FL MORRIS / FMORRIS@STARBULLETIN.COM
Punahou's Matthew Suiter was tagged out by Saint Louis third baseman Kaden Kamoe yesterday. The Crusaders beat the Buffanblu to set up a playoff game against Mid-Pacific today at 3:45 at Ala Wai Community Park. The winner is the ILH's regular-season champion.
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Playoff time in prep baseball
Saint Louis gets MPI today after victory
They're not quite at the top of the ILH yet, but Saint Louis proved heroic enough in a 10-8 win over Punahou yesterday at Patsy Mink Central Oahu Regional Park.
The Crusaders turned to Kamakani Usui in his first start against the four-time defending state champions, and versatile Tamatoa DeMello closed the win with two innings of relief. Usui held Punahou's bats under wraps for four scoreless innings before yielding in the fifth.
Saint Louis, ranked No. 1 in the Star-Bulletin Baseball Top 10, is 13-1 and was scheduled to face No. 2 Mid-Pacific (13-1) today in a single-game playoff for the ILH regular-season title at Ala Wai Community Park. The winner gets a state-tourney berth and first-round bye.
It almost didn't get to that point, though. Saint Louis had a 7-0 lead after four innings before the Buffanblu staged a six-run rally in the fifth with the help of two errors.
"I told them to relax and do what you can do. They don't fall apart, this group," Crusaders coach Duane Fraticelli said. "That's the maturity they have."
Fourth-ranked Punahou closed regular-season play at 8-5-1 heading into the ILH tournament.
FL MORRIS / FMORRIS@STARBULLETIN.COM
Saint Louis' Kyle Gonzaga stole third base ahead of the tag by Punahou's Tyler Hanzawa in the third inning yesterday.
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"You gotta give Saint Louis credit. All the pressure was on them today," coach Eric Kadooka said. "We gave it our best shot, but Saint Louis is the better team. For a team to go 13-1 in our league is an accomplishment."
The Crusaders got to Punahou starter Jeremy Fujimoto for two runs in the second thanks to a run-scoring triple by Evan Fujihara and a wild pickoff throw that allowed Fujihara to score from second.
After Fujimoto walked Kyle Gonzaga in the third, sophomore Jacob Ellis took the mound, but the Crusaders bats got hot. Marcus Kimura socked a run-scoring double and Kaden Kamoe delivered a two-run ground-rule double as Saint Louis took a 5-0 lead.
Lucas Gonsalves singled to left to bring home Kamoe, and Danny Higa followed with an opposite-field, seeing-eye single to bring Fujihara in for a 7-0 Crusaders lead.
Punahou answered in the top of the fifth with a big rally. A throwing error by Higa at shortstop allowed Punahou to score its first run, and Travis Tanaka's RBI single cut the lead to 7-2.
Harrison "Jeeter" Ishida's chopper to third brought in Matt Suiter, and a Kamoe's errant throw on the play allowed two more runs in.
After Reece Kiriu's infield single brought Ishida home, the lead was down to 7-6, but the Buffanblu got no closer. Saint Louis got a run in the bottom of the fifth on DeMello's RBI single, scoring Fujihara.
The Crusaders tacked on two big insurance runs in the sixth, including a run-scoring triple by Gonsalves, for a 10-6 lead.
Punahou (8-5-1) |
000 |
060 |
2 |
-- |
8 |
12 |
4 |
Saint Louis (13-1) |
025 |
012 |
x |
-- |
10 |
10 |
2 |
Jeremy Fujimoto, Jacob Ellis (3), Eban Yamamoto (5) and Zach Kometani, Travis Tanaka (5). Kamakani Usui, Chris Chung (5), Tamatoa DeMello (6) and Moses Samia.
W--Usui.
L--Fujimoto.
S--DeMello.
Leading hitters--Punahou: Kometani 2-4, 2 runs, RBI; Harrison "Jeeter" Ishida 3-4, 2 runs; Reece Kiriu 2-4, RBI; Tyler Young 2-3, 2 RBIs, 2B. Saint Louis: DeMello 2-3, RBI; Danny Higa 2-4, RBI; Kaden Kamoe 2-4, 2 RBIs, 2B; Evan Fujihara 2-3, 3B, 2 RBIs.
Iolani 5, Kamehameha 3
The Raiders took a 5-0 lead and then left it to their pitchers to hold the lead.
At Ala Wai Community Park
Iolani (8-6) |
410 |
000 |
0 |
-- |
5 |
6 |
0 |
Kamehameha (6-7) |
002 |
001 |
0 |
-- |
3 |
6 |
3 |
Jarrett Arakawa, Kelsey Outram (4), Sheldon Lee (7) and Grant Iwamoto. Tucker Troy, Alika Pruett (2) and Keanu Carmichael.
W-- Arakawa.
L-- Troy.
Leading hitters--Iolani: Iwamoto 2-3, RBI.
OIA softball
Roosevelt 2 , Castle 0
Charisse Tanabe hit a solo home run for the Rough Riders.
Roosevelt (5-4) |
100 |
010 |
0 |
-- |
2 |
5 |
0 |
Castle (6-3) |
000 |
000 |
0 |
-- |
0 |
2 |
2 |
Lianna Bajarin and Kamalei Pitoy. Chandele Dacosin and Kelsea Barinobis.
W--Bajarin.
L--Dacosin.
Leading hitters--Roosevelt: Charisse Tanabe 2-4, HR, Bajarin 2-3. Castle: Leisha Liilii, 2-3, 3b.
Waianae 3, Waialua 1
Tifanie Tateni smacked a 2-run homer to lead the Seariders.
Waianae (7-1) |
200 |
100 |
0 |
-- |
3 |
7 |
1 |
Waialua (7-2) |
010 |
000 |
0 |
-- |
1 |
10 |
0 |
Samantha Kuakini and Ehaelyn Manuel. Marissa Keao and Alyssiah Hernandez.
W-- Kuakini.
L-- Keao.
Leading hitters--Waianae: Tifanie Tateni 2-3, HR. Waialua: Keao 3-3, RBI. Alphia Dicion 3-4, Hernandez 2-4.
Moanalua 4, Kaimuki 1
Sarah Robinson tossed a two-hitter to lead Na Menehune.
Kaimuki (5-4) |
100 |
000 |
0 |
-- |
1 |
2 |
3 |
Moanlua (9-1) |
201 |
100 |
0 |
-- |
4 |
7 |
0 |
Genesis Fruen and Mikki Morihara. Sarah Robinson and Kylee Oshiro.
W-- Robinson.
L-- Fruen.
Leading hitters--Moanalua: Robinson 1-3, 2 RBIs; Michele Acosta 3b; Maryann Giles 2-3.