Putting away the Kailua baseball team in the late innings has proved harder than killing the villain in a cheesy action movie. Surfriders rise
from the dead to keep
OIA hopes aliveKailua scored three runs in
the last inning to survive WaianaeBy Jason Kaneshiro
jkaneshiro@starbulletin.comJust as Waianae was about to roll the credits on an Oahu Interscholastic Association playoff victory yesterday, the Surfriders lept out of the flames to score three runs in their last at-bat and walk away with a 5-3 win.
The Surfriders followed a similar script in last year's state tournament final against Mid-Pacific and again earlier this season against Moanalua.
"These are tough kids, that's what it is," Kailua coach Corey Ishigo said. "Being from Kailua, Waimanalo, growing up and playing baseball in that area, you have to be tough. If not, you're not going to make it."
Kailua advanced to tonight's tournament semifinal against Mililani at 7 p.m. at Aloha Stadium. Waianae, the OIA Western Division champion, falls into the fifth-place bracket and hosts Kahuku at 4 p.m. today.
The win also gave Kailua a spot in next week's state tournament. Waianae must win today and again tomorrow to join the state field.
"(The Seariders) know what's at stake (today)," Waianae coach Glenn Tokunaga said. "Whatever we have to do we're going to do it to get to that Saturday game."
Waianae took a 2-0 lead in the second inning without a base hit. Kailua tied the game with single runs in the fourth and fifth on RBI singles by Chad Nishizuka and Kamaile Santos.
Cid Moses' mad dash in the bottom of the sixth gave Waianae a 3-2 lead going into Kailua's final at-bat. Moses singled to lead off the inning. Calvin Uyechi then laid down a sacrifice bunt to advance Moses. After the Surfriders threw Uyechi out at first, Moses kept chugging toward third. The throw was wild allowing Moses to cross the plate.
Moses, who took the mound in relief of Dane Awana in the fifth inning, started the top of the seventh by hitting Garrett Yamamoto. Jarid Kawamoto then reached base on an infield single. An errant pick-off throw sent Yamamoto to third and Cody Texeira-Vickery tied the game with a sacrfice fly to center.
After Santos doubled to move Kawamoto to third, Shaun Sasaki's ground out scored Kawamoto with the go-ahead run. Santos later stole home to give Kailua an insurance run.
"I guess we play better in the clutch," Santos said. "I'd rather we start banging the ball from the beginning and we don't need to worry, but a win's a win."
Santos relieved Kailua starter Chad Kajiyama in the bottom of the seventh and earned the save for the Surfriders.
"This was the first time I think this season that the baseball bounced our way," Ishigo said. "We just have to thank the baseball gods again for helping us out."
Kajiyama walked six and hit a batter, but battled through several jams to earn the win. Moses was charged with the loss.
Although the win assured the Surfriders of an opportunity to defend their state championship next week, they're more concerned with winning a second straight league title.
"States doesn't matter, I want to win OIAs again, after that we can talk about states," Santos said.
At Waianae H.S. field
Kailua (9-3) 000 110 3 -- 5 4 2 Waianae (8-2) 020 001 0 -- 3 3 3 Chad Kajiyama, Kamaile Santos (7) and Chad Nishizuka. Dane Awana, Cid Moses (5) and Michael Ferreira. W--Kajiyama. L--Moses. S--Santos
Leading hitters -- Kailua: Santos 2-4, 2b, RBI. Waianae: Moses 2-4.
Mililani 5, Kahuku 4: Justin Amano's two-run double highlighted the Trojans' four-run rally in the second inning as Mililani escaped with a win over the Red Raiders.
Adam Inaba struck out six and picked up a complete-game win. Melvin Silva took the loss for Kahuku despite racking up nine strikeouts.
The Red Raider cut the Mililani lead to one run in the bottom of the seventh, and had the tying run on third with two out. But the runner got caught in a rundown and was tagged out to end the game.
The game was scheduled to be played in Kahuku, but was moved to Waipahu due to muddy conditions at the Red Raiders' field.
At Waipahu H.S. field
Mililani (9-2) 040 010 0 -- 5 7 1 Kahuku (8-3) 210 000 1 -- 4 9 4 Adam Inaba and Shawn Saito. Melvin Silva, Kyle Pao (7) and Alex Ponciano. W--Inaba. L--Silva.
Leading hitters -- Mililani: Gainor Nitta 2b, RBI; Justin Amano 2b, 2 RBIs. Kahuku: Silva 3b, RBI; Ponciano 3b; Cory Supranovich 2-4; Kyle Juliano 2-3.
Roosevelt 8, Castle 3: Chris Mols struck out 14 to lead the Rough Riders over the Knights.
Roosevelt advances to face Aiea in today's first semifinal game at 4 p.m.
The Rough Riders scored four runs in the bottom of the fifth to break open a 4-3 game. Brandon Loo's RBI double was the big hit of the frame.
At Stevenson Intermediate field
Castle (7-5) 000 300 0 -- 3 7 3 Roosevelt (9-2) 121 040 x -- 8 10 3 Ryan Lum, Billy Fallan and Jason Taniguchi. Chris Mols and Brandon Loo. W--Mols. L--Lum.
Leading hitters -- Castle: Noah Kon 2-4, 2b; Casey Daniel 2-4. Roosevelt: Matthew Terukina 2-3, 2b; Mols 2-4, 2 2b; Blake Isobe 2-3, 2 RBIs; Loo 2b, RBI.
Aiea 8, Waipahu 1: Aaron Powell got Na Alii rolling with a home run in the first inning as Aiea defeated the Marauders.
Bryan Tucker added to Aiea's attack by going 3-for-4 with a double and driving in a run.
At Aiea Recreation Center
Waipahu (4-7) 000 010 0 -- 1 6 3 Aiea (9-1) 200 222 x -- 8 9 0 Shane Jelf, Lionel Willis (4) and John Fauatea. Blake Lamug, Jared Matsuoka (6) and Justin Nii, Aaron Asher (5). W--Lamug. L--Jelf.
Leading hitters -- Waipahu: Fauatea 2-3, 2b; Jerome Kon 3b. Aiea: Taylor Watanabe 3b; Bryan Tucker 3-4, 2b, 3 runs, RBI; Aaron Powell HR, 2 RBIs; Chase Kaiuwailani 2-4, 2b; Chase Nakamura 2-3, 2b, RBI.
Junior varsity
At Kahala FieldKalani 7, Kaimuki 6