Day 3 of the Wally Yonamine Foundation/HHSAA Baseball State Championships has begun with two Division I semifinals and two Division II semifinals at Les Murakami Stadium.
Saint Louis vs. Campbell
The Sabers are trying to make it an all-OIA final for the second time in four years while the Crusaders are trying to keep the state championship in the ILH. Game will begin at 7 p.m., both teams are on the field getting ready. The winner of this will probably be the favorite over Mililani in tomorrow’s state championship game.
Inning 1
Random stat alert: If Campbell beats Saint Louis, the OIA will win the state title in both softball and baseball for the first time since 1981. Dorrien Hermosura starting for the Sabers. Jordan Mopas with a one-out double as the ball falls just out of the glove of Dewayne Sprinkel, who came so close to making an unbelievable diving catch. Kuhns strikes out but it’s a wild pitch. He reaches first but Mopas is waived around from third and thrown out 2-3-1 to end the inning.
Saint Louis coach George Gusman is starting Peyton Oshiro, who strikes out Ibana looking for the first out. Oshiro only needs 10 pitches as the Sabers go down in order.
Inning 2
Quick inning for Hermosura, who goes 1-2-3 in only 10 pitches. More of the same from Oshiro, who also goes 1-2-3. 15 of Oshiro’s 19 pitches are for strikes.
Inning 3
Atiburcio with a leadoff single over the head of the first baseman and Meilleur, the catcher, executes a perfect sacrifice bunt. Romero with a grounder into the hole at short but Ibana with the backhand spin and throw and he gets him. Romero might have been safe but what a play by Ibana just to give it a chance. Huge second out for the Sabers. Mopas, who is 4-for-6 in the tournament so far, up with two outs, but Hermosura strikes him out in three pitches. Jake Mendoza works a one-out walk to give Campbell its first base runner in the game. He’s on second with two outs for Ibana, who hits a 2-2 pitch back up the middle to put Campbell on the board. Ibana is picked off 1-3-6. Score: Campbell 1, Saint Louis 0
Inning 4
Hermosura perfect again and has retired six in a row. Third strikeout of the game comes when he freezes Yamamoto with an inside fastball. Oshiro gets strikeout No. 4 for the second out but allows a walk to Hermosura. An 0-2 breaking ball probably should have ended it but it’s called a ball and Patricio battles back to 3-2 and hits into a fielder’s choice on the 12th pitch of the at-bat.
Inning 5
Stubblefield leads off with a single up the middle and this should get interesting. No chance to steal as Uchima puts a bunt down to move him to second. Stubblefield takes third on an error by the pitcher trying to pick him off at second. Atiburcio is out on strikes after failing to lay down a squeeze bunt with two strikes. Jacob White pinch-hits for the catcher and grounds out to second. Fifth strikeout for Oshiro but Kapihe gets to first on the wild pitch. Kapihe left on at third as Recolan flies out to left.
Inning 6
Just the fourth Crusader reaches base as Mopas draws Hermosura’s first walk of the day. Gribbin follows with a single to right and Crusaders have the tying run on third. After a mound visit by Campbell coach Rory Pico, Kuhns lifts a fly ball to left that is just deep enough to score Mopas and it’s tied 1-1. Yamamoto with a sharp single to center and that’s it for Hermosura. Here comes Ian Kahaloa, who threw 62 pitches and went five inning in Wednesday’s win over Kaiser. Kahaloa ends the inning painting a 2-2 fastball on the outside corner to strike out Stubblefield to keep the game tied 1-1. Ibana starts Campbell’s inning with a grounder to third. The throw pulls Mopas off the base and he’s ruled safe by the first-base umpire, who appeals to the plate umpire, who calls Ibana out. Close play. Sprinkel with a grounder that Romero fields on the other side of the bag but Sprinkel just beats the throw to first. Another bang-bang play. Looked like the right call. Himan issued a walk, Oshiro’s third of the game. Mound visit from Gusman with Oshiro at 92 pitches. Hermosura with a grounder to second. Atiburcio stretches to get it, spins, collects himself, throws to first. Runner coming home. Mopas sees it and throws him immediately. Double play. Saint Louis is out of it. Heads up by Mopas at first. Saw it the whole way.
