GEORGE LEE / GLEE@STARBULLETIN.COM Pearl City's Tate Ikehara ran home as Leilehua catcher Gavin Uyeda awaited a throw.

Tate, Chargers
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Pearl City's fate rides heavily with Tate.

Tate Ikehara, a senior right fielder, went 4-for-4, including a triple and two doubles, as Pearl City stunned Leilehua 12-10 yesterday in the quarterfinals of the Oahu Interscholastic Association baseball playoffs at Fred Wright Field.

Pearl City (17-9), the No. 5 seed in the East, advanced to today's semifinal round. More importantly, the Chargers earned a state-tournament berth.

"We lost to them last year, and we lost to them this year," said Ikehara, who used the entire field to drive in five runs. "Everyone wanted this game a lot."

Leilehua (18-8), the third seed in the East, will play Kalani today in a loser's bracket game. That winner will advance to the fifth-place game with a state berth at stake.

The game featured 31 hits and eight errors and took 2 hours, 52 minutes to complete.

The Mules won at Pearl City 6-3 on April 7, but looked rusty yesterday. They committed five errors and fell behind by seven runs before their bats got hot.

None were hotter than Ikehara's, however. He drove in five runs for the Chargers.

"At the beginning of the season, I was in a slump. Now I'm seeing the ball better. I spent a lot of time in the batting cage," he said.

Pearl City put a lot of bunts on the ground, testing Leilehua's fielders constantly. The strategy paid off.

"We executed and played little ball," Chargers coach Mel Seki said. "No matter how long you coach a game like this, you have a lot of emotions."

Jason Tamanaha started and picked up the win, going four innings and allowing six runs. Matt Ko provided two key innings of relief, and senior Craig Calantoc came in to finish the game off despite some struggles.

"I had Jason Rasa up from the JV, but I didn't want to put him in a tough situation," Seki said. "It takes a senior to do it."

Pearl City, which won at Kaiser on Wednesday to reach yesterday's quarterfinal, will send Rasa to the mound today at Kailua at 4 p.m. His fresh energy may help a team that will have its third game in as many days.

"I'm spent. We're all spent," Seki said.

Pearl City wasted little time getting on the scoreboard against the Mules. A throwing error by Leilehua third baseman Sevy Tolentino allowed Pearl City leadoff hitter Bryant Katakura to reach base. The next batter, Dustin Kimseu, put down a sacrifice bunt and was out at first, but Leilehua first baseman Melvin Ferreira threw the ball away to an occupied third base and Katakura scored easily.

The Chargers connected for four consecutive base hits off John Olley to start the top of the second. Rylan Nakahata doubled and came home on Ikehara's double to deep center. After Paul Domingo singled, Kurt Tanabe delivered an RBI single to left, giving Pearl City a 3-0 lead.

Kelsey Poentis' grounder to third turned into another Leilehua error, allowing Domingo to score for a 4-0 Chargers lead.

Olley caught Poentis off first base and fired the ball to second baseman Kelsey Yoshikami, but during the rundown, Yoshikami threw the ball away. That allowed Tanabe to score Pearl City's fifth run.

Pearl City chased Olley in the third after Ikehara blasted a run-scoring triple to the left-field corner for a 6-0 lead.

The Chargers went to their bunting tactics in the fifth, scoring four runs with the help of two bunt singles and a safety squeeze for an RBI by Tanabe.

The Mules chipped away before exploding with a six-run, seven-hit fifth inning to trim the deficit to 10-8.

Pearl City answered with two runs in the top of the sixth, thanks to an RBI single by Ikehara and a bases-loaded walk by Tanabe.

Leilehua plated two runs in the bottom of the seventh, including an RBI single by Bryant Moniz.

Calontoc allowed three baserunners in relief, but notched the final two outs to pick up a save and secure the win for Pearl City.

At Fred Wright Field

Pearl City	141	042	0	--	12	14	3
Leilehua	000	260	2	--	10	17	5

Jason Tamanaha, Matthew Ko (5), Craig Calontoc (7) and Paul Domingo. John Olley, Casey Yamaguchi (3), Quinton Bagayos (6), Joshua Pastor (6) and Gavin Uyeda. W--Tamanaha. L--Olley. S--Calantoc.
Leading hitters--PC: Thomas Yamasaki 2-3; Rylan Nakahata 2-3, 3 runs; Tate Ikehara 4-4, 3b, 2 2bs, 5 RBIs, 2 runs. Lei: Andrew Ontai 3-5, 2b, 2 RBIs, 2 runs; Pastor 3-5, 2 RBIs; Olley 2-4; Uyeda 2-4, 2b, RBI; Melvin Ferreira 3-5, 2 runs, RBI; Yamaguchi 2-4.

