LIVE BLOG: Day 1, Wally Yonamine Foundation/HHSAA Baseball State Tourney

Wally Yonamine Foundation/HHSAA Baseball State Championships
Iron Maehara Stadium
Opening round
Wednesday, May 8, 2019

Final: Kailua pulls out a strange, borderline insane 10-1 win over Maui in nine innings.

Bot 9: Ah Yat, who replaced Ewaliko on the mound to start the eighth, is back to finish. Kokobun leads off for Maui with a triple to right. Ah Yat retires the next three, game over. What a wacky game. Kailua advances to the quarterfinals and will play BIIF champion Hilo on Thursday.

Top 9: Four runs across for Kailua so far off Lakalaka, who was magnificent, but tired in this ninth. Leg cramps couldn’t stop Bryson Ewaliko. The Kailua ace drove in the go-ahead run with a double in the top of the ninth, scoring pinch runner Quinn McMurray for a 2-1 as the Surfriders survived and advanced.

Ewaliko’s key hit sparked a four-run outburst by the Surfriders. Keanu Kalaola followed with a double to right, scoring courtesy runner Orion Medeiros for a two-run margin. Matthew Kaleiohi’s triple to right brought home Ewaliko and Kalaoa, breaking open an epic battle. Lakalaka is done for the night, Ruiz moves from shortstop to the mound.

Hanano’s opposite-field single down the left-field line scores Kaleiohi, and it’s now 6-1. That’s five hits in a row by the Surfriders. Incredible. After a forceout grounder by Iranon (who had been 4-for-4), Takata’s bunt turns into an E5 throw, and Iranon races home from first, and it’s 7-1.

Wild pitch, Takata scores, 8-1. Still just one out. Sarae singles up the middle. Then Ah Yat launches a moon shot (thank you, Jordan Helle) to RIGHT FIELD, a rarity that Maui News sportswriter Rob Collias hasn’t seen since Kirby Yates of Kauai did so years ago. It is 10-1. This is the Twilight Zone. It has gone from extremely tight and even, to a runaway. Or has it. We still have the bottom of the 10th to play…

Top 8: Iranon doubled to right with one out, and Takata’s sac bunt pop-up was dropped by Lakalaka. However, Brandon Sarae grounded into a 4-6-3 double play to end the inning.

Bot 7: Ewaliko is ahead of Shirota 0-2, then throws four balls and Shirota is on first base. Then Dando singles the opposite way to left. These are the first walk and first hit allowed by Ewaliko. After a bunt single by Kokobun, Maui has the bases loaded with no outs. Then there is confusion as Kailua runs the HIDDEN-BALL TRICK and third baseman Ah Yat tags Shirota out. The umpires confer and confirm that Shirota is OUT. WOW. I’ve never seen that tactic used at such a crucial time.

Now, after two balls throw to Ruiz, Ewaliko goes down with a leg cramp. This is crazy. Next pitch, wild pitch and the runners advance. Now an intentional walk to Ruiz, bases loaded, one out. Ewaliko trying to stretch his legs, still tight after the leg cramp. Ewaliko faces Corpuz, who works the count to 3-1, and now Ewaliko is down again as a trainer works on his right calf. Ewaliko pitches, ball in the dirt, ball four and Corpuz walks, Dando scores from third to tie the game.

Kobe Galinato at the plate, works the count to 3-2, and Ewaliko strikes him out on a called third strike. MAUI 1, KAILUA 1. Extra innings.

Top 7: Ah Yat walks and Ewaliko singles — he tried to call time, but wound up lining the ball to left — then flung his bat toward the dugout and it was in range of the home plate umpire. Lakalaka bears down and fans Kalaola and Kaleiohi to retire the side. The southpaw has recorded five outs, all on strikeouts.

