By

POSTED: Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Ordinarily known for small ball, the 'Iolani baseball team pounded out 11 hits and held on for a 9-6 victory over Kamehameha in the Interscholastic League of Honolulu regular-season opener for both squads yesterday at 'Iolani.

After tying it at 2 after two frames, the Raiders erupted for five runs in the third inning as their first seven batters reached base on a combination of four singles, a walk, a fielder's choice and a Warriors error.

Kamehameha knocked the deficit down to as little as two runs, but 'Iolani reliever Jarrett Arakawa preserved the victory for starter Sheldon Lee, tossing a scoreless 1 2/3 innings and preventing a Warriors comeback in the top of the seventh inning with the tying run at the plate.

“;We've been emphasizing to our guys throughout the preseason that we're not the kind of team that is going to score eight, nine, 10 runs. We play one run an inning,”; said 'Iolani coach Dean Yonamine. “;We stuck with the game plan, nobody panicked after we got down early 2-0, and we did a good job of getting clutch hits when we needed to.

“;Jarrett is the pressure guy. He's the quarterback, he's the guy they go to in basketball, so when it comes down to living and dying with one guy, he's the guy we want to live and die with. Sheldon threw a great game. He gave up two runs early and didn't panic.”;

The Warriors (0-1) struck first with two runs on RBI singles from Kewby Meyer and Keanu Carmichael in the opening frame.

But the Raiders (1-0) answered in the home half of the second with two runs the hard way.

After Grant Iwamoto and Sean Nada picked up back-to-back singles with one out, Kevin Barayuga advanced the runners with a sacrifice bunt. Kamehameha starter Chris Pascual then unleashed a wild pitch that allowed Eric Molnar (Iwamoto's courtesy runner) to score. Then, after Kela Marciel was hit by a pitch, Naga scored from third as Marciel intentionally got caught between first and second base, forcing a throw and giving the runner time to score.

“;It goes back even further than the third inning,”; said Kamehameha coach Vern Ramie of his team's failure to hold the early lead. “;You've got a guy on third base with two outs and two strikes on the batter and you end up letting him score on a wild pitch. That's where it starts right there. And then we come back in the next inning, and have some opportunities to make some routine plays, but don't make them.”;

In the third inning the first two 'Iolani runs came home on second baseman Makana Ramie's errant throw — a short toss to the shortstop that should have started a tailor-made double play. Iwamoto added a two-run single off the right-field fence with the bases loaded to widen the Raiders' lead, and at the completion of three innings, 'Iolani had turned the tables and held a 7-2 advantage.

“;They got that one big hit with the bases loaded, and that's what happens when you give them extra outs,”; Vern Ramie said.

While Kamehameha rallied to cut the deficit to 8-6, Raiders' lead-off man Jensen Park notched his third hit of the game with a triple in the sixth inning, and later scored to put his squad up by the deciding three-run margin.

“;They're a great team, they're scary,”; said Yonamine of Kamehameha's offensive arsenal, which netted 10 hits. “;In terms of (their) offensive production, you can never rest. Even that last inning, you can't rest on these guys.”;

                                                                                                                                                           

Kamehameha (0-1)	200	121	0	—	6	10	1
'Iolani (1-0)	025	101	x	—	9	11	0

Chris Pascual, Alika Pruett (3) and Keanu Carmichael. Sheldon Lee, JR Bunda (5), Jarrett Arakawa (6) and Grant Iwamoto. W—Lee. L—Pascual. S—Arakawa.

Leading hitters—Kam: Kalei Hanawahine HR; Kewby Meyer 2-4, RBI; Carmichael 2-3, 2B, RBI; Arlie Johnson 2-3, 2B, RBI. 'Iol: Jensen Park 3-4, 3B; Breland Almadova HR; Arakawa 2-3; Iwamoto 2-2, 2 RBIs; Sean Nada 3-3, RBI.

Saint Louis 13, Damien 2

Moses Samia went 2 for 2 with a home run as the Crusaders routed the Monarchs.

At Ala Wai Community Park

                                                                                                                                           

Damien (0-1)	011	00	—	2	4	4
Saint Louis (1-0)	311	53	—	13	10	0

Isaac Ventura, Trey Derby (4), Derrick Dudoit (5) and Aalona Amimoto. Chris Chung and Moses Samia. W—Chung. L—Ventura.

Leading hitters—Dam: Taylor Kauweloa 2-2, run. StL: Lucas Gonsavles 2b, 2 runs; Samia 2-2, HR, 2 RBIs; Kaden Kamoe 3b, 4 RBIs; Vonn Fe'ao 2-3, 2 RBIs.

OIA softball

red east CONference

Roosevelt 8, Kaimuki 1

                                                                                                                                                           

Roosevelt (2-0)	002	500	1	—	8	9	2
Kaimuki (0-2)	000	010	0	—	1	2	5

Lianna Bajarin and Lindsay Takekawa. Deanna Byers, Louise Siamate (4) and Mikki Morihara. W—Bajarin. L—Siamate.

Leading hitters—Roos: Brianne Leong 2-4, RBI; Bajarin 2-4, RBI. Kaim: Dejah Fa'asoa 2b.

WHITE CONFERENCE

Waialua 9, McKinley 1

                                                                                                                                                           

Waialua (2-0)	121	101	3	—	9	15	1
McKinley (1-1)	100	000	0	—	1	2	4

Marissa Keao and Alyssiah Hernandez, Gabriella Maxwell (4); Rachel Ragus and Amanda Sakagawa. W—Keao. L—Ragus.

Leading hitters—Wail: Althia Dicion 4-5, 2 HRs, 3b; Hernandez 3-4, 2 2bs; Keao 3-for-5, 3b; Kristy Maxwell 2-4.