No. 9 Kailua 1, No. 6 Kalani 0

Kekoa Su'a's sacrifice fly in the third inning was the difference in a tight game between the Falcons and the Surfriders, who advanced to the semifinals of the OIA playoffs with the win.

Sua's flyout to left field scored Kelii Klobucar from third base for the game's only run.

Aaron Kent got the win for Kailua, allowing four hits and fanning four in seven innings. Micah Takahashi picked up the loss, giving up six hits and four walks while striking out five in going the distance.

At Kahala Field

Kailua (9-3)	001	000	0	--	1	6	0
Kalani (9-2)	000	000	0	--	0	4	3

Aaron Kent and Michael D'Alessio. Micah Takahashi and Preston Pires. W--Kent. L--Takahashi.
Leading hitters--Kail: Preston Nakata 2-3.

Moanalua 7, Waianae 6

Andrew Blomberg's two-run homer in the fifth inning proved to be the game-winning hit as the Menehunes came from behind to defeat the Seasiders.

Dayne Dela Cruz blasted a two-run homer in the first inning to help Moanalua take a 3-1 lead after one. But Christian Low hit a three-run double and Sonny Dudoit added a two-run double as Waianae scored five straight runs to take a 6-4 lead.

Kekoa Lee earned the win and Adam Arakawa the save. They combined to keep Waianae scoreless in the final three innings.

Moanalua hosts Aiea today at 4 p.m. in the semifinals.

At Moanalua H.S. field

Waianae (9-3)	103	200	0	--	6	8	0
Moanalua (9-2)	300	040	x	--	7	8	2

Ande Kuakini and Peter Carba. Chance Daskauskas, Kekoa Lee (4), Adam Arakawa (6) and Donovan Souza. W--Lee. L--Kuakini. S--Arakawa.Leading hitters--Wain: Sonny Dudoit 3-4, 2b, 2 RBIs; Charleson Low 2b, 3 RBIs; Kipi Rosa 2-4, 2b, RBI; Carba 2-3. Moan: Peter Arakawa 1-3, 2b, RBI; A. Arakawa 2-3, 3b, RBI; Andrew Blomberg 2-3, 2b, HR, 3 RBIs; Dayne Dela Cruz 1-3, HR, 2 RBIs.

Aiea 7, No. 2 Mililani 2

Derek Grace tripled and drove in five runs and pitcher Cody Aquino gave up just one run in four innings as Na Alii upset the Trojans.

Kurt Nishi added three hits and CJ Tausaga tripled for Na Alii.

At Mililani H.S. field

Aiea (9-3)	100	303	0	--	7	12	2
Mililani (9-2)	000	101	0	--	2	2	2

Cody Aquino, Derek Grace (5) and Brian Morihara. Tony Aquino, Kelsey Nakata (6) and Kamaka Crabbe. W--C. Aquino. L--T. Aquino.
Leading hitters--Aiea: CJ Tausaga 3b; Grace 3-4, 3b, 5 RBIs; Kurt Nishi 3-4, 2b. Mil: Nakata 2b.

BIIF
Kealakehe 8, Kea'au 2

Bryant Komo hit two doubles and drove in three runs to help the Waveriders defeat the Cougars.

Kealakehe took the lead in the first inning with a two-run double to left-center field by Komo.

Leading 4-2, the Waveriders added four insurance runs in the sixth inning on six hits and a costly fielding error that allowed two runners to score.

Waverider pitcher Sky Valenzuela pitched a complete game, giving up seven hits and striking out seven.

At Keaau H.S. field

Kealakehe	300	014	0	--	8	13	1
Kea'au	200	000	0	--	2	7	3

Sky Valenzuela and Bryant Komo. Brad Hacoba, Kamalu Blaisdell (5), Kaeo Schweitzer (6) and Roi Tanimoto. W--Valenzuela. L--Hacoba.
Leading hitters--Keal: Paxton Chatfield 3-5, 2b; Valenzuela 2-4, 2 runs; Komo 2-5, 3 RBIs, 2 2bs; Kai Miller 2b; Alson Kajikawa 2-3, 3b; Sam Yamazawa 2-3. Kea: Tanimoto 3-3, 2b; Haili Puerto 2-3, 2 RBIs.