Owls drop Crusaders

Brendan Sagara
Special to the Star-Bulletin

Mid-Pacific slugger Kip Masuda's impact was so large yesterday that he didn't even need to swing the bat to help the Owls scratch back from a two-run, fifth-inning deficit to defeat previously unbeaten Saint Louis 8-4 in an ILH game in Manoa.

Masuda opened his day in style, banging a two-strike pitch off the fence in center field for an RBI double in the bottom of the first. Masuda's long drive missed clearing the fence by about 5 feet and scored Chad Takabuki with the game's first run.

Saint Louis rallied back for a single run in the top of the second to even the score on Sheldon Santiago's RBI single to right.

The game was even through four frames, but Mid-Pacific quickly found itself fighting an uphill battle in the fifth, when Saint Louis took advantage of an Owl miscue to score two runs.

After Mid-Pacific starter Jayson Kramer struck out Ryan Brilhante to open the inning, he issued a walk to Crusaders' ninth batter Kyle Gonzaga.

Jordan Duropan, who entered the game in the bottom of the first after Shaun Kauleinamoku was injured in center field, laid down a bunt right back at Kramer, who had time to retire the lead runner heading to second. But Kramer's feed sailed wide and into center, allowing Gonzaga to score all the way from first.

Kelii Zablan plated the other run on an RBI base hit to center.

"We practice bunt coverage every day, every day," said MPI coach Dunn Muramaru. "I guess you could say we hit when we had to."

Mid-Pacific displayed a little grit in the bottom of the inning, storming back with two out to reclaim the lead with a three-run rally. Nick Furumoto led off with a walk, and stole second to put himself in scoring position.

After Crusader starter Cameron Bayne retired the next two hitters, Masuda made his way to the plate and was promptly given the intentional walk.

The move set Kramer up for the RBI opportunity and he delivered, lining a Bayne fastball just inside the right-field line for a two-run triple. Designated hitter Reece Uyeno followed, nearly replicating Kramer's hit with a triple of his own which also rolled all the way to the right-field fence.

Masuda provided another big blow in the bottom of the sixth, when he drilled a homer to center off of reliever Ryan Sasaki to spark a four-run MPI rally to put the game out of reach.

"From a coaching standpoint I thought we played well, but they were simply the better team today," said Saint Louis coach Scot Paiva. "We walked Kip to face Kramer in the fifth and it didn't go our way. Kip's such a good hitter, we figured we'd take our chances with the other hitters they have, but Kramer came through today on the mound and at the plate for them."

Kramer earned the win for MPI, scattering six hits while striking out eight and walking three. The right-hander improved to 2-1 for the season with the complete-game victory. The win comes at an opportune time for Mid-Pacific, which had lost two of its first four league meetings.

"This was definitely a good win, especially after two tough losses," Kramer said. "When we took the lead, my mindset changed since I had that cushion. I knew I couldn't walk anyone, so I just tried to throw it over so they'd hit it to my teammates to get the outs."

For Saint Louis, yesterday's game was the first stop in a challenging week of baseball, as the Crusaders face perennial power Kamehameha on Friday before playing top-ranked Punahou on Saturday.

The Owls return to action against Damien on Friday.

"We'll just play them one at a time," Muramaru said. "This was a game we needed to win because a loss would have given us three for the year and that would be tough. We just need to keep playing and see what happens."

At Mid-Pacific Institute field

Saint Louis (4-1) 010 020 1 -- 4 6 1

Mid-Pacific (3-2) 100 034 x -- 8 6 5

Cameron Bayne, Ryan Sasaki (6) and Sheldon Santiago. Jayson Kramer and Kip Masuda. W--Kramer. L--Bayne.
Leading hitters--StL: Kelii Zablan 2-4, 2b, 2 RBIs; Justin Doane 2-4. MPI: Masuda 2-3, 2b, HR, 3 RBIs; Adam Tamashiro 2b, RBI; Kramer 3b, 2 RBIs; Reece Uyeno 1-2, 3b, RBI; Chad Takabuki 2b.

No. 10 Iolani 12, Damien 5
Mike Hirokawa went 3-for-3 and Kyson Morikuni drove in three runs as the Raiders used a five-run sixth inning to pull away from the Monarchs.
At Iolani H.S. field

Damien (0-5)	000	023	0	--	5	8	5
Iolani (2-2-1)	120	405	x	--	12	10	2

Robert Cuizon, George Martin (5), Jonathan Awa (6), Christian Stephenson (6) and Kai Higa; Ian Mopas, Robson Bunda (6), Jon Sakoda (6) and Riley Yamamoto. W--Mopas. L--Cuizon. S--Sakoda.
Leading hitters--Dam: T.J. Esclito 2-4, 2 RBIs; C. Stephenson 2-4, 2b; Scotty Taleasea 2-4; Kaimana Balandon 2b; R. Cuizon 2 RBIs. Iol: Mike Hirokawa 3-3; Jarvis Nohara 2-3; Wally Marciel 2-4; Kyson Morikuni 3 RBIs; Marc Factora 3b, 2 RBIs.

No. 4 Kamehameha 14, Pac-Five 1
Aaron Nichols hit two triples and drove in five runs and Ryson Mauricio added a triple and three RBIs as Kamehameha won its fourth straight.
At Ala Wai Field

Kamehameha (4-1)	044	60	--	14	11	0
Pac-Five (1-4)	001	00	--	1	3	0

Koa Kaleo, Erik Price (4) and Stuart Kam, Marshall Nishimura (4). Nick Miyamoto, Tyler Simao (3), Levi Goeas (4), Colin Inamasu (4), Ross Yamato (4) and Aaron Chilcote. W--Kaleo. L--Miyamoto.
Leading hitters--Kam: Ryson Mauricio 2-2, 3b, 3 RBIs; Aaron Nichols 2-3, 2 3bs, 5 RBIs; Eli Chee 2-2, RBI; Kamu Freitas 2 RBIs; Keahi Piiohia 2b. Pac: Ronel Trias 2b, RBI.

No. 1 Punahou 19, Maryknoll 6
Kyle Fujimoto drove in five runs as the Buffanblu scored 10 unanswered runs in the final three innings to pull away for the victory.
At Ala Wai Field

Punahou (4-0-1)	221	413	6	--	19	15	3
Maryknoll (1-4)	001	500	0	--	6	4	4

Cheyne Okawa, Reece Kiriu (4), Carl Graves (4), Kurt Komatsubara (7) and Michael Chock, Matthew Solomana (4), Chock (5). Chris Lum, Matt Fukumoto (2), Spencer Kim (3), Ryan Matsumoto (5), Hiroshi Kuroda (5), Ryan DeMello (7), Brett Ikei (7) and Brian Tabata. W--Graves. L--Lum.
Leading hitters--Pun: Kyle Fujimoto 3-5, 2 2b's, 5 RBIs; Landon Nakata 2-4; Steven Dannaway 2-3, 2b, 2 RBIs; Kaohi Downing 2-2, RBI; Maika Murashige 2-3; Bucky Aona 2 RBIs; Reyn Kubota 3b; Kasey Ko 2b. Mryk: Brian Tabata 2-2, 3b, 3 RBIs.

OIA

Junior varsity
Moanalua 10, Castle 6