Inning 7
Uchima with the leadoff single to center off Kahaloa. Brett Uchima in to pinch run. Brother for brother? Atiburcio hits a slow enough grounder to second to move Uchima to second. Wild pitch by Kahaloa puts the go-ahead run at third with one out. Kahaloa blows a fastball past Meilleur for the second out. Romero, who got the two-outhit against Medeiros on Wednesday, is up. Romero is ahead 3-0 but Kahaloa comes back with a good fastball and an even better offspeed pitch to make it 3-2. Romero fouls off two tough pitches to stay alive. Romero lifts a fly ball to right that could be trouble but it’s foul by two feet. Kahaloa overthrows a fastball and Romero walks on the ninth pitch to bring up Mopas. Mopas fouls off a good fastball by Kahaloa at 2-2. Mopas lifts a fly ball to left that’s going to be close. Himan with the dive and it trickles out of his glove. Two Crusaders score and Saint Louis leads 3-1. A berth in the state final could come down to a matter of inches. Kahaloa strikes out Gribbin and we go to the bottom of the seventh.
Pono Anderson, who got the win in Tuesday’s victory over Roosevelt, is on to close it out. Patrcio strikes out swinging for the first out. Kapihe draws a one-out walk to bring the tying run to the plate as Anderson stayed with the slider. Anderson comes back with the fastball at 1-2 on Arcano-Liacuna and gets second strikeout. Mendoza grounds out to third and Saint Louis is in the state final to play Mililani.
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Day 3 of the Wally Yonamine Foundation/HHSAA Baseball State Championships has begun with two Division I semifinals and two Division II semifinals at Les Murakami Stadium.
Mililani vs. Kailua
The Trojans are trying to return to the state title game after losing to Mid-Pacific in last year’s final. The Surfriders have not been in the final since losing to Punahou in 2009 and are trying to get to their seventh final. They have four titles, Mililani has never won one.
Inning 1
Strong first inning for Mililani starter Trevor Inouye, who gets through it in 11 pitches. Kaimana Souza-Paaluhi bloops a single to shallow center to start the bottom of the first for the Trojans off Kailua starter Joey Cantillo. Souza-Paaluhi steals two bases to get to third but is stranded.
Inning 2
Lawson Faria gets a single to fall in center for Kailua’s first hit. Second strikeout of the game for Inouye as Auld can’t advance the runner. Faria never moves as Inouye’s third strikeout ends the inning. Justice Nakagawa brings the Trojans’ cheering section to lift with a triple that goes to the wall in right field. Kellen Otsu hits the next pitch into center for a base hit to score Nakagawa and Mililani leads 1-0 after two complete.
Inning 3
Otsu robs Pilipo Kupahu with a great jumping catch on a chopper and throw to first to beat a sliding Kupahu. Six pitches is all Inouye needs to get through the inning. A throwing error by the second baseman allows Souza-Paaluhi to reach base to lead off the bottom of the inning. Ryan Kono with a grounder to short that would have been a double play but Souza-Paaluhi took off on the pitch and beats Imanaka to the bag before the throw gets Kono at first. Souza-Paaluhi steals third for his third swipe of the game but Inouye bounces out to short and Sonognini flies out to center to strand Souza-Paaluhi.
Inning 4
Kailua held hitless again in the top of the inning as Inouye continues to deal for the Trojans. Nakagawa, who tripled and scored in the second, is hit by a pitch and steals second. Ty Desa works a two-out walk and Devin Awai singles to left to bring in Nakagawa to make it 2-0. Souza-Paaluhi beats out an infield hit to second and the bases are loaded for Ryan Kono, who ground out to third. Score: Mililani 2, Kailua 0
Inning 5
Imanaka bunts for a two-out single but Inouye rings up strikeout No. 6 to end the top of the fifth. Sonognini draws a one-out walk and immediately steals second base. Mililani is 5-for-5 on stolen base attempts. Adam Connell, who had three hits, including the game-tying RBI single in the first round win over Hilo, drills a base hit up the middle to score Sonognini, who was at third after a wild pitch. Kailua picks off Connell trying to steal second and Nakagawa flies out to right. Score: Mililani 3, Kailua 0
Inning 6
Kailua has its first runner on second base in the game as Peter Kanoho leads off with a double just over the head of Nakagawa at short. Brendan Odo draws a walk and Kailua brings the tying run to the plte. Kalama gets ahead 3-0 but takes two strikes then flies to center. Faria with a grounder to short and the Trojans get out of it with a double play. Bottom of the inning and Ty Desa with a one-out single before going all the way to third on a wild pitch. Kailua pitching change as Dustin Imanaka inherits a 2-0 count to Awai before getting a grounder back to the pitcher, holding Desa at third. Souza-Paaluhi fouls off first 0-2 pitch then singles through the right side to score Desa. Kailua came from 4-2 down in the seventh to beat Aiea on Tuesday. Can they come back from 4-0?
Inning 7
Inouye gets his seventh strikeout to start the inning. Wade Lono bounces out to third. Inouye hits Jameson White with a pitch but gets Imanaka to fly out to right to complete a three-hit shutout and send Mililani back to the state final.
