Advertisement - Click to support our sponsors.

Saturday, May 20, 2000

By Rick Larsen, Special to the Star-Bulletin
Hubert Pruett pitched a two-hitter to lead
Kamehameha into tonight's final.

Farmers, Warriors
in title game

Molokai will defend its state
baseball championship
against Kamehameha

See also: Prep Baseball Notebook

By Dave Reardon
Star-Bulletin

WAILUKU -- Staring down batters with spectacles, Kamehameha's Kahi Kaanoi sports a bit of a Clark-Kentish appearance. But this Hawaiian Superman isn't faster than a speeding bullet -- he merely dispenses them from his right arm at 95 miles per hour.

Wearing face paint inspired by pro wrestler The Ultimate Warrior, shortstop Kelii Alcon helped Molokai pin down its first state high school baseball championship with a grand slam in last year's title game.

Kaanoi and Alcon are key players tonight as top-seeded Molokai (18-1) meets second-seeded Kamehameha (18-4) in the final of the Hawaii High School Athletic Association/Wally Yonamine Baseball 2000 State Championships.

Game time is 7:30 p.m. at Iron Maehara Stadium for the first and only state baseball title to be determined off Oahu since it was done here in 1974.

Alcon said he saves the fierce makeup job for only big encounters -- like tonight's championship matchup with the Warriors. But he wore his game face figuratively last night, as the junior's fifth-inning homer sparked a comeback that turned into a runaway for the Maui Interscholastic League champions, 14-8, over Iolani.

Earlier, Kamehameha, the Interscholastic League of Honolulu titlist, rode right-hander Herbert Pruett's two-hitter and an offense that struck early and often to beat Kailua, 10-0. The game was halted after 4-1/2 innings because of the 10-run rule.

Because of Pruett's performance, the Warriors were able to rest Kaanoi, who pitched two innings of relief in their quarterfinal victory over Leilehua on Thursday.

"We're right where we want to be," Kamehameha coach Vern Ramie said. "We're hitting the ball well, and Kahi's ready."

So is Molokai, even though Kaanoi and the Warriors beat the Farmers, 15-1, in preseason. In their two tournament games, the Farmers have displayed longball and long-inning ability.

After Alcon's homer cut Iolani's lead to 8-4 after five innings, Molokai sent 14 batters to the plate in the sixth, and 10 of them scored.

"We don't give up with this offense," Alcon said. "No matter what the score, we can come back. We've got longball and small ball. One-to-nine all can hit the ball," Alcon said.

Left-hander Ikaika Faraon starred in relief once again for Molokai. He pitched 3° innings, allowing two runs on three singles and two walks.

Faraon, who pitched 5 innings of one-run relief to beat Kapaa on Thursday, said the Farmers won't do anything different to prepare for tonight's game.

"We just want to play like any other game," Faraon said. "Don't take them too lightly or too seriously and work hard from beginning to end."

Kamehameha shortstop Bronson Sardinha said the Warriors -- who last won the state title in 1988 -- are ready, too.

"I guess we've got all the butterflies out," he said. "These are bigger crowds than we get back home. We just have to come out hitting again."

MOLOKAI 14, IOLANI 8:

In a wild sixth inning, the Farmers crowded the plate and took the first pitch, and it worked. Two scratch singles, two hit batsmen, two walks and an error unglued the Raiders.

Iolani	005	120	0 - 8	9	2
Molokai	210	01(10)	x - 14	8	1

Corey Yamamoto, Travis McGaughy (1), Blaine Umeda (5), Rich Olsen (6), Brent Wong (6) and Travis Mitsuda. Keahi Rawlins, Ikaika Place (3), Ikaika Faraon (4) and Apana Nakayama. W-Faraon. L-Umeda.

Leading hitters-Molokai: Apana Nakayama 2-2, 3b, 3 RBIs; Ikaika Lester HR, 2 RBIs; Kelii Alcon HR. Iolani: Ryan Ishizu 2-3; Blaine Umeda 1-2, 2 RBIs.

KAMEHAMEHA 10, KAILUA 0:

Pruett allowed only a first-inning single to Braddah Choy Foo and a fourth-inning single to Jory Pearce.

Sardinha went 3-for-3 with a double and three RBIs to lead a 10-hit attack.

Kailua	000	00 - 0	2	2
Kamehameha	261	1x - 10	10	0

Kawika Kekaula, Justin Akagi (2), Pomai Mokulehua (2) and Lopaka Burgess. Hubert Pruett and Kai Yamashita. W-Pruett. L-Kekaula.

Leading hitters-Kamehameha: Bronson Sardinha 3-3, 2b, 3 RBIs; Kelii Correa 2-3, 2 RBIs.

LEILEHUA 7, CASTLE 6:

Ryan Pederes drove in three runs, including the game-winner to help the Mules win.

The game was called in the seventh inning due to the two-hour time limit. Castle had scored a run in the top of the inning but HHSAA rules state that the score reverts back to the last completed inning.

Mark Soriano had three hits for Leilehua. Castle's Jason Taniguchi stroked a three-run homer to left in the fifth inning.

Castle	000	231 - 6	3	0
Leilehua	400	030 - 7	10	2

Anthony Haugen, Colin Kaneshiro (4), Reid Santos (6) and Russell Kimura. Cheyne Todani, Ryan Paderes (6) and Jay Baptista. W-Todani. L-Kaneshiro.

Leading hitters-Castle: Colin Kaneshiro 2-4, RBI; Jason Taniguch 3-run HR. Leilehua: Mark Soriano 3-3; Josh Jones 2-2; Ryan Pederes 2-3, 2b, 3 RBIs.

BALDWIN 9, HILO 4:

Tyson Higa's two-run single capped off a five-run third inning as the Bears advanced to the consolation championship.

Hilo	101	02 - 4	7	5
Baldwin	105	03 - 9	12	0

Wesley Martinez, Davin Feary (3), Brett Kimura (3), Charles Haasenritter (4) and Calavin Crum. Jason Miyahira, Gerard Racadio (5) and Kurt Suzuki, Shane Bueno (5). W-Miyahira. L-Feary.

Leading hitters-Hilo: Dustin Chun 2-3, 2b, RBI; Daniel Murray 2-3, RBI. Baldwin: Ross Shinyama 3-3, 2b, RBI; Lance Fujii 2-3, 2b, RBI; Tyson Higa 1-2, 2 RBIs.

WAIAKEA 3, KAPAA 2:

Thomas Mahaulu belted a two run single to snap a 1-1 tie lifting Waiakea to victory in a consolation game.

Kapaa	100	01 - 2	5	1
Waiakea	003	00 - 3	6	2

Allen Mundon and Robert Merkel. Eric Tao and Chad Watanabe. W-Tao. L-Mundon.

Leading hitters-Kapaa: Sean Tamura 2-2; Micah Furtado 3b, 2 RBIs. Waiakea: Ryan Hanohano 2-3; Thomas Mahaulu 1-2, 2 RBIs