time, at least in Dunn Muramaru's memory, an Interscholastic League of Honolulu baseball game will be televised.
"We're more worried about this being a night game," said Muramaru, Mid-Pacific's coach. "We have to prepare. We have lights in our cages, so we've been doing that, but fly balls, that's a crapshoot. They gotta figure it out. I'm not worried about that."
The Owls are 4-1 in league play, second only to Punahou.
"They're more mature than last year. Last year, we might've lost three or four of these games. They know how to handle the adversity," Muramaru said.
Sophomore Matthew McDaniel (0-0), who has impressed Muramaru with his poise, will take the mound for MPI.
Big menu
It happens every year. Coaches and media have more than a dozen, sometimes nearly two dozen teams listed on their collective Top 10 ballots.
Then, as the season uncoils, the list solidifies. Stronger teams prove their believers right. Other teams get shaken off.
Last week, 26 teams got at least one point in the voting. This week, voters whittled the list down to 23. By season's end, there are usually no more than 15 teams that still get a vote.
This season could be different, though. The breadth of quality teams is astounding, even though there is a noticeable absence of former powerhouse Molokai.
The list of traditionally formidable programs that are sitting in the on-deck circle (not ranked) include Aiea, Moanalua, Baldwin, Castle, Waianae, and on and on.
Punahou, meanwhile, is a constant. The Buffanblu are off to a 5-0 start in ILH play and collected all 15 first-place votes in today's Star-Bulletin Top 10.
Pearl City, the early favorite in the Oahu Interscholastic Association, dominated its first two league opponents and nudged up to No. 4 in the poll.
Kailua (6-16), meanwhile, entered the Top 10 at No. 8.
The Surfriders have long made it a normal pattern to struggle in nonconference play before blossoming after the league schedule starts.
OIA East
Kailua 9, Kahuku 4
The Surfriders scored four runs in the bottom of the fifth to break open a 4-4 game. Keenan Tanaka sparked the rally with a two-run double, and Marcus Mathews added a two-run single.
At Kailua H.S. Field
Kahuku (1-2) |
200 |
020 |
0 |
-- |
4 |
4 |
1
|
Kailua (3-0) |
010 |
341 |
x |
-- |
9 |
14 |
5 |
Travis Eugenio, Kevin Van Ness (6) and Kaika Sasaoka; Zack Akamine, Marcus Mathews (4) and Rayner Yokoi. W--Mathews. L--Eugenio.
Leading hitters--Kail: Kili Vierra 3-4, 2b; Kainoa Uemoto 2-3, 2b; Preston Nakata 3-3, 2b; Keenan Tanaka 2-3, 2b, 4 RBIs; Mathews 2-2, 2 RBIs.