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With two starters sidelined with injuries just four games into the Interscholastic League of Honolulu baseball season, the Mid-Pacific Owls might be justified in wallowing in self pity. Owls dangerous when hurt
By Jason Kaneshiro
jkaneshiro@starbulletin.comInstead, the Owls have begun defense of their league crown with four consecutive wins, the latest an 8-3 win over Kamehameha last night at Ala Wai Field.
"It's been tough," Mid-Pacific catcher Matt Inouye said. "We've had to overcome a lot of adversity, but we just go to the (batting) cage and work hard."
Despite losing all-state second baseman Isaac Omura to a knee injury in the preseason and having outfielder Ryan Leong suffer a broken wrist last week, Mid-Pacific is alone atop the ILH standings at 4-0. Punahou is a half-game back at 3-0. Kamehameha fell to 3-1 with the loss.
"We have guys hurt but we can't dwell over it, we just have to play," Mid-Pacific coach Dunn Muramaru said.
Patrick McGuigan scattered seven hits to earn the complete-game victory for Mid-Pacific. The senior right-hander gave up two hits, but faced the minimum over the first four innings. He finished with eight strikeouts and was the beneficiary of two double plays.
"We faced them a lot in the preseason so we knew what kind of hitters they have," McGuigan said. "I just tried to mix it up and keep them off balance."
McGuigan enjoyed the luxury of pitching with an early lead after watching the Owls score six runs in the top of the first inning.
Troy Hanzawa led off the game with a single and came home on Inouye's double down the left field line. Marc Inamasu and Justin Pate contributed RBI singles in the inning.
"They scrapped and I'm glad we got six runs at the start, because (Kamehameha) can hit," Muramaru said.
McGuigan made his first mistake in the bottom of the fifth when he hung a curve ball to Kamehameha designated hitter Kahe Santos who launched it over the right-field fence.
The Warriors cut the Mid-Pacific lead to 6-2 later in the inning when Jason Afong drove in Aaron Fuller with a single to center.
The Owls extended their lead to 7-2 in the sixth when Jonathan Hee scored on a Kamehameha throwing error. Hee also singled in the MPI's final run in the seventh, scoring Keven Whalen.
Kamehameha pinch hitter Zach McAngus led off the bottom of the seventh with a triple to the right-center field gap and scored on a double-play grounder. McGuigan then got Andrew Phillips to ground out to end the game.
The loss closed a hectic week for Kamehameha. The Warriors beat Iolani and St. Louis earlier in the week and the players took part in the Kamehameha Schools song contest Friday night.
"With the schedule we have, to win two out of three, I can't complain," Kamehameha coach Vern Ramie said.
Mid-Pacific (4-0) 600 001 1 -- 8 7 1 Kamehameha(3-1) 000 020 1 -- 3 7 4 Patrick McGuigan and Matt Inouye. Kaulana Chang, Ikena DuPont (1) and Danny Nitahara. W -- McGuigan. L -- Chang.
Leading hitters -- Mid-Pacific: Troy Hanzawa 2-4, 2B; Inouye 2B, RBI; Jonathan Hee 2-3, RBI. Kamehameha: Keoni Ruth 2B; Kahe Santos HR; Zachary McAngus 3B; Aaron Fuller 2-2, 2B.
Iolani 5, Pac-Five 2: The Raiders' five-run rally in the top of the second inning proved to be enough to beat the Wolfpack.
Iolani (2-1) bunched eight of its nine hits in the second inning, sparked by Trenton Teruya's leadoff double.
At Ala Wai Field
Iolani (2-1) 050 000 0 -- 5 9 0 Pac-Five (0-4) 000 100 1 -- 2 6 0 Rich Olsen, Kila Ka'aihue (7) and Reid Saito. Tyler Inouye and Colby Holt. W--Olsen. L--Inouye. S -- Ka'aihue.
Leading hitters -- Iolani: Kelly Teramoto 2-4; Trenton Teruya 2B; Saito 2-3. Pac-Five: Owen Simmons 2B; Jake Mellor 2B, RBI; Ryan Urabe 2-3.
St. Louis 24, Maryknoll 5: Jowen Murray-Thornton hit a grand slam in the second inning as the Crusaders routed the Spartans in a game shortened to five innings due to the 10-run rule.
St. Louis sent 30 batters to the plate in the first three innings and scored 19 runs on 15 hits and four Maryknoll errors.
St. Louis (2-2) 586 14 -- 24 20 1 Maryknoll (1-3) 320 00 -- 5 8 5 Sean Kauweloa, Leon Julian (1) and Jowen Murray-Thornton. Reid Nakamura, Ryan Matsumoto (2), Riley Maeda (3) and Brandon Goshima. W -- Julian. L -- Nakamura.
Leading hitters -- St. Louis: Shane Butcher 4-4, 3B, 3RBI; Travis Gonzaga 3-5, 3B, 3 RBI; Brandon Sato 3-5, RBI; Murray-Thornton 2-3, Grand Slam, 7 RBI; Danny Lee 2-5, 2 2B, 3 RBI; Bobby George 2-3, 2 RBI; Mike Nobriga 2-2; Grandon Costa 2 RBI. Maryknoll: Maeda 2-2.
Punahou 10, Damien 0: Three Punahou pitchers combined on a two-hitter as the Buffanblu remained undefeated in the ILH.
Brett Service drove in two runs for Punahou. The game was called after the sixth inning due to the 10-run rule.
Punahou (3-0) 024 112 -- 10 7 0 Damien (0-4) 000 000 -- 0 2 4 Jared Pate, Reyn Nakamasu (5), Kasey Ko (6) and Todd LaFountaine. Daniel Chamizo, Destin Alameida (3), Moses Hert (4), Justin Cole (6), Brandon Tamanaha (6) and Cheyne Kawamoto. W -- Nakamasu. L -- Chamizo.
Leading hitters -- Punahou: Brett Service 2 RBI; Landon Nakata 3B; Ko 2B, RBI; Kyle Seminara 3B, RBI.
UH Athletics