Campbell defeats 'Aiea as baseball race resumes
By Wes Nakama
Advertiser Staff Writer
This is what high school baseball fans had been missing out on for 26 days:
Cory Lum • The Honolulu Advertiser
In a crucial game spilling over with playoff-type intensity, Campbell beat 'Aiea, 4-3, yesterday when Landon Newcomb scored on Josh Cutrer's sacrifice fly in the bottom of the seventh inning.
Kaiser's Rylen Yamamoto beats the tag of Kaimuki catcher Leland Ohelo to score in the first inning. Kaiser won, 4-1.
With the win, which came after a 26-day layoff caused by the public-school teachers' strike, the Sabers (4-1) grabbed a share of first place in the O'ahu Interscholastic Association Western Division. 'Aiea (3-1) is a step behind, but Na Ali'i have another showdown today against Mililani (4-1). The Trojans had a bye yesterday and thus have a fresh corps of pitchers ready.
"I told the guys, 'We cannot hang our heads,' " 'Aiea coach Ryan Kato said.
Neither the Sabers nor Na Ali'i had anything to hang their heads about after yesterday's game, their first since April 4. That was one day before the Hawai'i State Teachers Association strike caused the shutdown of all athletic activities, including official practices. There were only three errors between the teams, and pitchers gave up a total of seven walks.
"As far as defense and (offensive) execution, I thought they did a good job," Sabers coach Lane Watanuki said.
Kato said despite the loss, he was proud of his team's performance.
"They played about as well as they are capable of playing," Kato said. "I don't think I could have expected them to not make any errors."
Na Ali'i took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning on a wild pitch and Chase Nakamura's RBI single, but Campbell answered with two runs in the bottom half on an RBI double by Keahi Kapana and a run-scoring single by starting pitcher Chad Bailey.
The Sabers took a 3-2 lead in the second on a sacrifice fly by Shaunsey-Blaine Saito, but 'Aiea tied it again in the sixth on a bases-loaded walk to Brandon Armstrong.
Cory Lum • The Honolulu Advertiser
Bailey, a 6-foot-4, 195-pound left-hander who is receiving attention from major-league scouts, had retired 13 batters in a row before loading the bases in the sixth.
Kaiser's Nathan Ota pitched a three-hitter and hit a home run in a 4-1 victory over Kaimuki.
"I was struggling, throwing high at the beginning, but in the middle (innings) I got in a zone," said Bailey, who struck out eight in 5á innings.
Bailey said he tried to keep his arm in shape during the strike, but he acknowledged his fastball was "a little slower" than usual yesterday. His fastball has been clocked in the low-to-mid 80 mph range.
"He was a little bit rusty today," Watanuki said. "He's better than that."
Reliever Abe Lobetos came in to stop the rally in the sixth and retired Na Ali'i in order in the seventh.
With the sun quickly setting in their final turn at bat, the Sabers loaded the bases with no outs on a walk to Kapana, a bunt single by Bailey and another single by Garrett Hermosura. That set up Cutrer's fly to short right field, allowing pinch-runner Newcomb to slide home safely in a close play at the plate.
"I'm really glad there were a lot of people here to see a good, entertaining game," Watanuki said. "I like it when they can see a good game like this, because it proves that the kids deserved to have a season."
'AIEA (3-1)
200
001
0
3
4
2
CAMPBELL (4-1)
210
000
1
4
6
1
Casey Onaga, Blake Lamug (5) and Aaron Powell. Chad Bailey, Abe Lobetos (6) and Garrett Hermosura, Ikaika Trinidad (2). WP—Lobetos. LP—Lamug.
Leading hitters: Campbell—Bailey 2-3, RBI; Trinidad 2-3.
• • •
• Pearl City 7, Wai'anae 2: Blane Kagamida hit a three-run homer and Shawn Benson and Chad Itokazu teamed on a three-hitter for the Chargers.
Benson worked 6á innings, striking out 11 and walking three.
WAI'ANAE (3-2)
000
002
0
2
3
0
PEARL CITY (4-1)
003
103
x
7
7
1
Dane Awana, Chad Rodrigues (3), Duran Adams (6), Chad Fuller (6) and Peter Sarono. Shawn Benson, Chad Itokazu (7) and Gavin Concepcion. WP—Benson. LP—Awana.
Leading hitters: Pearl City—Itokazu 3 runs; Erik Mizoshiri 2-4, double; Blane Kagamida home run, 4 RBIs.
• • •
• Leilehua 11, Waialua 4: Jay Baptista homered and Spencer Omalza and Matt Omalza each contributed two hits to lead the Mules.
Keone Peiler and Jonathan Keao each batted 2-for-4 for Waialua.
LEILEHUA (2-3)
013
122
2
11
10
7
WAIALUA (0-5)
010
111
0
4
8
7
Spencer Omalza, Jermayne Hightower (4), Daylen Hale (6) and Matt Omalza. Gavin Nakamura, Jonathan Keao (2), Calvin Kawai (4) and Charles Tantog Jr. WP—Omalza. LP—Keao.
Leading hitters: Leilehua—Jay Baptista home run, 2 RBIs; M. Omalza 2-5; S. Omalza 2-4. Waialua—Keone Peiler 2-4, triple; Keao 2-4.
• • •
• Waipahu 11, Radford 2: Travis Atualevau hit a three-run triple to spice the Marauders' seven-run first inning.
