Posted on: Tuesday, June 4, 2002
Mid-Pacific's success in ILH built on McGuigan's crafty pitching
By Wes Nakama
Advertiser Staff Writer
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| ILH Player of the Year Pat McGuigan was 5-1, with four saves and a 0.79 ERA. "Even though he didn't hit, he did more as a pitcher to help us win than anybody else," said Mid-Pacific coach Dunn Muramaru.
Eugene Tanner • The Honolulu Advertiser |
In an Interscholastic League of Honolulu full of stars, Mid-Pacific Institute senior Pat McGuigan always seemed to be overshadowed.
Until now.
When ILH coaches voted for a Player of the Year two weeks ago, McGuigan's name rose to the top.
"Even though he didn't hit, he did more as a pitcher to help us win than anybody else," Owls coach Dunn Muramaru said. "He was involved in nine of our (11) victories, and the only loss he had wasn't his fault, because we lost that one on an error with two outs."
McGuigan went 5-1 in the regular season, with four saves. His ERA was 0.79, with 40 strikeouts and 11 walks in 53 1/3 innings. McGuigan pitched an eight-inning complete game against Iolani, locking himself in a scoreless duel with the Raiders' Chris Loo for seven innings until the Owls finally broke through with nine runs in the eighth.
McGuigan also pitched a one-hitter against St. Louis the day after previously unbeaten MPI was upset by Pac-Five.
"He pitched in all the tough games," Muramaru said.
Just pitching a full schedule was a tough situation itself. Near the end of last summer's American Legion season, McGuigan was struck in the face by a line drive that fractured his jaw. During the ILH tournament, he pulled his hip flexor.
"It was bothering him, but he said, 'I'm OK,' and he finished the game," Muramaru said. "That said something right there about his physical and mental toughness."
Muramaru said McGuigan needs those qualities to succeed, since he is not blessed with an 85 mph fastball.
"He got those 40 strikeouts because he knew how to get two strikes on a lot of guys," Muramaru said. "His ball has good movement, but he's also smart. When we played in the Mililani tournament, he was one of those who stayed afterward to watch Kamehameha and study their hitters. All of this didn't happen by chance."
Four of McGuigan's Mid-Pacific teammates join him on the ILH all-star first team: outfielder Keven Whalen, catcher Matt Inouye, designated hitter Ryan Basco and utility player Jonathan Hee.
Inouye hit .438, with three home runs, 26 RBIs and 15 walks. Hee batted .412 with 10 RBIs while playing third base, first base and designated hitter. Basco hit .396 with 14 RBIs, and Whalen hit .321 with two home runs and 12 RBIs.
ILH champion Kamehameha had three players on the first team: third baseman Zach McAngus, shortstop Keone Ruth and center fielder Tyler Perkins.
St. Louis was represented by second baseman Brandon Sato and pitcher Kaimi Mead. Sato hit .397 with eight stolen bases, and Mead had 49 strikeouts and a 1.30 ERA.
Rounding out the first team are Iolani first baseman Kila Ka'aihue and Maryknoll outfielder Sean Ortiz. Ka'aihue was one of the league's most feared sluggers, while Ortiz batted .500 and was 18-for-18 on stolen base attempts. Ortiz, who bats leadoff, was 6-for-6 with men in scoring position and had an on-base percentage of .614.
Kamehameha's Vern Ramie, who guided the Warriors to the ILH championship, was named Coach of the Year.
Honorable Mention
Special recognition
RAMIE: Kamehameha Coach of the Year
First team
Pos.
Player
School
Cl.
1B
Kila Ka‘aihue
Iolani
Sr.
2B
Brandon Sato
St. Louis
Sr.
3B
Zach McAngus
Kamehameha
Sr.
SS
Keone Ruth
Kamehameha
Jr.
OF
Sean Ortiz
Maryknoll
Sr.
OF
Tyler Perkins
Kamehameha
Sr.
OF
Keven Whalen
Mid-Pacific
Jr.
C
Matt Inouye
Mid-Pacific
Sr.
P
Pat McGuigan
Mid-Pacific
Sr.
P
Kaimi Mead
St. Louis
Jr.
DH
Ryan Basco
Mid-Pacific
Jr.
U
Jonathan Hee
Mid-Pacific
Jr.
Player of the Year: Pat McGuigan, Mid-Pacific
Coach of the Year: Vern Ramie, Kamehameha
Second team
Pos.
Player
School
Cl.
1B
Kasey Ko
Punahou
Fr.
2B
Kelly Teramoto
Iolani
So.
3B
Danny Lee
St. Louis
So.
SS
Troy Hanzawa
Mid-Pacific
Jr.
OF
Nick Freitas
Kamehameha
Fr.
OF
Justin Humalon
St. Louis
Sr.
OF
Kahe Santos
Kamehameha
Jr.
OF
Mark Veneri
Punahou
So.
C
Todd LaFountaine
Punahou
Sr.
P
Ikena Dupont
Kamehameha
Sr.
P
Rich Olsen
Iolani
Sr.
DH
Bobby George
St. Louis
Jr.
U
Shannon Kahale
Kamehameha
Sr.
Damien: Destin Alameida, Raymond Alapai, Daniel Chamizo, Justin Cole, Cheyne Kawamoto, Brandon Tamanaha. Iolani: Dustin Goto, Galen Komo, Chris Loo, Jay Marcoullier, Bert Mitsunaga, Reid Saito, Reed Tanaka, Trenton Teruya, Bobby Webster, Todd Yoshioka. Kamehameha: Aaron Fuller, Isaac Kamai, Baba Merino. Maryknoll: Greg Aquino, Kawika Calizar, Brandon Goshima, Reily Maeda, Kody Seminara. Mid-Pacific: Marc Inamasu, Blake Kaneshiro, Justin Kashiwaeda, Harrison Kuroda, Ryan Leong, Tyler Okamura, Justin Pate, Grant Yamaguchi. Pac-Five: Tyler Inouye, Kelsey Kuniyuke, Ryan Mellor, Dane Nakasone, Paul Nishimura, Patrick Simmons, Kevin Yamada. Punahou: Justin Ariki, Michael Lam, Chad Moriyama, Landon Nakata, Matt Oda, Jason Owens, Jared Pate, Kyle Seminara, Bret Service, Ryen Shimizu. St. Louis: Shane Butcher, Grandon Costa, Travis Gonzaga, Justin Goo, Cruz Hatanaka, Leon Julian, Sean Kauweloa, Guy McDowell, Jowen Murray-Thornton, Kaleo Perreira.
Isaac Omura, Mid-Pacific; Kala Ka'aihue, Iolani