Bot 6: After Kamahao Ching singles and Lolo-Tamashiro goes 2-2 on Corpuz, the Surfriders go to Bryson Ewaliko, who was expected to start tomorrow if Kailua wins. Corpuz walks, runners at second and first, Balmores’ sac bunt attempt is a pop-up, caught by third baseman Jalen Ah Yat. Then Ewaliko whiffs Keelan Yagi. Pinch hitter Donnie Archer in the box. Ewaliko strikes him out swinging to end the inning. KAILUA 1, MAUI 0.

Top 5: Taelen Bates tires and with one out, hits Kalua Neves, gets Bronson Ewaliko to fly out for the second out, then walks Keanu Kalaola and Matthew Kaleiohi on eight consecutive balls. After Bates throws two balls to Hanano, the Sabers replace him with Aizeah Lakalaka, their ace pitcher. The count is 2-0 with the bases loaded, two outs. The left-handed Lakalaka immediately got two strikes on the lefty-hitting Hanano. Then Kaleiohi floated off first base, trying to get Lakalaka to make a bad decision. It backfired on Kailua as the 1-4-5-6 putout, with the shortstop, Ruiz, applying the tag on Hanano at second base for the final out of the inning.

After the teams returned to their dugouts, Kailua coach Corey Ishigo appeared to ask the home plate umpire if the pitcher, Lakalaka, had balked. The answer was no.

End 4: Maui got a supreme opportunity in the bottom of the fourth when Tyrell Ruiz cranked a leadoff triple to right-center. After fanning Kamahao Ching, Shai Lolo-Tamashiro walked Ky-Mani Corpuz.

After Corpuz stole second base, Lolo-Tamashiro retired MJ Balmores on a short fly ball. Pinch hitter Boden Woodard took a 1-2 changeup on the inside edge of the plate, and Lolo-Tamashiro started toward the dugout, but the pitch was ruled a ball. Woodard eventually eked out a walk, and Lolo-Tamashiro got Aidan Vignuex to chase a change-up for a third strike, ending the threat.

End 3: Sabers get Korey Shirota on base (walk), but he’s stranded when Kailua second baseman Taylor Takata makes an eye-popping dive on a grounder in the hole by Dylan Kokubun for the final out of the inning.

End 2: The Surfriders scored in the top of the second inning. Mikey Hanano walked and advanced to third on a single by Kayde Iranon before scoring on a wild pitch. KAILUA 1, MAUI 0.

7 p.m.
Maui (9-5) vs. Kailua (14-7-2)
> Maui enters the game ranked No. 9 in the Top 10. Kailua was ranked earlier in the season.
> Winner vs. third-seeded Hilo (11-3)

Notes: The Sabers have home-field advantage of sorts, playing their home games all season long at Iron Maehara. They are also 0-4 against ranked teams, though those four losses are against defending state champion Baldwin. … The Surfriders are 1-5-1 against the Top 10, including a win over Saint Louis. As usual, Kailua had a strong run late in the OIA season, winning six games in a row before falling to Campbell, 6-5, in the semifinal round. This is the first meeting of the season for these teams.

Final: Waiakea 9, Saint Louis 4. Waiakea advances to the quarterfinal round and will meet top-seeded Baldwin, the defending state champion. Post-game story coming later tonight on Prep World.

End 5: Honda has endured and is back on the mound to begin the sixth. After five frames, he has allowed four runs on nine hits. Key difference: Waiakea’s defense has committed just one error and Saint Louis has four.

Top 4: Boom. Boom. Ontai is hit by pitch, and Peneueta launches a towering fly ball deep that lands beyond the left-field sign. That’s three homers combined by these two teams. So far. WAIAKEA 9, SAINT LOUIS 4.

Bot 3: Four runs cross home plate for Waiakea, fueled partly by three Saint Louis errors. Stone Miyao with a bases-loaded single. WAIAKEA 9, SAINT LOUIS 2.

Top 3: The home run parade continues here at a park where there are rarely ever big shots. After Noah Tory reaches base on a forceout, Caleb Lomavita jolts a two-run homer to left just inside the foul pole, beyond the 340-foot sign. That’s that’s a combined four home runs in the past two games. WAIAKEA 5, SAINT LOUIS 2.