Shane Jelf added three hits for Waipahu.
WAIPAHU (2-4)
721
000
1
11
9
1
RADFORD (1-3)
001
001
0
2
5
5
Curtis Evans and Shane Jelf. Tyler Ferguson, Victor Mejia (2) and Richard Killen. WP—Evans. LP—Ferguson.
Leading hitters: Waipahu—Travis Atualevau 2-4, double, triple, 4 RBIs; Shane Jelf 3-5, double, 2 RBIs.
• • •
OIA EAST
• Kaiser 4, Kaimuki 1: Nathan Ota pitched a three-hitter while striking out seven to carry the undefeated Cougars in an O'ahu Interscholastic Association Eastern Division game.
Ota also hit a solo homer to put Kaiser ahead 2-1 in the top of the fifth.
KAISER (4-0)
100
012
0
4
7
1
KAIMUKI (2-4)
000
100
0
1
3
1
Nathan Ota and Chris Gallego. Jeffrey Yee, Sean Nomura (5) and Leland Ohelo. WP—Ota. LP—Yee.
Leading hitters: Kaiser— Ota, home run; David Chu 2-3, double; BJ Bernard 2-2.
• • •
• Kailua 14, Farrington 2: Cody Vickery pitched a one-hitter while striking out 11 to lift the Surfriders.
Michael Cathcart and Kawika Kekaula each had three hits and Kekaula added three RBIs for Kailua.
FARRINGTON (0-5)
001
0
1
2
1
3
KAILUA (4-1)
013
(10)
X
14
13
0
Criston Barba, Shaun Tabil (4) and Dennis Rodrigues. Cody Vickery and Kawika Kekaula. WP—Vickery. LP—Barba.
Leading hitters: Kailua—Michael Cathcart 3-3, double; Jory Pearce 2-3, double, 3 RBIs; Kekaula 3-3, 2 doubles, 3 RBIs; Vickery 2 RBIs.
• • •
• Roosevelt 4, Kalani 3: Chris Mols struck out nine and walked two in pitching a seven-hitter and Matt Terukina homered for the Rough Riders.
Rodney Roque had two hits for the Falcons.
ROOSEVELT (4-2)
020
002
0
4
5
2
KALANI (2-4)
100
002
0
3
7
1
Chris Mols and Joey Shimabuku. Bryce Sumida and Sean Kaku. WP—Mols. LP—Sumida.
Leading hitters: Roosevelt—Matt Terukina home run. Kalani—Rodney Roque 2-3.
• • •
• Kalaheo 5, Kahuku 1: Chase Woods pitched a three-hitter, striking out five and walking none, to boost the Mustangs.
Shane Harada batted 2-for-3 for Kalaheo.
KAHUKU (2-4)
100
000
0
1
3
2
KALAHEO (4-1)
003
011
X
5
6
3
Bobby Wallace, Kyle Pao (4) and Melvin Silva. Chase Woods and Mike Garcia. WP—Woods. LP—Wallace.
Leading hitters: Kahuku—Jeremiah Bonnett double, RBI. Kalaheo—Shane Harada 2-3, RBI.
• • •
• McKinley 4, Castle 2: The Tigers turned five inning-ending double plays and Casey Lee had two doubles and two RBIs.
MCKINLEY (1-4)
102
100
0
4
9
1
CASTLE (3-2)
100
001
0
2
2
2
Ty Tokunaga, Shaughn Kayatani (6), Evan Costa (6) and Justin Book. Charles Teixeira, Kurt Okumura (3) and Jason Taniguchi. WP—Tokunaga. LP—Texeira.
Leading hitters: McKinley—Reid Goto 2-4; Casey Lee 2-4, 2 doubles, 2 RBIs; Cole Sugimoto 2-3.
• • •
ILH
• Punahou 8, St. Louis 1: Peter Phillips pitched a two-hitter with one walk and two strikeouts as the Buffanblu bounced the Crusaders from the Interscholastic League of Honolulu's Double-Elimination Tournament.
Punahou's Toby Hanzawa singled in two runs in the fifth, and Ryan Kitamura had a two-run double in the seventh.
PUNAHOU (2-1,10-7)
000
131
3
8
9
4
ST. LOUIS (1-2,11-6)
000
001
0
1
2
3
Peter Phillips and Todd LaFountaine, Randall Mizuno (7). Guy McDowell, Justin Goo (5), Leon Julian (6) and Nick Tudisco. WP—Phillips. LP—McDowell.
Leading hitters: Punahou—Brett Service 2-4; Ryan Kitamura double, 2 RBIs; Toby Hanzawa 2-4, 2 RBIs.
• • •
• Pac-Five 3, Kamehameha 0: Jon Kato pitched a three-hitter as the Wolfpack ousted the Warriors from the ILH Double-Elimination Tournament.
Aaron Kanoa scored on a wild pitch in the fourth, and Troy Okada drove in Jeff Soranaka from second on a single in support of Kato.
KAMEHAMEHA (1-2,9-8)
000
000
0
0
3
1
PAC-FIVE (2-1,6-11)
100
200
X
3
4
2
Zach McAngus, Kainoa Yoshida (6) and Danny Nitahara. Jon Kato and Korey Shinagawa. WP—Kato. LP—McAngus.
Leading hitter: Pac-Five—Troy Okada 2-3.
