After another classically tough struggle through nonconference play, the Kailua Surfriders seemed content to fall back into a self-destructive mode before their trip to Roosevelt yesterday.

With five starters benched for disciplinary reasons, Kailua survived a last-inning rally by the Rough Riders and escaped with a 7-6 win at Stevenson Intermediate School field. Kailua improved to 3-0 in the Oahu Interscholastic Association Red Conference, denying Roosevelt (0-3) its first win.

Errorless, solid defense—starting catcher Alan Baldwin picked off two baserunners in scoring position—and solid pitching by underclassmen Jared Matsumoto and Alika Ramseyer-Ho did the job against the resilient Rough Riders. Kailua led 7-1 entering the bottom of the seventh when Roosevelt's cold bats got hot. The Rough Riders had the potential tying run at third base (Corey Saka) and go-ahead run at first (Rylan Ikehara) when Ramseyer-Ho replaced Reyn Matsuki on the mound.

He walked Aston Koki to load the bases, but brought his heaters against Lowen Kahooilihala. Ramseyer-Ho caught the inside and outside corners for strikes, but he caught a break when his “;waste”; pitch on an 0-2 count rung up Kahooilihala.

“;Everyone saw it was outside except for the one guy,”; Roosevelt coach Craig Arakawa said.

Kahooilihala had singled earlier in the inning, but was stunned by the strike call.

“;I'm not too sure. It was a good pitch, but it wasn't even close,”; he said.

Even Ramseyer-Ho was surprised.

“;I threw all fastballs. The last one ran off the plate,”; he said.

The game-ending strikeout came moments after a Roosevelt baserunner was thrown out at home plate on a disputed play.

Ramseyer-Ho earned the save and Matsumoto, who permitted one run in four innings, got the win. Matsumoto, a junior, made his first start since injuring his elbow at the end of his freshman year.

Billy Kamau took the loss for Roosevelt, allowing seven runs in three-plus innings. Only three of those runs were earned.

Even with Roosevelt's rally, it was a demonstration of what Kailua is capable of. Coach Corey Ishigo sent his benched starters to the field to play defense in that last inning. Ramseyer-Ho is only a sophomore, but throws a fastball on par with some of the state's best pitchers.

“;The young boys did a good job,”; Ishigo said, noting that a lot of his players missed parts of preseason with other sports and priorities, like drivers education. The Surfriders were 2-15 in nonconference play.

The Rough Riders outhit the visitors 9-8, but committed three errors on their home field.

“;Everyone wants the first- or second-round bye. Now that's going to be tough,”; said Arakawa, philosophical about the tough calls.

“;You have to take the good with bad and the bad with the good,”; he said.

The bus arrived late for pickup at Kailua, but the Surfriders arrived by game time and got busy early. Jared Iha scored in the first inning on a steal of third. Roosevelt catcher Tyler Parenada's throw sailed high, allowing Iha to score easily.

Roosevelt tied it in the bottom of the first on Saka's double to right—outfielder Reijg Alo-Ching had trouble with the sun and wind on the play—scoring Shon Matsumoto from first.

Roosevelt put runners at second and third with no outs in the second frame, but failed to score. Kailua then scored five times in the top of the third.

Ryan McMonigle, Matsumoto, Baldwin and Alo-Ching socked run-scoring singles to chase Kamau. The damage was especially acute because Kamau had retired the first two batters and had an 0-2 count on Iha before walking him.

Up 6-1, Kailua tacked on another run in the fourth on Mike Thomas' opposite-field homer to right. The 30-foot fence, just 275 feet from home plate, couldn't hold Thomas' shot in play. The ninth hitter in the lineup, Thomas rounded first base and paused in confusion before finishing his trip back home.

In the seventh, the Rough Riders got run-scoring singles from Kahooilihala and pinch hitter Peter Rocholm before Zach Hamasaki jolted a two-run double to left. On the play, Drayson Ho was tagged out at home plate on shortstop McMonigle's rifle throw home to catcher Ethan Mahaulu.

OIA RED WEST

Kapolei 7, Leilehua 6

Jarin Kadooka hit a two-out, game-winning single in the bottom of the seventh to lift the Hurricanes over the visiting Mules.

OIA WHITE

McKinley 9, Radford 7

After surrendering four runs in the fifth inning, the Tigers scored three in the sixth to regain the lead and beat the Rams.

Kaimuki 20, Nanakuli 1 5 inn.

The Bulldogs blitzed the Golden Hawks with a 16-run first inning to secure the easy win.

Kaimuki's Nainoa Hiapo struck out 10 to earn the win.