Bot 2: Holy moley. Rosario is back at it after singling and scoring in the first and coming up with the bazooka throw home to nab Navyac in the second. In the third, Cody Kunimitsu swings and misses for a strikeout, but reaches base on a passed ball. After Stone Miyao flies out, Rosario lines a Vidal fastball 380 feet over the left-field fence, to the center-field side of the scoreboard. That was a rocket by the husky senior center fielder. WAIAKEA 5, SAINT LOUIS 0.

Top 2: Huge opportunity again for Saint Louis, but they come up empty. JT Navyac reaches base on an infield error and Makana Ontai doubles to left. Runners at third and second, no outs. Hunter Peneueta flies to center, where Kalai Rosario loads up and throws out Navyac at home plate on a laser throw to catcher Cody Min. Great body language by Min, who sold the play well, as if there was no throw coming. Then Jonah Zembik flew out to left, ending the threat.

End 1: The Crusaders leave two runners on base. Then the Warriors get a two-run double by Safea Mauai, scoring Stone Miyao (single) and Kalai Rosario (single), and an RBI single by Cody Min. Just like that, it is WAIAKEA 3, SAINT LOUIS 0.

4:15 p.m.
Waiakea (19-4) vs. Saint Louis (21-9)
> Ty Honda vs. Richie Vidal III
> BIIF runner-up Waiakea is No. 9 in the Top 10 after being in the Top 5 for much of the season. Saint Louis, the ILH’s third-place team, has also been among the Top 5 for most of the spring, and is currently No. 5.
> Winner vs. top-seeded Baldwin (22-1)

Notes: The Crusaders are 10-8 against ranked teams, and they spent their break between the ILH regular season and playoffs in Nevada, playing in the Bishop Gorman All-Catholic Classic. Prior to that, Saint Louis had an eight-game win streak at one point of the regular season. … The Crusaders played at Iron Maehara Stadium during preseason, losing to Baldwin 5-2, and defeating Maui 7-0. The Warriors are 0-4 against Top 10 foes, including two late-season losses to upstart Hilo. Waiakea qualified for states by blanking Leilehua last Saturday, 9-0, at Wong Stadium in a play-in battle. … Like Saint Louis, Waiakea played at Iron Maehara during preseason, positing wins over Kapaa and Maui, and losing to Baldwin 6-1. Waiakea and Saint Louis have not met this season.

Final: Kamehameha 4, Castle 0. Pimental and Sauer combine on a four-hitter as the Warriors advance. They will meet OIA champion Mililani on Thursday in the quarterfinals.

Top 6: Arquero’s superb effort through five innings kept Castle within 1-0, but the Warriors reached him for three runs in the top of the sixth. Josiah Pekelo walked with one out and Dante Park followed with a home run to left. After Vince Venenciano tripled to right, he came home on a single to center by Beau Sylvester.
KAMEHAMEHA 4, CASTLE 0.

End 4: Pimental is in a groove, even though Castle got runners in scoring position. The southpaw struck out the side for the second time and now has seven K’s total. His curve and fastball are leaving the Knights frozen. KAMEHAMEHA 1, CASTLE 0.

End 3: Paa Elarionoff led off the bottom of the third with a homer to left, clearing the 340-foot sign, to give the Warriors the lead. KAMEHAMEHA 1, CASTLE 0.

End 2: The Warriors commit an error, but strand their baserunner. Pimental takes the mound and strikes out the side. He has four K’s. CAMPBELL 0, KAMEHAMEHA 0.

End 1: Each team goes down in order 1-2-3 in the first inning. Castle’s Baron Arquero strikes out two and Kamehameha’s Javyn Pimental fans one. CASTLE 0, KAMEHAMEHA 0.

