FL MORRIS / FMORRIS@STARBULLETIN.COM Iolani's Kyson Morikuni stole third base in the third inning ahead of the throw to Damien third baseman Thomas Esclito.

Iolani swings through
mistakes in win

Like any other good high school baseball coach, Iolani's Dean Yonamine appreciates the importance of offensive execution.

Getting the sacrifice bunt down, being able to hit behind runners, and taking what the defense gives you to move runners up or score a run are all keys to fundamental baseball.

And while Yonamine does preach the importance of execution and being able to play the short game, he will surely live with three failed sacrifice attempts that resulted in a four-run rally for the Raiders yesterday as Iolani outlasted Damien 7-2 in an Interscholastic League of Honolulu game at Aloha Stadium.

Iolani jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the third, when first baseman Wally Marciel produced a two-run single to left field. After Monarch starter Duncan Ebert quickly retired the first two hitters of the inning, Kyson Morikuni and Case Miyahira singled to give Iolani runners at first and second. Raiders designated hitter Marc Factora walked to load the bases, setting Marciel up for his big single.

Damien stormed back in the bottom half of the frame to catch Iolani as Thomas Esclito, Ebert and Robert Cuizon registered consecutive doubles. Esclito led off the rally by slicing a sharp liner down the right-field line for the first double. Ebert jumped on the very next pitch by Iolani starter Chris Johnson and drilled a ball into the gap in left-center to score Damien's first run. Cuizon then pulled a Johnson pitch down the left-field line to give the Monarchs the go-ahead run at second base, with no outs.

The Raiders' lack of execution led them to a big sixth inning.

Factora led off with an infield single and advanced to second when Marciel drew a base on balls. Travis Nishioka was next and was unable to put a sacrifice bunt down in fair territory on two pitches, and quickly fell into an 0-2 count. Nishioka redeemed himself when he hit a hard grounder at Damien's shortstop, who could not come up with the handle, scoring Justin Nakamura from second base.

Brett Hasegawa followed and was also unsuccessful in attempting to lay down the sacrifice. Hasegawa rebounded quickly, ripping a double into the gap in right-center to give Iolani the insurance run.

After Greg Hackler lined out to second baseman Christian Stevenson for the first out of the inning, Yonamine gave Jarvis Nohara the bunt sign. After fouling off his sacrifice try, Nohara sent a soft liner toward the left side of the infield that glanced off the glove of the Monarch shortstop, allowing another Iolani score. Mike Hirokawa's sacrifice fly tallied the fourth and final Raider run of the frame.

"That's definitely something we need to work on," Yonamine said. "We can't expect not to execute and compete in this league. We got a little lucky today, but CJ threw a great game. He threw strikes and kept us close until we got on a roll in the sixth."

Junior left-hander Johnson earned the complete-game victory, spacing five hits while striking out three.

Johnson, who also appeared in relief earlier in the week in a loss to Mid-Pacific, allowed three of Damien's hits in the third and two more in a scoreless sixth. He retired the side in order in four innings, and breezed through the seventh, save for a one-out walk.

"I was just trying to mix up my pitches today," Johnson said. "My approach was to get the first batter of each inning out. I knew if I did that, everything else should go good. But this was a team effort, everybody contributed today."

Iolani returns to action tomorrow against defending state champion Punahou, while Damien has the day off.

"We need to come and get those guys," Yonamine said. "We're back at .500 now, and there's a lot more games left to play."

At Aloha Stadium

Iolani (5-5-1)	002	004	1	--	7	9	0
Damien (3-8)	002	000	0	--	2	5	2

Chris Johnson and Jarvis Nohara, Riley Yamamoto (6). Duncan Ebert, Evander Ledward (6) and Kai Higa. W--Johnson. L--Ledward.
Leading Hitters--Iol: Wally Marciel 2-3, 2b, 2 RBIs; Kyson Morikuni 2-4; Brett Hasegawa 1-3, 2b, 2 RBIs. Dam: Ebert 1-2, 2b, RBI; Thomas Esclito 1-2, 2b; Robert Cuizon 1-2, 2b, RBI.

No. 5 Saint Louis 13,No. 1 Kamehameha 3

Jordan Duropan rapped out three hits, including a triple, and had two RBIs as the Crusaders defeated the Warriors, ending Kamehameha's nine-game winning streak.

Justin Doane and Shaun Kauleinamoku each drove in two runs as well for the Crusaders.

At Aloha Stadium

Saint Louis (7-4)	902	000	2	--	13	14	3
Kamehameha (9-2)	011	010	0	--	3	7	4

Cameron Bayne and Sheldon Santiago. David Barrow, Koa Kaleo (1) and Stuart Kam. W--Bayne. L--Barrow.
Leading hitters--StL: Ryan Sasaki 2b; Kelii Zablan 3-4, 2b; Justin Doane 2-4, 2 RBIs; Shaun Kauleinamoku 3-4, 2 RBIs; Jordan Duropan 3-4, 3b, 2 RBIs. Kam: Makana Kitamura 3b; Jayson Rego 2-3.

No. 6 Mid-Pacific 17, Maryknoll 1

The Owls peppered Maryknoll starter Bryan Matsumoto for four singles to bat around in the first inning and eventually had a 14-0 lead after three.

Conan Young gave up a harmless run in the fourth before stepping aside to allow Kyle Sakamoto to finish out the rout. Jayson Kramer and Reece Uyema each drove in two runs.

At Ala Wai Field

Mid Pacific (7-4)		455	03	--	17	15	2
Maryknoll (1-10)		000	10	--	1	5	3

Conan Young, Kyle Sakamoto (5) and Kip Masuda, Aaron Fujiki (4). Ryan Matsumoto, Chris Lum (3) and Josh Gelson, Ryan Matsumoto (3). W--Young, L--Matsumoto.
Leading Hitters--MPI: Adam Tamashiro 2-2, 2b, RBI; Jayson Kramer 2-3, 3b, 2 RBIs; Nathan Rice 2-2, 2b; Reece Uyema 2-2, 2 RBIs; Conan Young 2-3.

No. 2 Punahou 11, Pac-Five 9

Bucky Aona hit a two-run homer in the first and drove in two runs as the Buffanblu held off the game Wolfpack.

Anthony Onisuka tripled and drove in two runs for the Wolfpack, who hammered out 14 hits.

At Ala Wai Field

Punahou (9-1-1)	450	010	1	--	11	10	3
Pac-Five (2-9)	402	300	0	--	9	14	2

Cheyne Okawa, Harrison Ishida (1), Scott Hiramoto (5) and Michael Chock. Ross Yamato, Livai Goeas (2), Samson Aina (6) and Aaron Chilcote. W--Ishida. L--Goeas. S--Hiramoto.
Leading hitters--Pun: Kyle Fujimoto 2-4, RBI; Bucky Aona 2-4, 2b, HR, 4 RBIs; Kasey Ko 2-3, RBI; Maika Murashige 2 RBIs; Kaohi Downing 2b, 2 RBIs. Pac: Ronel Trias 2-4; Kendal Tanigawa 2-5, RBI; Chilcote 3-4, 2b, 2 RBIs; Kama Moises 2-4; Anthony Onisuka 2-3, 3b, 2 RBIs; Chad Yabuki 2-3, 2 RBIs.