[ HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL ]
Hawaiian Stars pitcher Michael Heu gave up a run in the second inning of the Sugar Mill Classic at Aloha Stadium.
Aloha gets sweet relief
After 10 walks and seven errors, it would be easy to miss the gems of yesterday's Sixth Annual SportsStan Aloha Sugar Mill Classic.
Despite the mistakes, there was solid defense and pitching for the better part of the nine-inning exhibition, which featured the top senior baseball players in the state.
And there was even a little drama, as the Aloha Stars rallied with a six-run sixth inning to pull out an 8-4 victory at Aloha Stadium.
Aloha coach Paul Ah Yat liked the performances he saw. "Players are getting bigger, faster and stronger. They really hustled and played hard. That's all we asked of them," he said. "Collectively, we pitched well. This is probably the first time they've faced top talent within the state. I just reminded them that they shouldn't overthrow. Just settle down."
The Aloha Stars, comprised of players from the Big Island Interscholastic Federation and the Big Island Interscholastic Federation, collected just five base hits. However, Aloha committed just two errors--compared to five by the Hawaiian Stars.
The Hawaiian Stars were excessively generous in the bottom of the sixth, issuing five walks--including four in a row--as a close game turned into a runaway. By the time the sixth frame was done, Aloha took a 7-2 lead.
Eric Muraoka was the winner, though a committee of nine hurlers took the mound for the blue-clad Aloha squad.
The all-star game was a going-away party of sorts for Kalani's Ty Sarchet. The 6-foot-1 right-hander, who did not play during the past season, was crisp in his only pitching performance of the year.
"I guess my fastball was working. I threw a couple of off-speed pitches," said Sarchet, who struck out two and did not allow a baserunner in his one inning of work. "Coach (Sid Fernandez) suggested different things for my pitch selection, like busting them up and in. I felt good."
Specifically, Ah Yat praised several pitchers. "Sarchet throws hard and has a good breaking ball. (Marc) Nobriga (of St. Louis) was throwing pretty hard. And Myles (Ioane of Waiakea) was good. Usually, you don't see many good breaking balls from lefties. They're usually taught to throw change-ups first," Ah Yat said.
A breezy, sunny afternoon welcomed 557 fans. Despite tradewinds of about 10-25 mph, there was no outfield miscues among the seven combined errors.
The opening frame was a disappointing one for Kauai ace Alec Reichle. He left after facing just two batters. A trainer reported later that Reichle had a sore elbow.
Reichle, who recorded one out, walked Punahou's Michael Lam before leaving. Michael Heu of Kaiser stepped to the mound next, and Waiakea's Avery Kagawa belted a triple to right-center, scoring Lam.
Aiea's Aaron Asher scored on a passed ball in the next half-inning to tie the game at 1.
Hawaiian settled down on the mound with relievers Randy Kitagawa of Kalani, Aiea's Blake Lamug and Pearl City's Anthony Ganigan. The three combined for three hitless innings against Aloha.
In the meantime, Hawaiian scored in the top of the fourth. Matthew Haasenritter led off with a walk, Omalza singled again, and Asher walked to fill the bases against Waiakea's Ronnie Loeffler.
Kitagawa grounded into a 4-6-3 double play, but Haasenritter scored from third to give Hawaiian a 2-1 lead.
Aloha, which had just two hits in the first five innings, erupted in the sixth against Hilo's Jesse Yoshida. Mid-Pac's Chris Goya reached base on an infield single, and the next four Aloha batters patiently earned free passes to get on board. Saint Louis' Johnny Gentry, Jowen Murray-Thornton and Danny Lee walked, with Goya being forced in from third on Lee's base on balls.
After Kamehameha's Spenser McCready drew his team's fourth walk in a row, Gentry scored to give Aloha a 3-2 lead. Yoshida was replaced with Roosevelt's Justin Goo, who struck out Galen Komo of Iolani. However, Mid-Pac's Chris Freshour sent a sacrifice fly to left, scoring Murray-Thornton for Aloha's fourth run.
Moments later, Punahou's Shaun Kiriu singled to left, scoring Lee from third for a 5-2 lead. Punahou's Justin Ariki and Waiakea's Owen Otsuka followed with walks, brining in two more runs for a 7-2 Aloha lead.
Aloha added an unearned run in the eighth inning, thanks to two Hawaiian errors, to stretch the margin to six runs.
In the top of the ninth, Kailua's Michael Kealoha socked a two-run single to center in his only at-bat, scoring Roosevelt's Joshua Danz and Leilehua's Jesse Matsuura.
The exhibition game, normally played at Hans L'Orange Field in Waipahu, certainly had a different feel in cavernous, 50,000-seat Aloha Stadium. Neighbor Island players, in particular, was impressed.
"It was an honor to come over and play against the top players," said Molokai shortstop Milton Loo, who will attend Yavapai Junior College (Ariz.) in the fall. Former Baldwin standout Jared Mochizuki is also at Yavapai.
Waiakea's Matt Patterson, who belted two mammoth home runs during a state tournament game just two weeks ago, put it into perspective. "I had fun. We had a good time," said Patterson, who pitched the ninth inning for Aloha. "It was fun to see other Hawaii people play, and the different styles."
The Big Islanders did their part to represent their communities. "Ronnie, Myles, Owen did a good job," said Patterson, who has a scholarship offer from UH-Hilo.
