Surfriders turn back Rough Riders to win OIA baseball championship
By Leila Wai
Special to The Advertiser
Chad Kajiyama pitched a one-hitter as Kailua beat Roosevelt, 7-2, last night to win its third consecutive O'ahu Interscholastic Association baseball championship.
Eugene Tanner • The Honolulu Advertiser
Kajiyama — who retired the final seven batters — struck out seven and walked five as the Surfriders earned the OIA's top berth in this week's state tournament.
Kailua's Chad Kajiyama handcuffed Roosevelt, allowing just a fifth-inning single while striking out seven and walking five.
"They roughed me up early in the season and I wanted to get revenge," Kajiyama said of a 14-12 loss Kailua suffered to Roosevelt on April 6, in which Kajiyama started and lasted five innings. "This was a good way to get revenge."
Senior Kamaile Santos led the way offensively, going 3-for-4 with a double.
"It feels good to win but I would rather have two state titles than three OIA's," Santos said.
Consecutive singles in the first inning by Cody Texeira-Vickery, Santos and Lawrence Hamacon with two outs resulted in three runs for the Surfriders.
Kailua added three runs on three hits in the third inning when Santos' single to left scored Jared Kawamoto, who walked to begin the inning. Santos and Texeira-Vickery later scored on a two-run single by second baseman Shaun Sasaki into center field.
Roosevelt scored its first run of the game in the fourth inning when Ivan Fujii walked, took second on a wild pitch, and advanced and scored on ground outs to the second by Chris Mols and Blake Isobe. Kajiyama struck out Cameron Kimura to end the inning.
Santos scored Kailua's seventh run in the fifth when he doubled, stole third and came home on Sasaki's single to right.
Pinch hitter Brandon Morimoto got Roosevelt's only hit of the game in the fifth inning, a single into right field that scored Brandon Loo, who earlier walked and stole second base. Morimoto was later caught stealing for the first out of the inning.
"(Morimoto) was the only guy who was on the pitches," said Roosevelt coach Kerry Higa. "You have to give him credit because he stayed in the game mentally. It was his turn and he hit the ball well."
Derek Shigano then reached on an error by the first baseman Kawamoto and stole second base, and after Corey Higa flew out to right field, Matthew Terukina walked. Kajiyama struck out Fujii, leaving two runners stranded.
"I think the players rose to the occasion this week ... I think we can play better than the way we have been playing," Kailua coach Corey Ishigo said. "I know we still have some room to improve on. It is a good thing we are starting to play better now."
Kailua 303 010 0—7 9 1
Roosevelt 000 110 0—2 1 1
Chad Kajiyama and Chad Nishizuka. Ranson Tamai, James Fase (3), Chris Mols and Brandon Loo. W—Kajiyama. L—Tamai.
Leading hitters: Kailua—Cody Texeira-Vickery 2-4; Kamaile Santos 3-4, double, 2 RBIs; Shaun Sasaki 2-3, 3 RBIs.
• MILILANI 4, 'AIEA 2: Christopher Balatico allowed one hit over six innings while striking out eight as Mililani won the third-place game.
Mililani 001 030 0—4 4 2
'Aiea 000 000 2—2 1 1
Christopher Balatico, Gainor Nitta (7), Trey Brown (7) and Shawn Saito. Dustin Grace, Nelson Hao (5), Matt Yoshimura (7) and Aaron Asher. W—Balatico. L—Grace.
Leading hitters: Mili— Nitta 2-4; Brown double; Balatico double. 'Aiea—Jonathan Sakurai double.
• WAI'ANAE 3, WAIPAHU 0: Dane Awana pitched a one-hitter and struck out 11 as Wai'anae won the fifth-place game.
Waipahu 000 000 0—0 1 1
Wai'anae 000 102 X—3 7 0
Ross Garabiles, Jaryd Kiyabu (6) and John Fauatea. Dane Awana and Michael Ferreira. W—Awana. L— Garabiles.
Leading hitters: Waip—Fauatea double. Wain—Kalani Viernes 2-2.
• PEARL CITY 6, KAILUA 3: Michael Higa drove in two runs as Pearl City won the junior varsity championship.
Kailua 010 200 0—3 3 3
Pearl City 230 001 0—6 5 0
Derek Mailau, Ryan Rodrigues (4), Aaron Kent (5) and Sean Medeiros. Anthony Ganigan, Craig Calantoc (5) and Corey Giammalvo. W—Ganigan. L— Mailau.
Leading hitters: Kai— Albert Kaleo 2 RBIs. PC—Michael Higa double, 2 RBIs; Thomas Yamasaki 2-3.
• Baldwin wins MIL title: Baldwin benefitted from eight Maui errors to beat the Sabers, 5-4, to win the Maui Interscholastic League baseball championship.
Baldwin (13-6) 230 000 0—5 3 1
Maui (16-4) 200 200 0—4 7 8
Jonathan Honda, Shevis Shima (4), Honda (5), Meade Tabata (5) and Tabata, Gered Mochizuki (5); Allen Castro, and Vance Otake WP—Tabata. LP—Castro.
Leading hitters: Maui—Kapena Mathias, 2-3; Castro 2-3.
Reported by Rodney Higa
BASKETBALL
• Baldwin wins MIL title: Kami Kapaku scored a game-high 17 points as Baldwin beat Lahainaluna, 39-32, in overtime to win the Maui Interscholastic League girls basketball championship.
Lahainaluna 8 8 4 11 1—32
Baldwin 15 5 1 10 8—39
Lahainaluna—Missy Kaina 6, SherlynaYadao 9, Monika Jehikite 4, Fatai Hala'api'api 13. Totals 10 11-18 32.
Baldwin—Kami Kapaku 17, Crystal Manuel 3, Kapua Atay 2, Mahie Atay 9, Isabeau Wai'au 5, Jenna Mailou 3. Totals 10 18-27 39.
3-point goals—Lahainaluna 1 (Yadao). Baldwin 1 (M. Atay).
Reported by Rodney Higa
