Clutch performances by multiple Owls key title run
By Stacy Kaneshiro
Advertiser Staff Writer
Mid-Pacific Institute beat Kamehameha for the state baseball title last night. But the reality is the Owls might have won it in Thursday's quarterfinals.
Senior right-hander Patrick McGuigan won three of the Owls four games, including last night's 6-3 championship against their Interscholastic League of Honolulu rival Kamehameha Warriors.
For his effort, McGuigan was named the Most Outstanding Player of the tournament. His 21/3 innings of scoreless relief of starter Ryan Basco came 24 hours after his six-inning complete-game victory against Kailua in Friday's semifinal. He also won the tournament opener, beating 'Aiea, 3-2, with three scoreless innings of relief. In all he allowed six hits and a walk in 121/3 innings.
"He's our best pitcher," MPI coach Dunn Muramaru said. "He said he could go."
Added McGuigan, who plans to play at San Francisco next season: "It was all adrenaline. In a game like that, you just come in and give everything you've got."
But the key to getting McGuigan and Basco in the final two games was the stellar performance of sophomore Harrison Kuroda in Thursday's 11-6 quarterfinal win against third-seeded Baldwin. Kuroda gave the Owls six innings of relief, allowing three runs, but only one earned. Those six innings gave McGuigan and Basco an extra day of rest.
"That was the key game," Muramaru said.
Kuroda's accomplishment didn't go unnoticed by teammates either.
"Harry was real big in this tournament," MPI senior catcher Matt Inouye said. "Being a sophomore, coming up big like that. He did a hell of a job."
Kamehameha coach Vern Ramie agreed with Muramaru and Inouye.
"Anytime you have somebody who can throw you a couple innings and give some guys rest is going to help you," he said.
Kuroda deflected credit to McGuigan and Basco.
"They're the ones who should get the credit," Kuroda said. "They picked us up the whole season. I tip my hat to them."
What allowed Muramaru to use McGuigan after a complete-game performance was that his pitcher was so effective in the 10-0 win against Kailua. He used only 51 pitches in a game that he did not allow a walk and ran a three-ball count just once. He also was backed by three double plays.
Last night, Basco rolled along after one error accounted for two unearned runs in the Warriors' first inning. But with two out in the fifth, Kahe Santos doubled to left and J.P. Kennedy was hit by a pitch. McGuigan was called in to face Nick Freitas. After Santos stole third (pinch-runner Dayne Ogawa held first), McGuigan got Freitas to ground out to shortstop Troy Hanzawa to end the threat.
After a perfect eighth, the Warriors threatened again. With one out, Keoni Ruth reached on an infield single to third and Shannon Kahale walked on four pitches — the only walk allowed by McGuigan in the tournament — Santos flied to center, moving Ruth to third and Kennedy grounded into a force at second to end the game.
Catcher Inouye, who signed with Hawai'i in November, also played a vital role by calling a good game. After facing Kamehameha three times earlier, he knew the book on the Warriors' hitters.
"We played them four times and they ripped us the last two times," Inouye said. "Tonight, I felt it the whole time. I knew what to call."