FINAL: Mililani 4, Kailua 0
Kauai vs. Maryknoll
Winner of this one meets Kamehameha-Hawaii in tomorrow’s championship after the Warriors destroyed Waianae. Maryknoll is the defending state champion and Kauai took it two years ago. Maryknoll beat Radford 14-1 in the first round and Kauai beat Molokai.
Inning 1
KAUAI: Shane Ogata grounds a single up the middle with one out, but Cal Koga hits into a fielder’s choice and Micah Layosa flies to left, ending the inning. No runs, one hit, no errors, one left on base. KAUAI 0, MS coming up to bat.
MS: Leadoff man Trevor Hirano reaches on a fielding error by P Nick Vallatini, but Michael Nishiki grounds into a 5-4-3 double play. Jedd Andrade grounds a single to left, but Justin Ushio flies out to right to end the inning. No runs, one hit, one error, one left on base. KAUAI 0, MARYKNOLL 0.
Inning 2
KAUAI: Tyler Manibog flies out, Vallantini grounds to third and John Dumlao sends a liner right back to the pitcher, Chase Uyema, who drops the ball, then throws Dumlao out. No runs, no hits, no errors, none left on base. KAUAI 0, MARYKNOLL 0.
MS: The Spartans draw first blood. Joshua Muneno, yesterday’s winning pitcher, opens with a walk, followed by a pop-up to second by Jason Nakamura. Neal Nakasone then grounds to shortstop, but Muneno was running on the pitch and beat the toss to second. Kauai completes the throw to first to get the putout on Nakasone for the second out, but Muneno’s play is key. The next batter, Phillip Aylward, sends a Texas Leaguer to short right, which is misplayed by the 2B and RF. Muneno scores from second, Aylward wheels his way to third and the play is officially ruled a single plus a two-base error by the RF (though neither defensive player actually touched the ball before it hit the turf). Brett Hironaga grounds to short, ending the inning. One run, one hit, one error, one left on base. MARYKNOLL 1, KAUAI 0.
Inning 3
KAUAI: Kainoa Iwasaki reaches on a two-out single to center, but Ogata lines out to short, ending the inning. No runs, one hit, no errors, none left on base. MARYKNOLL 1, KAUAI 0.
MS: Big inning for the Spartans. Hirano walks, Nishiki singles and Andrade singles to center, loading the bases. Ushio singles to center, scoring Hirano and Nishiki. MS 3, KAUAI 0. Muneno singles to left, reloading the bases. Nakamura follows with a full-count walk, bringing Andrade home from third. MS 4, KAUAI 0. Facing a drawn-in infield, Nakasone slams a grounder off the SS, with Ushio and Muneno scoring. MS 6, KAUAI 0. Aylward grounds into a 6-5 fielder’s choice for the first out. Hironaga then singles to right to load the bases yet another time. Hirano, who led off the inning, walks again, forcing Nakasone home. MS 7, KAUAI 0. Nishiki lines into a 1-5 double play to end the inning. Six runs, five hits, one error, two left on. MARYKNOLL 7, KAUAI 0.
Inning 4
KAUAI: Koga, Layosa and Manibog all ground to short. Three up, three down. No runs, no hits, no errors, none left on. MARYKNOLL 7, KAUAI 0.
MS: Andrade leads off with a double to right and Ushio walks. Muneno singles to left, loading the bases. Nakamura walked, forcing home Andrade. MARYKNOLL 8, KAUAI 0. Nakasone walks off new pitcher Brayden Abreu, forcing Ushio in from third. MARYKNOLL 9, KAUAI 0. Aylward singles to left, scoring Muneno. MARYKNOLL 10, KAUAI 0. Hironaga grounds into a 4-2 fielder’s choice for the first out. Hirano strikes out looking. Nishiki grounds to third. Three runs, three hits, no errors, three left on base. MARYKNOLL 10, KAUAI 0.
Inning 5
KAUAI: The Red Raiders score a run to stave off the 10-run mercy rule. Dumlao is plunked by a pitch with one out, and with two outs, Pono Bukoski singles to center. Kainoa Iwasaki then singles to left, scoring Dumlao. MS 10, KHS 1. Ogata singles to load the bases, but Koga grounds into a 4-6 fielder’s choice to end the inning. One run, three hits, no errors, three left on base. MARYKNOLL 10, KAUAI 1.
MARYKNOLL: Ushio singles to center with one out, but Muneno grounds into a 4-6-3 double play to end the frame. No runs, one hit, no errors, nobody left on base. MARYKNOLL 10, KAUAI 1.
