HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL
CINDY ELLEN RUSSELL / CRUSSELL@STARBULLETIN.COM
Pearl City starting pitcher Jason Rasa allowed Roosevelt just one run in going the distance in a 6-1 OIA playoff win.
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Chargers rally again to move on in OIA
For the second time in as many days, the Pearl City baseball team came through with a late-inning rally, inching closer to the Oahu Interscholastic Association title game with a 6-1 win over No. 10 Roosevelt yesterday at Stevenson Intermediate.
On the heels of Wednesday's 6-4 win over Moanalua, the Chargers scored five runs in the top of the seventh inning with two out to break a 1-1 tie, and came away with a victory in the quarterfinal round of the OIA baseball playoffs. Despite managing just four hits, Pearl City manufactured runs by capitalizing on four Rough Rider errors and four walks issued by Roosevelt ace Keoni Manago.
"The hits came at the right time, and I can't ask more than what the kids did," said Pearl City coach Mel Seki. "I can't take anything away from Roosevelt; Manago did an outstanding job. But I give my kids credit for staying in there, and that's baseball: When somebody gets hot, you just hope you keep staying hot."
Pearl City hurler Jason Rasa and Manago breezed through the first five innings of their complete-game efforts, allowing four and one hits, respectively, and holding the opposition scoreless. The Chargers (9-3) finally broke the stalemate in the sixth frame when Chad Quillopo reached on an error, and after advancing to third on a sacrifice bunt and another error, Rorry Nakayama plated him with a sacrifice fly to center field.
But the Rough Riders (7-3-1) answered in the bottom of the inning when Christian Awaya drove in Casey Tanabe on a clutch two-out single to tie the game at 1-1.
Manago continued to baffle the opposition in the seventh and quickly retired the first two batters. On a play that should have ended the inning, Manago induced Ryno Acosta to ground out to third baseman TJ Bae, who could not handle the in-between hop and allowed Acosta to reach safely.
Then things began to snowball for Roosevelt, as Carlton Tanabe singled and Duane Kiyota drew a walk to load the bases. Quillopo clutched up and ripped a two-run double to give his squad the 3-1 lead, and pinch hitter Jeff Domingo broke the game open with a single to right field that plated Kiyota and Quillopo. A rattled Manago walked the next two batters and hit Bryson Nakamura with the bases loaded.
"We just have to make the routine plays," said Roosevelt coach Craig Arakawa. "If we make the routine plays, possibly it's a different game. But you know, the effort is there and the players did everything they could to make the plays."
Pearl City advances into the semifinal round against Kaiser at 4 p.m. today at Central Oahu Regional Park. Yesterday's victory guarantees the Chargers one of five OIA berths into the state tournament, but the team is still focused on winning the league crown.
"As one of the kids said, we have another goal (besides qualifying for states): that's to win the OIA," Seki said. "And we're in contention right now."
At Stevenson Intermediate field
Pearl City (9-3) |
000 |
001 |
5 |
-- |
6 |
4 |
1
|
Roosevelt (7-3-1) |
000 |
001 |
0 |
-- |
1 |
8 |
4 |
Jason Rasa and Carlton Tanabe. Keoni Manago and Tyler Nitahara. W--Rasa. L--Manago.
Leading hitters--PC: Chad Quillopo 2b, 2 RBIs, 2 runs; Jeff Domingo 2b, 2 RBIs; Bryson Nakamura RBI; Rorry Nakayama sacrifice fly, RBI. Roos: Manago 2-3; Justin Otaguro 2-3, 3b; Christian Awaya RBI.
No. 6 Mililani 13, No. 9 Kalani 1
Travis Jones and Josh Queja each drove in three runs as the Trojans scored eight times in the second inning en route to the victory.
Dustin Antolin pitched a complete game and added two hits.
Mililani will face Kailua in today's semifinal at 4 p.m. at Central Oahu Regional Park.
At Mililani H.S. field
Kalani (8-4) |
|
100 |
00 |
-- |
1 |
4 |
2
|
Mililani (9-2) |
|
083 |
2x |
-- |
13 |
15 |
1 |
Shamus Kumashiro, Dillon Matsuda (2), Sean Nagaoka (4), Anthony Asuncion (4) and Jason Lee. Dustin Antolin and Richie Mariano. W--Antolin. L--Kumashiro.
Leading hitters--Kaln: Jordan Sumida 2b. Mil: Antolin 2-2, 2b; Adam Schroeder 2-3; Kylen Cadiam 3-4, 2 RBIs; Travis Jones 2-3, 3 RBIs; Josh Queja 2b, 3 RBIs; Joey Aquino 2-3.
Kaiser 4, No. 3 Aiea 3
Cal Tashiro scored in the top of the seventh to break a 3-3 tie and send the Cougars into the semifinals with the win over Na Alii, the top seed from the OIA West.
Aiea threatened to tie the game in the bottom of the inning when Keenan Naeole doubled to right field with one out. But Toby Inouye got a strikeout and a groundout.
Kaiser plays Pearl City today at 4 p.m. at Central Oahu Regional Park.
No. 4 Kailua 7, Castle 3
Kili Vierra's two-run double highlighted a five-run fifth inning for the Surfriders as they clinched a state-tournament berth by beating the Knights.
Cody Cabael had three hits for Castle, which plays at Kalani today at 4 p.m. in a consolation game.
At Kailua H.S. field
Castle (7-4-1) |
100 |
000 |
2 |
-- |
3 |
6 |
2
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Kailua (10-1) |
000 |
070 |
x |
-- |
7 |
9 |
1 |
Joshua Serrano, Cody Cabael (5) and Lyle Kitagawa. Kili Vierra and Rayner Yokoi. W--Vierra. L--Serrano.
Leading hitters--Cast: Kainoa Tom 1-3, 3b; Cabael 3-3, run, RBI. Kail: Preston Nakata 3-3, run, RBI; Vierra 1-4, 2b, 2 RBIs; Kainoa Uemoto 1-3, 2b, RBI.