Mid-Pacific trounces Punahou in baseball

By Kyle Sakamoto
Advertiser Staff Writer

Mid-Pacific used two big innings and clutch pitching to rout Punahou, 13-3, in an Interscholastic League of Honolulu baseball game yesterday at Mid-Pacific.

The game was shortened to five innings because of the 10-run mercy rule.

The Owls sent nine batters to the plate in a five-run first inning, and 10 in a six-run fourth.

The first five batters Mid-Pacific sent to the plate scored. The Owls had two doubles and a three-run homer by Isaac Omura in the inning. Each hit came on the first pitch by Buffanblu starter Peter Phillips.

In the fourth, Mid-Pacific (2-0) had three hits, including a two-run homer to right-center by Kevin Khan.

"It's disappointing coming off a big win for our program," said Punahou coach Eric Kadooka, whose team defeated Kamehameha, 5-4, on Saturday. "Mid-Pac is a quality program, great team, well coached. We tip our hats to them."

Punahou (1-1) stranded eight runners from the second through fourth innings, including six in scoring position.

"I don't think we did a very good job today (of pitching)," said Mid-Pacific coach Dunn Muramaru. "We didn't throw enough strikes, but they made big pitches when they had to."

The key out recorded by Mid-Pacific pitching came with two outs and the bases loaded in the fourth, and the Owls leading 5-1. With the left-handed-hitting Reid Matsushima coming up, Muramaru replaced starter Ricky Bauer with left-handed breaking-ball specialist Bobby Kumasaki.

Matsushima belted a 1-2 pitch to right field, but Clint Copulos was positioned perfectly and made the catch.

"We got lucky on a couple of situations with the bases loaded," Muramaru said.

Bauer pitched 3¡ innings and threw 65 pitches. He gave up three hits and one run, while walking three and striking out three.

"He (Bauer) was sick last week," Muramaru said. "He didn't look very good out there. We have an idea what he looks like when he's going good. He didn't have his good stuff, but he worked hard out there."

WP — Bobby Kumasaki. Leading Hitters: Pun- Kyle Seminara home run, 2 RBIs. MPI-Matt Inouye 2-3, 2 doubles; Kevin Khan 2-3, home run, 2 RBIs, 3 runs; Isaac Omura home run, 3 RBIs, 2 runs; Dane Marcouiller 2 runs; Marc Inamasu 2-4, 2 RBIs.

• 'Iolani 5, Damien 4: Two errors and a wild pitch allowed the Raiders to score the winning run in the bottom of the seventh.

'Iolani's Bradley Takamori and Kila Kaaihue each went 2-for-3. Kaaihue also earned the pitching win.

WP — Kila Kaaihue. Leading hitters: Dam- Cheyne Kawamoto 2-3, 2 RBIs. Iol-Bradley Takamori 2-3, RBI; Kaaihue 2-3.