Chargers surprise Surfriders

Maybe it's the 15 years that Mel Seki has been coach at Pearl City, but even as his Chargers celebrated their first Oahu Interscholastic Association baseball championship since 1999, he only had one word to describe his feelings.

"Relaxed is how I feel," he said.

It also could have been the fact that the game was practically over after two innings as the Chargers jumped on four Kailua pitchers for 10 runs in the opening two frames.

That was more than enough support for junior Bryson Nakamura, who held a hot Surfriders offense to just one unearned run on five hits as Pearl City upset No. 4 Kailua 11-1 in the final of the OIA baseball playoffs last night at Central Oahu Regional Park.

"I'd like to think I'm an experienced enough coach at this point to go through this tournament where all these kids and trying so hard to win and just keep positive and calm," Seki said. "I'm just happy that they got the opportunity to be OIA champions."

It's Seki's second title during his tenure at Pearl City, and the game played out much like his other title win in '99.

"That year we won in five innings against Waipahu and they had Jerome Williams," Seki recalled. "I remember telling my kids I don't want Jerome coming in to pitch, and we jumped on them early just like we did tonight."

Kailua's ace, Kili Vierra, was only available for five innings of work after pitching a total of eight innings in the last two days. Jared Tamanaha got the start for the Surfriders, but gave up three runs in an inning of work. Kailua sent four different pitchers to the mound during an eight-run second inning as Pearl City took a commanding 10-1 lead and never was threatened.

"We just needed one guy to step up and get us through the first two innings," Kailua coach Corey Ishigo said. "We just didn't have anybody and had to throw guys that haven't been tested."

It was Ishigo's sixth trip to the OIA final in his eight years as coach, but the first time he tasted defeat. Nakamura was a big reason why, as he not only was dominant on the mound, but also contributed at the plate with a two-run double as part of that big second inning. "Coach told me to just focus on my pitching and anything I could get batting would be a plus," Nakamura said. "I was hoping we could get a few runs early to help me out, but I never expected we'd get 10 on them."

The Surfriders loaded the bases in the third inning, but Nakamura struck out Keenan Tanaka to end the inning. He finished with five strikeouts for the game, including a three-pitch strikeout of Tanaka to end it with runners on first and third.

"If we had gone one more inning, I would have had to take him out because I didn't want to overwork one of our prospects," Seki said. "He had been tough for us all year and today was just another great performance."

Jordan Casarez was 3-for-3 with two runs scored and Jeffrey Domingo had two RBIs to lead the Chargers, who scored 23 runs and pounded out 25 hits in their final two games of the tournament.

"What comes with this is not only the OIA championship, but a chance for a good seeding in states," Seki said. "I hope we will be recognized for what we have accomplished."

Mililani 8, Kaiser 1

Mililani scored five runs in the bottom of the first inning en route to an 8-1 win over Kaiser and the OIA's No. 3 seed into the state tournament.

The Trojans pounded 16 hits off three Cougar pitchers, including two triples (Travis Jones and AJ Pearson) and three doubles (John Abreu, Brett Kakugawa and Josh Queja). Three Mililani pitchers combined on a six-hitter, with starter Ian Lee earning the win, giving up a run to the Cougars in the second.

Kalani 10, Roosevelt 3

Ridge Carpenter's three-run triple in the top of the fourth highlighted Kalani's four-run second and the Falcons earned the final OIA berth in the state tournament with a 10-3 victory over Roosevelt.

Micah Takahashi scattered seven hits, striking out seven and walking three, in a complete-game victory. His shutout was spoiled in the bottom of the fifth after Kalani had expanded the lead to 8-0.

The Rough Riders scored all three of their runs, using an RBI double by Nick Wong, two singles, a passed ball and a sacrifice fly Keoni Manago. Takahashi did not give up a hit the rest of the way.