Warriors shut out Kailua in opener
Kamehameha-Hawaii didn't have much time to warm up.
It didn't matter.
The Warriors (12-3) jumped to a 4-0 lead after their first five batters reached base on the way to a 5-3 victory over Kailua yesterday in the Wally Yonamine Foundation/HHSAA Baseball State Championship at Les Murakami Stadium.
With the win, the Big Island Interscholastic Federation runner-up advances to face Maui Interscholastic League champion St. Anthony in a quarterfinal game today.
The Warriors didn't get access to the field until an hour before the game because of the University of Hawaii's practice session.
"We just let them hit, and we strung together some runs," said Kamehameha-Hawaii coach Andy Correa of his teams' free-swinging approach. "We were kind of aggressive in that first inning and they started a little slow, so we were lucky to get ahead at that point."
Reece Alnas led off the game for the Warriors with a single off Kailua pitcher Kili Vierra, and advanced to third when Tyson Goo reached on an error. Kolten Wong's RBI single put his team on the board, and Kailua did not record the first out until after Blake Amaral reached on an error, and Trysen Cosier singled in another run. Pitcher Kelii Kimi helped his cause with a single to plate Amaral, and Cosier scored on Russell Kackley's fielder's choice.
Kailua coach Corey Ishigo called timeout and brought all nine of his defensive players to the mound and delivered a blistering speech in an attempt to motivate his squad.
"We've been playing great baseball throughout this whole year, and then today, we had one bad inning," Ishigo said.
The monologue seemed to fire up the Surfriders, who settled down and cut the deficit in half with two runs in the third inning. Kale Sumner singled to drive in Zach Akamine from third, and Preston Nakata -- who earlier doubled and advanced on Sumner's hit -- trotted home on a wild pitch by Kimi.
Kailua (11-3) appeared to be in prime position for another rally in the fourth inning after Ryan Kinoshita doubled, Nakata walked, and both runners advanced to second and third with stolen bases. But Kimi settled down and induced Sumner and Kainoa Uemoto to fly out, ending the threat.
"We had our opportunity to come back, but we just couldn't get the job done," Ishigo said. "The pitcher bore down when we had runners in scoring position, and we didn't hit when we had to."
At Les Murakami Stadium
KS-Hawaii (12-3) |
400 |
001 |
0 |
-- |
5 |
11 |
1
|
Kailua (11-3) |
002 |
010 |
0 |
-- |
3 |
7 |
3 |
Kelii Kimi, Kawika Cazimero (6) and Kolten Wong. Kili Vierra and Rayner Yokoi. W--Kimi. L--Vierra. S--Cazimero.
Leading hitters--KSH: Blake Amaral 2 2bs; Trysen Cosier 2-4, RBI; Makana Cazimero 2-3. Kail: Preston Nakata 2-2, 2b, run, sb; Rob DeMarsh 2-4, 3b, RBI; Ryan Kinoshita 2b.