1:30 p.m.
Kamehameha (17-11) vs. Castle (9-7)
> Javyn Pimental vs. Baron Arquero.
> Kamehameha is ranked No. 3 in the Top 10, its highest position of the year to date. Castle is unranked.
> Winner vs. fourth-seeded Mililani (17-6)

Notes: The Warriors finished the regular season and playoffs with one of the hottest runs in the state. From Mar. 26 to Apr. 23, they won seven out of nine games in ILH play. In the playoffs, they emerged out of the double-elimination format as the tournament winner to claim a state berth, then lost to Punahou 2-0 in the ILH title game. … Kamehameha is 8-7 against Top 10 competition, 9-4 against unranked teams. … The Knights also took a similar route, losing four of their first five games. In the OIA playoffs, they defeated Kapolei, lost to Mililani in a quarterfinal, then ousted Moanalua to qualify for the state tourney. Castle placed fifth in the OIA with a win over Leilehua.

* * *

A great performance by Kaiser P Pono Lyman, who gives up just one earned run on six hits with five strikeouts and zero walks in a complete-game win.

Bot 7: Campbell punches a run across on a double by Malama and an RBI single by Ranit, but Lyman gets the final batter on a deep fly out and Kaiser upsets Campbell. KAISER 6, CAMPBELL 4.

Top 7: Key inning for Kaiser after Campbell rallies to within 4-3, and the Cougars do it against Campbell’s superb closer, Zach Palipti. Shigeta leads off with an infield single, Lime grounds out and Reasoner singles to right, Shigeta slides in safely at third, and the 3B Sy Stephens loses the ball as he tries to rush a tag and misses the ball. That error allows Reasoner to advance to second. After Palipti retires Perreira on a fantastic play by 2B Sabangan for a 4-3 putout (great dive), Oshiro rips a 1-2 pitch for a double to right-center, scoring Shigeta and Reasoner. Huge. Chun-Ming strikes out to end the inning. KAISER 6, CAMPBELL 3.

Bot 6: Nobody warming up the Kaiser bullpen, so they’re sticking with Lyman regardless of his pitch count/eligibility for Friday. And the Cougars promptly throw away a grounder by Robinson, E6, to start the inning. Campbell’s dugout coming alive. DH Ranit opposite-field single to left, nice work, runners at the corners, both courtesy or pinch runners, no outs. Lyman losing some velocity. Sabangan smacks a hard grounder over third base for a double, scoring the courtesy runner, Doldolea, to make it 4-2. Gallano’s sac fly to right brings home pinch runner Richard Tadeo, with Sabangan advancing to third. Two outs and the Sabers are within two runs. Lyman’s breaking balls are starting to hang. Ikaika Ganancial sends a gapper to left-center, scoring Sabangan, and Ganancial beats the throw to third. Speedy. Sabers down 4-3 just like that. Sabino grounds out, 3-1, almost beats out the toss. Huge inning for Campbell with three unearned runs off Lyman. KAISER 4, CAMPBELL 3, end 6.

Top 6: Kaimana Savaiinaea enters the game for Campbell. Oshiro grounds out. Chun-Ming strikes out. Cal Tashiro works the count full, fouls off a couple of offerings, and doubles to the left-field corner. LF mishandles the ball and the E7 allows Tashiro to slide safely into third base. Not the Sabers’ day so far. Full count to the No. 9 hitter, Matsumoto, and he pulls a fastball to right field for a single, scoring Tashiro. The Cougars now lead 4-0. That’s a two-out RBI single in the the past two innings for Kaiser. Jesse Stroede lines out to short, ending the inning. KAISER 4, CAMPBELL 0.

Bot 5: Lyman is rolling along against the OIA’s second-place team. He strikes out Sabino, Ansley Isaacs-Acosta grounds out and Malama flies out. Lyman has faced the minimum 15 batters so far, a two-hitter with four K’s and no walks. Unofficial pitch count for Lyman is 40 pitches, just 48 after 5 innings. If he stays under 61 pitches, he is eligible to pitch again on Friday. If he stays under 85, he can pitch on Saturday, should the Cougars get that far, according to HHSAA official Russell Aoki.

Top 5: Leadoff man Jesse Stroede grounds into the hole at short and beats out the throw with a headfirst slide for a single. After Shigeta grounds into a double play, Cavin Lime rips a double to left-center on the first pitch. Reasoner follows with a single to left, scoring Lime. Perreira flies out to end the inning. Robinson is now up to 81 pitches. KAISER 3, CAMPBELL 0.

