[ HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL ]
DENNIS ODA / DODA@STARBULLETIN.COM
Kaiser catcher Jarryd Maeda tagged out Farrington's Chester Sebastian in yesterday's 8-1 Cougars' victory.
Kaaua returns as Kaiser
routs Farrington
He missed nearly all of Kaiser's preseason schedule. So Landon Kaaua could have been excused for showing a little anxiety at the plate yesterday afternoon in Hawaii Kai, where the Cougars hosted Farrington.
The time he spent away from the Cougar lineup this spring allowed him to note how he and his teammates can best get themselves to the right mind-set on game day.
"We played relaxed today, and when we do that, we know the runs will show up," he said. "Instead of trying to pull the ball, I stayed relaxed up there, and I usually hit better to the opposite field. Right field seems to be my spot."
That was true enough yesterday. Kaaua's run-scoring triple down the right-field line sparked a four-run fifth inning for the Cougars and turned a tight game into an 8-1 rout.
Kaiser improved to 2-0 in Oahu Interscholastic Association Eastern Conference play and Farrington fell to 0-2.
Kaaua added an RBI-double -- also to right field -- while teammates Colby Ho and Jarryd Maeda collected two hits apiece to lead the Cougars. Kaiser pounded out ten hits in support of Cougar starting pitcher Michael Heu, who worked 5 1/3 innings to pick up the victory. He yielded no runs on four hits with four strikeouts while issuing one walk before giving way to relievers Neal Asato and Trent Hamada.
With its 17-4 win over Kahuku last week, Kaiser has scored 25 runs in its first two games, no small accomplishment for a team that posted only four runs total in three games at the Campbell preseason tournament recently.
"The key is our defense -- that's what we pride ourselves on," Kaiser coach Peter Ho said. "We don't have strikeout pitchers, but if we play good defense, we'll always be in the game. Because of injuries, we haven't settled on a lineup, but the kids have adapted well, and we've been pretty steady."
Farrington coach Brian Okada came away more impressed with Kaiser's offense.
"We knew they'd hit the ball well, but we were hoping we'd play a little better defense," said Okada, whose team was plagued by six errors. "The guys we expected to do the job for them did the job. Their No. 2, 3, 4 and 5 hitters are solid."
Hitting in the No. 2 spot for Kaiser was Kaaua. After starting on the varsity as a freshman and sophomore for the Cougars, he missed all but two preseason games this spring with a hip-flexor injury.
"He just didn't have a preseason, but now he's getting his at-bats," Ho said. "We know Landon can hit -- he's a strong kid."
Kaiser had taken a 1-0 lead in the third inning when Ho drove Farrington pitcher Brian Cabral's offering deep to center field, allowing lead-off hitter Scott Uehara to tag up from third. Up until that point, there was little separation between the teams.
Farrington averted a shutout in the top of the seventh when Chester Sebastian singled and later raced home from second on a Kaiser error.
Farrington (0-1) 000 000 1 1 5 2 Kaiser (2-0) 001 043 x 8 10 2 Brian Cabral, Chandler Mitchell (6) and Matt Bell; Michael Hew, Trent Hamada (6), Neal Asato (7) and Jaryd Maeda.
LH-- Kais: Landon Kaaua 2-4, 2 RBIs, 2b, 3b; Coby Ho 2-2, 2 RBIs, 2b; Nyles Nakama 2-4, 2b; Maeda 2-4.
Kailua 8, Kalaheo 3: Chris Mahelona pitched a two-hitter while striking out nine and surviving eight walks to lead the host Surfriders.
Sean Medeiros drove in two runs with a first-inning double and a sacrifice fly in the fifth.
Kalaheo (0-2) 000 300 0 -- 3 2 1 Kailua (2-0) 300 041 x -- 8 12 3 Kalani Lingo, Sonny Harbottle (6) and Jacob Myking; Chris Mahelona and Sean Medeiros.
Leading hitters -- Kalh: J. Myking, 2b; Kail: Mike Kealoha 3-4, 2b; Tyler Harrison, 2-3; Ryan Rodrigues, 3-3, 2b, 2 RBIs; Medeiros, 2b, 2 RBIs, Ko'o Kamalamalama, 2-3, 2 RBIs.
Moanalua 2, Roosevelt 0: The Menehune pulled off a triple play in the bottom of the seventh to end the game against the Rough Riders.
At Moanalua H.S.
Roosevelt (1-1) 000 000 0 -- 0 3 3 Moanalua (2-0) 000 200 x -- 2 3 2 Justin Goo and Kevin Fujii. Andrew Blomberg and Donovan Souza. W--Blomberg. L--Goo.
Leading hitters--Moan: Peter Arakawa 2b.
Kaimuki 10, McKinley 5: Tyson Seto-Mook hit solo home runs in the second and fifth innings and struck out five batters in 3 2/3 innings on the mound to lead the Bulldogs.
Corey Morihara's RBI double keyed a seven-run first inning for Kaimuki. The inning also included all four of the Tigers' errors in the game.
At Kaimuki H.S. field
McKinley (0-1) 005 000 0 -- 5 3 4 Kaimuki (1-1) 710 020 x -- 10 6 3 Jarren Hirasaki, Kalen Kuniyuki (3) and Andy Mitani; Tyson Seto-Mook, J.P. Soon (4) and Janson Hew. W--Soon. L--Hirasaki.
Leading hitters--Mck: None. Kaim: Corey Morihara RBI 2b; Seto-Mook 2-3, 2 HRs, 2 RBIs.
OIA WEST
Leilehua 7, Kapolei 4: The Mules improved to 2-0 and broke a 2-2 tie with three runs in the bottom of the fifth.Jesse Matsuura's RBI fielder's choice and a two-run Hurricanes error fueled the Mules' key rally.
