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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Tuesday, May 28, 2002

Baseball prospects strut stuff at Sugar Mill Classic

By Stacy Kaneshiro
Advertiser Staff Writer

Hilo High's Charlie Haasenritter of the Aloha Stars was one of 16 pitchers used in yesterday's Sugar Mill Classic at Hans L'Orange Park.

Eugene Tanner • The Honolulu Advertiser

WAIPAHU — The fourth Kado Gloves Sugar Mill Classic was anything but classic as the Aloha Stars outlasted the Hawaiian Stars, 15-10, yesterday at Hans L'Orange Park.

The teams combined for 17 walks and seven errors.

Still, the intention of the game was to have fun while showcasing graduating high school seniors from around the state. Players from the Interscholastic League of Honolulu (Aloha) took on players from the O'ahu Interscholastic Association (Hawaiian). Both teams were augmented by players from the Neighbor Islands.

"It was kind of a different atmosphere," said Kamehameha pitcher/first baseman Shannon Kahale, who batted 2-for-3 with a double and two RBIs. "It was kind of laid-back."

For ILH players, the game was a break from monotony. After competing against one another all year — two regular-season rounds and postseason tournaments — it was refreshing to face new competition, they said.

"It was a good experience," said Mid-Pacific Institute catcher Matthew Inouye, who was 2-for-3 with three RBIs. "I got to see other pitchers from the other leagues."

The Hawaiian Stars' biggest offensive highlight was a two-run home run to right by Maui High's Allen Castro off Kahale. Castro and Moanalua High infielder Geoffrey Say (2-for-2) were the only Hawaiian Stars with multiple hits.

Aloha Stars' starting pitcher Patrick McGuigan of Mid-Pacific struck out the side after giving up two singles and an unearned run. Iolani's Richie Olsen also struck out the side in an inning of relief.

All pitchers, except one, were limited to one inning. Moloka'i High's Keahi Rawlins pitched the first two innings for the Hawaiian Stars.

The game brought together future teammates. The Aloha Stars had Inouye and Mid-Pacific teammate Isaac Omura, while the Hawaiian Stars had Rawlins and Kailua's Kamaile Santos. All have signed with the University of Hawai'i. They actually will be getting together again in a few weeks as they are scheduled to play for the Island Movers.

The game also featured the state's top two high school pro prospects in Rawlins and Iolani's Micah Ka'aihue. They faced each other once, with Ka'aihue grounding an RBI single to right on an 0-2 pitch in the first inning.

Ka'aihue, who signed with Nebraska, attended a tryout camp for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays over the weekend. He will go to a New York Yankees tryout this weekend, he said. He has also had tryouts with San Francisco and Kansas City.

For the first time, the game had a title sponsor. Kado Gloves, a sporting goods company based out of Menlo Park, Calif., provided the players with game shirts. The company is owned by former Mid-Pacific Institute all-state third baseman Donny Kadokawa.


Correction: Hilo High School pitcher Charlie Haasenritter's name was misspelled in an earlier version of this story.