Kailua, Pearl City advance to title game

OIA Baseball

Two years is considered a drought in Kailua, but behind another clutch performance from Kili Vierra, the Surfriders are back playing for yet another Oahu Interscholastic Association championship.

With a one-run lead heading into the final inning, Vierra, who threw seven innings just a day earlier, closed the door on Mililani's title hopes by pitching a perfect seventh inning as the fourth-ranked Surfriders held on to defeat the sixth-ranked Trojans 12-11 yesterday at Central Oahu Regional Park.

The game had 10 pitchers and 29 hits.

"It was a slugfest today," Kailua coach Corey Ishigo said. "We knew (Mililani) can hit the ball and play good defense, but I don't think anybody thought the score would be this high."

The Surfriders will play Pearl City today at 6:30 p.m. at Central Oahu Regional Park for the championship. Kailua has won five of the last seven OIA titles under Ishigo, who has never lost in the championship game in his eight years as coach.

The Surfriders sent five pitchers to the mound last night, including starter Preston Nakata twice, as Mililani nearly overcame a 12-4 deficit. A three-run home run by Richie Mariano cut the lead to 12-11 in the sixth inning, but Vierra needed just six pitches to earn the save.

"We had Preston going and knew we could come back with him and Kili, too," Ishigo said. "We didn't want to use (Vierra), but we had to. Mililani fought us all the way to the end."

Kailua's Zach Akamine opened the game with a single as the Surfriders scored two runs in the first and one in the second to take a 3-0 lead. But the Trojans came back with four runs in the fourth, including a two-run bomb over the left-field fence by John Abreu that gave Mililani a one-run lead.

The Trojans could not take advantage of the lead, however, as Kailua sent 14 batters to the plate during a nine-run fourth inning. After Nakata opened with a single, the Trojans committed back-to-back errors on bunt attempts that loaded the bases. Kailua then strung together six hits, a hit batter and a walk to take a seemingly insurmountable eight-run lead.

"I told the team that if we can't get any outs on bunts than we're not going to win any ballgames," Mililani coach Dean Sato said. "It just snowballed from there and got out of hand, but I can't say enough how proud I am of how these kids battled back."

Joey Aquino's two-run single highlighted a four-run fifth inning for Mililani as they chipped away at the lead. Trojans reliever Jay Yoshizawa held Kailua scoreless in the bottom of the inning, setting the stage for Mariano, who connected on a 1-1 fastball for a three-run homer to left field with two outs in the sixth to make it a one-run game.

At Central Oahu Regional Park

Mililani (9-3)	000	443	0	--	11	16	3
Kailua (11-1)	210	900	x	--	12	13	2

Kylen Cadiam, Richie Mariano (3), Preston Pacolba (4), Jay Yoshizawa (5), Ray Sugihara (6) and Mariano, Casey Miyasato (3), Mariano (4). Preston Nakata, Keoki Reis-Moniz (4), Zach Akamine (5), Gavin Kido (5), Nakata (6), Kili Vierra (7) and Rayner Yokoi. W--Nakata. L--Cadiam. S--Vierra.

Leading hitters--Mil: Dustin Antolin 2-4, 2 RBIs; Cadiam 2-5, run; Travis Jones 2 runs; John Abreu 1-3, HR, 3 runs, 2 RBIs; Josh Queja 2-4, run; Mariano 1-2, 3-run HR; Yoshizawa 2-2, RBI; Joey Aquino 2-4, 3 RBIs. Kail: Akamine 3-4, 3b, 2 runs, 2 RBIs; Vierra 2-4, 2b, 2 runs, 2 RBIs; Nakata 2-3, 2 runs, RBI; Jordan Limahai 2-4, run, RBI; Rob DeMarsh 2 runs; Ryan Kinoshita 2-3, run, 2 RBIs.

Pearl City 12, Kaiser 3

Kellen Ushijima opened up a close game with a three-run triple in the fourth inning and Chargers reliever Cory Yuh didn't give up a run over the final three innings as Pearl City advanced to today's championship game by rolling past the Cougars.

Ushijima finished with four hits and four RBIs, while catcher Carlton Tanabe had three hits and drove in three runs. The Cougars took an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first, but the Chargers torched Kaiser starter Zachary Wong for four runs in the bottom of the inning and never trailed again.

"We've had three good games against three good teams and we're obviously excited about being in the championship game," Pearl City coach Melvin Seki said.

Kaiser will square off with Mililani in the third-place game at 2 p.m. All of today's games are at Central Oahu Regional Park.

At Central Oahu Regional Park

Kaiser (9-4)	100	200	0	--	3	5	0
Pearl City (10-3)	401	403	x	--	12	15	2

Zachary Wong, Brent Takaki (3), Mason Masaki (6) and Bryce Marcouiller. Scott Muraoka, Cory Yuh (4) and Carlton Tanabe. W--Muraoka. L--Wong.

Leading hitters--Kais: Marcouiller 2-3. PC: Rorry Nakayama 2 runs; Ryne Acosta 2 runs; Kellen Ushijima 4-4, 3b, 3 runs, 4 RBIs; Tanabe 3-4, 2b, 3b, 3 RBIs; Jeff Domingo 3-3, 3 runs.

Consolation games

No. 9 Kalani 8, Castle 3

Kenn Kamoto gave up just one earned run over seven innings to pick up the victory and drove in three runs at the plate as the Falcons kept their state tournament hopes alive by ending Castle's season.

Kalani jumped all over Knights starter Kainoa Tom for six runs in the first inning. Ridge Carpenter and Jordan Sumida opened the inning with singles. Kamoto drove in two runs on a single and Keola Wakazuru added another RBI single as the Falcons scored all eight of their runs in the first two innings.

Kalani will play Roosevelt for the OIA's fifth and final state tournament berth today at 11 a.m.

At Kahala Community Park

Castle (7-5-1)	002	100	0	--	3	5	2
Kalani (9-4)	620	000	0	--	8	10	2

Kainoa Tom, Pulama Silva (2) and Lyle Kitagawa, Marcus Ofoia (6). Kenn Kamoto and Jason Lee. W--Kamoto. L--Tom.

Leading hitters--Cas: Tom 2-3, run; Trevor Okumura 2-3, run. Kaln: Ridge Carpenter 2-4; Jordan Sumida 2-4, run; Kamoto 2-3, 3 RBIs; Jake Massey 2-3, run, RBI.

No. 10 Roosevelt 3, No. 3 Aiea 2, 9 innings

Nick Wong gave up six hits in nine innings and went 2-for-3 at the plate as the Rough Riders put a shocking end to Na Alii's season.

At Aiea Recreational Center

Roosevelt (8-3-1)	100	001	001	--	3	6	3
Aiea (9-3)	000	002	000	--	2	6	3

Nick Wong and Tyler Nitahara. Blane Higa, Randy Castillo (5) and Anthony Tsui. W--Wong. L-Castillo.

Leading hitters--Roos: Justin Otaguro 2b; Wong 2-3, 3b, 2 RBIs; Darin Fujii 2b; TJ Bae 2-4, 2b. Aiea: Ricky Itagaki 2 RBIs.