Young delivers clutch single for Punahou
Experience, for now, still reigns in the Interscholastic League of Honolulu.
Top-ranked Punahou rallied from a one-run deficit in the seventh inning and got a clutch RBI single by Tyler Young in the ninth to edge No. 4 Kamehameha 6-5 last night at Ala Wai Field.
The Buffanblu (2-0) overcame a strong start by Kamehameha ace Chris Pascual.
"They should've won the game," Punahou coach Eric Kadooka said. "Chris owned us for five innings."
The Warriors (0-1), with seven new starters up from last year's junior varsity team, had a 3-2 lead entering the top of the seventh. Pascual retired the first Punahou batter, but walked Geoff Kunita and gave up a single to Matt Suiter. By then, the lanky left-hander had thrown 99 pitches.
He yielded to hard-throwing Alika Pruett, who beaned Josh Bninski to load the bases. Pruett, toying with the outside part of the plate, walked Zach Kometani on four pitches to force in Kunita from third base, and the narrow lead was gone.
Pruett then hit Reece Kiriu in the back on a first pitch to permit another Punahou run. Paul Snieder, who started on the mound and pitched four innings, followed with a sacrifice fly to left. Bninski scored on the play to give Punahou a 5-3 lead entering the bottom of the seventh.
The Warriors battled back to tie the game in the bottom of the seventh. Kapena Kalehuawehe-Gomes doubled to left and came in to score on consecutive wild pitches by Harrison "Jeeter" Ishida. Piikea Kitamura then tripled to dead center, and with two outs, he came in to score on a passed ball to tie the game at 5-all.
Pruett kept Kamehameha in the game until the ninth, when he walked Kometani and Snieder. With two outs, Young delivered a single up the middle on an 0-2 count to bring home courtesy runner Travis Tanaka.
Ishida then struck out two in the ninth, including Ula Nakamura in the final at-bat, to seal the win. He allowed three runs in five innings with six strikeouts and three walks.
"A veteran team like Punahou has been through through wars. That's the difference," Kamehameha coach Vern Ramie said. "They approach things when it's on the line like it's the first inning."
Pruett allowed three runs in 2 2/3 innings, with four strikeouts, five walks and three hit batters.
"He had some first-game jitters and he showed it, but he settled in and came back," Ramie said.
Pascual was charged with three runs on seven hits in 6 1/3 innings. He fanned three and walked two. It was a learning experience for the talented Warriors against the four-time defending state champions.
"I'm just proud of them, the way they battled back," Ramie said. "But we can't be satisfied just to stay with those guys."
At Ala Wai Field
Punahou (2-0) |
101 |
000 |
301 |
-- |
6 |
9 |
1 |
Kamehameha (0-1) |
200 |
001 |
200 |
-- |
5 |
8 |
1 |
Paul Snieder, Harrison Ishida (5) and Zack Kometani. Chris Pascual, Alika Pruett (7) and Keanu Carmichael.
W--Ishida.
L--Pruett.
Leading hitters--
Punahou: Matt Suiter 2-5; Josh Bninski 2-4, 2 runs; Zach Kometani, 2 RBIs; Reece Kiriu, 2 RBIs.
Kamehameha: Piikea Kitamura 2-3, triple, run; Arlie Johnson 2-2.
Pac-Five 10, Maryknoll 3
Ross Yamato rapped out two hits scoring two runs and had two stolen bases as the Wolf Pack routed the Spartans.
At Ala Wai Field
Maryknoll (0-1) |
120 |
000 |
-- |
3 |
6 |
6 |
Pac-Five (1-1) |
602 |
020 |
-- |
10 |
11 |
1 |
Craig Shoji, Jeff Hagino (3), Jordan Kurokawa (5) and Kyle Hirata. Tyler Moon, Tyler Simao (6) and Grant Kitagawa. W--Tyler Moon. L--Craig Shoji.
Leading hitters--
Mryk: Josh Arakaki 3b; Kyle Hirata 2b; Craig Shoji 3b.
P5: Ross Yamato: 2-4, 3 RBIs, 2 runs; Tyler Moon 3-4, 3b, 3 RBIs; Brycen Honda double 2b; Reid Morihara 3b, 2 runs.
Kalani 15, North Monterey 6
Troy Kashiwabara went 3-for-4 and drove in three runs to lead host Kalani over North Monterey yesterday, 15-6. Outfielder Anthony Asuncion hit a two-run double to break a tie in the fourth and the Falcons went on to score eight runs in the inning.
Dylan Von Wiegandt pitched three solid innings of relief to earn the win.
At Kahala Park
Kalani |
114 |
810 |
0 |
-- |
15 |
9 |
1 |
North Monterey |
015 |
000 |
0 |
-- |
6 |
8 |
4 |
Peter Soares and Kiel Odo, Jordan Wong (3), Dylan Von Wiegandt (3), Dillon Matsuda (6). Daniel Odell and Jay Bradley, Kyle Baker (3).
W--Von Wiegandt.
L--Odell.
Leading hitters--
Kalani: Troy Kashiwabara 3-4, 3 RBIs; Anthony Asuncion 2-4, 2 RBIs; Sean-Taylor Nii 2-5, 2 RBIs. North Monterey: Daniel Odell 2-2, 3 RBIs; Joey Hayashi 2-4, RBI.
Also
10th Annual King Kekaulike Invitational
at Iron Maehara Stadium
Kalaheo 14, St. Anthony's 6 (5 innings)
King Kekaulike 10, Kalaheo 6
Maui 5, Baldwin 2