Drake Kula went 4-for-4 for Kapolei.
At Leilehua H.S. field
Kapolei (1-1) 001 010 2 -- 4 14 4 Leilehua (2-0) 002 032 x -- 7 8 2 Colin Dual and Drake Kula; John Olley, Andrew Ontai (7) and Jesse Matsuura. W--Olley. L--Dumlao.
Leading hitters: Dumlao 2-4; Kula 4-4, 2b; Bryan Padayao 3-4; Shanon Arnold 3-4. Leil: Matsuura 2-3, Spencer Omalza 1-2, 2 RBIS; Josh Fetters 1-3, 2b.
Aiea 8, Campbell 6: Na Alii had four hits and one error in the top of the fifth to score four runs and wipe out the Sabers' 6-3 lead.
Shawn Hao's triple drove in the tying and go-ahead runs.
At Campbell H.S. field
Aiea (1-1) 003 041 0 -- 8 12 1 Campbell(0-2) 311 100 0 -- 6 9 3 Blaze Moleta, Shawn Hao (5) and Aaron Asher. Pake Coloma, Brandon Tanigawa (5) and Ian Pantorilla.
Leading hitters--Aiea: Bryson Tajiri 2-4, 2-runs, 2 3bs; Moleta 2-4, 2-runs, 2 2bs; Asher 2-3; Derek Grace 2-4; Hao 3b, 2 RBIs. Cam: Victor Cachuela 3-4; Coloma 2b, 2-runs; Tristan Bailey 2-4.
Pearl City 9, Mililani 4: The Chargers scored three runs in the sixth to pull away from the Trojans and improve to 2-0.
Casey Fujishige walked and scored the game's winning run in the third inning on Corey Giammalvo's double.
At Pearl City H.S. field
Mililani (1-1) 300 100 0 -- 4 4 4 Pearl City (2-0) 311 103 x -- 9 10 2 Chaz Miyashiro, Pierce Manglallan (5), Cameron San Gregory (6) and Kamaka Crabbe; Corey Giammalvo, Tony Ganigan (4) and Kyle Poentis and Giammalvo (4). W--Ganigan. L--Miyashiro.
Postponements: Two OIA games were postponed yesterday. Nanakuli at Waialua was moved to tomorrow at 4 p.m. Kahuku at Castle hasn't been rescheduled yet.
ILH
Kamehameha 7, Mid-Pacific 6, 8 inn.: Dayne Ogawa hit a two-run double and Eli Chee doubled him home with the game-winning run as the Warriors beat the Owls in extra innings.Ryan Asato's RBI groundout and Randy Rundgren's run-scoring two-out single pulled Mid-Pacific to within one run, but Warriors pitcher David Parrow shut the door by getting Reece Uyeno to ground into the final out.
At Mid-Pacific Institute field
Kamehameha (2-1) 200 002 03 -- 7 8 5 Mid-Pacific (2-1) 000 310 02 -- 6 10 5 Kanekoa Texeira, David Parrow (6) and Stuart Kam; Jayson Kramer, Harrison Kuroda (6) and Kip Masuda. W--Parrow. L--Kuroda.
Leading hitters--Kam: Ryson Mauricio 2b; Dayne Ogawa 2-4, 4 RBIs, 2b; Eli Chee 2 RBIs; Travis Young 2-4, 2b. MPI: Adam Tamashiro 3-5, RBI; Chris Goya 2-5, 2 RBIs, 2b; Randy Rundgren 2-5, 2b, RBI; Kuroda 2-4.
Punahou 11, Damien 1: Shaun Kiriu had three hits, including two doubles, to lead the Buffanblu.
At Ala Wai field
Damien (1-1) 100 000 -- 1 4 3 Punahou (2-1) 020 621 -- 11 9 0 Robert Cuizon, Brandon Baguio (4), Ranson DeCosta (6) and Baguio and Nick Zieser (4); Steven Dannaway, Jared Pate (3), Tyler Togikawa (6) and Robert Kurisu. W--Pate. L--Cuizon.
Leading hitters--Dam: Kaimana Balanon 2-2. Pun: Shaun Kiriu 3-4, 2 2bs, 2-runs.
Saint Louis 20, Maryknoll 10: Chester Wilson went 3-for-4 and drove in three runs to lead the Crusaders.
At Ala Wai field
Maryknoll (0-3) 001 540 -- 10 7 2 Saint Louis (2-1) 4(11)0 140 -- 20 16 5 Kody Seminara, Brian Tabata (1), Peter Kirst (3) and Hiroshi Kuroda; Danny Lee, Brandon Va'a (4), Jordan Duropan (5) and Jowen Murray-Thornton. Pono Moises. W--Lee. L--Seminara.
Leading hitters--Mryk: Brennan Young 2-4; Kirst 2-4, 2b, 3b, RBI. StL: Kaulana Kauleinamoku 2-4; Chester Wilson 3-4, 3 RBIs; Jonny Gentry 3b; Edwin Apostol 2b, 2 RBIs; Keli'i Zablan 2-4; Lee 2-3, 2 RBIs; Sheldon Santiago 2 RBIs.
Pac-Five 2, Iolani 0, 8 inn.: Owen Simmons struck out five and got an inning of relief help from Tyler Inouye in the victory.
At Iolani
Pac-Five (1-1) 000 000 02 -- 2 5 3 Iolani (1-2) 000 000 00 -- 0 6 3 Owen Simmons, Tyler Inouye (8) and Aaron Chilcote. B.J. Takushi, Wally Marciel (4) and Bert Matsunaga. W--Simmons. L--Marciel.
Leading hitters--Pac: Paul Nishimura 2-3. Iol: Galen Komo 2-3.