Bot 4: Devin Gallano singles with one out, but Ikaika Ganancial grounds into a double play. Kaiser P Lyman is on a roll. He has faced the minimum 12 batters thanks to two double plays and a pickoff.

Top 4: Robinson getting a bit erratic and Kaiser batters make him pay immediately. He walks Christian Reasoner to lead off the inning. Perreira with a slicing double over the left fielder’s head, runners at third and second. Oshiro singles to center, Reasoner scores. Chun-Ming grounds into a forceout, courtesy runner Jonah Oku scores. Chun-Ming is out 2-3-6 off first base. Cal Tashiro reaches base on an E5, and Matusmoto flies out to end the inning. KAISER 2, CAMPBELL 0.

There was a bit of confusion earlier because Campbell pitchers Dayton Robinson and Tyrus Stephens both wear No. 13. Robinson wears the black-jersey 13. Stephens has the orange-jersey 13. Why does this happen?

Bot 3: Campbell pitcher Dayton Robinson leads off with an infield single, advances to second on a sac bunt by Cody Ranit, ball dropped by SS Christian Reasoner. Runners at second and first when Sy Stephens’ sac try is a pop-up caught by P Lyman. He wheels and throws the second, and Robinson is out for a double play. Then Ranit is picked off and tagged in a pickle, 1-3-4. End of 3, 0-0.

Top 3: Noah Matsumoto leads off with a line-drive single to center. With two outs and Matsumoto at second, Cavin Lime’s fly ball in foul territory is snagged by LF Bryden Malama, who crashes into the fence and is down for a minute. Looks like he will be OK as he limps and jogs back to the dugout. GREAT CATCH.

Bot 2: Lyman is smoking hot, too, striking out two batters in another 1-2-3 inning. End of 2, 0-0.

Top 2: Robinson is on FIRE. He gets Brock Perreira swinging on a breaking ball nearly in the dirt on a 3-2 count. That’s four K’s for four outs so far. Now he walks Gyson Oshiro on five pitches, missing by inches on the last two pitches. Might not matter with the kind of stuff Robinson has right now. Very crisp and placing his fastball with precision inside and/or high. Sophomore DH Branden Chun-Ming battles Robinson to a full count, a couple of two-strike foul balls — Oshiro steals second in the process — before a Robinson fastball on the outside edge freezes Chun-Ming. That’s five strikeouts for all five outs so far by Robinson. Cal Tashiro flies out to center, ending the inning. That ends the streak of K’s.

Bot 1: Kaiser pitcher Pono Lyman retires the Sabers 1-2-3 on a strikeout and two fly balls. End of 1, 0-0.

Top 1: Landon Shigeta grounds a single to left with one out, but Campbell pitcher Dayton Robinson uses a mix of sliders and fastballs to strike out the side. WOW.

Conditions are slightly overcast, but there’s a slight breeze. It’s been sunny all morning so far here in beautiful Wailuku. The #4 breakfast at Sheik’s Restaurant is a winner, by the way. Some of the best Portuguese sausage, hash browns, eggs and banana pancakes around.

10:45 a.m.
Campbell (18-3-1) vs. Kaiser (12-12-1)
> Dayton Robinson gets the call on the mound for Campbell. It’s Pono Lyman on the mound for Kaiser.
> Campbell is No. 7 in this week’s Star-Advertiser Baseball Top 10. Kaiser is unranked.
> Winner vs. second-seeded Punahou (22-5-1)

Notes: The Sabers and Cougars have not met yet this season. Campbell lost to Mililani, 3-2, in the OIA championship game. … Kaiser is 1-6 against Top 10 opponents. The one win was in preseason over eventual OIA champion Mililani. The Sabers are 3-3-1 against ranked foes, beating Mid-Pacific and ‘Iolani in preseason, and Kailua in the OIA playoffs, 6-5.