Inning 6
KAUAI: New pitcher for Maryknoll is Justin Ushio, who moved over to the mound from second base. Kauai gets leadoff man Layosa on base with a single to center. Manibog hits into a 6-4 fielder’s choice. Vallatini is plunked on an 0-2 pitch. Dumlao then doubles into the left-field corner, scoring Manibog. MS 10, KAUAI 2. After Keala Iwasaki flies out to center, Bukoski singles deep in the hole at short, scoring Vallatini. MS 10, KAUAI 3. Kainoa Iwasaki strikes out to end the inning. Two runs, three hits, no errors, two left on base. MARYKNOLL 10, KAUAI 3.
MS: Nakamura leads off with a single, Aylward socks a one-out single to center. Hironaga grounds to 1B, but the threw to second sails into left field, allowing Nakamura to score easily. MS 11, KHS 3. On the same play, the throw in by LF is short and Aylward hustles, slides into third. Hirano’s sac fly to left scores Aylward. MS 12, KHS 3. Nishiki singles to right and Andrade whiffs for the third out. Two runs, two hits, no errors, two left on base. MARYKNOLL 12, KAUAI 3.
Inning 7
KAUAI: Three up, three down in the top of the seventh. Ushio fans Ogata and Koga, and Layosa grounds out to short. No runs, no hits, no errors, none left on base. MARYKNOLL 12, KAUAI 3, final.
Defending D-II state champion Maryknoll will meet Kamehameha-Hawaii for the crown on Friday, 4 p.m.
Waianae (13-1) vs. Kamehameha-Hawaii (13-1-1)
The Seariders will send ace Kekoa Kaluhiokalani Jr. to the mound to oppose KS-Hawaii’s Kobi Candaroma. Excited to see Warriors catcher Makoa Rosario, who I have been told is the fastest catcher in the state to second base and is yet another player in this tournament that could get drafted next month.
Inning 1
The Seariders strike first after a leadoff single by Chaestin Nash-Santiago. Nash-Santiago is out at second on a fielder’s choice, but Kaluhiokalani Jr. scores as Darion Domingo blasts an RBI triple to the wall in right-center. Tavita Lalau’s sacrifice fly to center puts the Warriors up 2-0.
Kaluhioklani hits two guys in the inning but gets a big out when Makoa Rosario pops out to shallow right. Candaroma flies out to center to end the inning.
Inning 2
Candoroma works around a two-out walk to get out of the inning unharmed. Kaluhiokalani comes out for the bottom of the inning and is very wild, walking the leadoff guy on four pitches. Micah Carter singles on a hit-and-run and Kevin Paka Davis draws a walk on a passed ball that allows Daylen Calicdan to score. Alika Young is hit by a pitch as Kaluhiokalni has now hit four of the first nine KS-Hawaii batters. Bases loaded, nobody out for Chay Toson, the leadoff hitter, who hits a grounder in the hole at short. Nash-Santiago makes a great diving stop but only play is to third and Davis beats the throw. Chun grounds into a fielder’s choice as Nash-Santiago gets the out at home. Rosario looks like he got caught reaching on one but the ball absolutely flies out to right over Lalau’s head for a two-run double that one-hops the fence. Kaluhiokalani then hits another batter and is done. Meanwhile, the power just went out here. Sounds like it’s not a stadium thing as power is out at upper campus and at UH Lab school. Lalau in for Kaluhiokalani and gives up a sacrifice fly by Candaroma to center. Calicdan with a grounder to short but a bad throw by Kaluhiokalani allows Rosario to score and the inning to keep going as KS-Hawaii has six runs in. Carter pops to short. Score: KS-Hawaii 6, Waianae 2
Inning 3
Candaroma gets the first two guys out before Waianae loads the bases on an error, single and walk. Ramento grounds out to third to end the inning. Davis is hit by a pitch to start the bottom of the inning and Young singles. Toson drops a bunt but Davis is thrown out at third on a very close play. Chun hits ball back up the middle but great stop by Nash-Santiago who was playing in. Holds runner at third and gets big second out at first. Rosario walks to load the bases. Hirae walks on four pitches to force in a run. Power back on after 34 minutes as Candaroma bloops a two-run double to shallow center to make it 9-2. Calicdan with a two-run single and Kaleo Chun is on in relief of Lalau. Chun gets a grounder back to him to end it. Score: KS-Hawaii 11, Waianae 2.
Inning 4
Waianae’s first two batters reach base on an error and a hit but Chun is thrown out stealing third for the first out despite trailing 11-2. Head scratcher. Candaroma get the final two outs and Waianae again is scoreless. Toson rips a two-out single to right and Matthew Chun draws a walk to bring up Rosario for KS-Hawaii. Rosario flies out to left.
Inning 5
Candaroma with the first 1-2-3 innings of the game. He’s done a great job of keeping Waianae from mounting any type of rally. Calicdan with an RBI double down the left-field line and KS-Hawaii wins 12-2.
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