'Aiea topples Pearl City to stay unbeaten in West
By Wes Nakama
Advertiser Staff Writer
The 'Aiea High School baseball team's formula of strong pitching, solid defense and sharp execution in a pressure-oriented offense produced its sixth straight victory yesterday, a 9-3 road win over previously unbeaten Pearl City.
'Aiea (6-0) is the only undefeated team in the O'ahu Interscholastic Association's Western Division. Pearl City dropped to 5-1-1.
'Aiea does not have a flame-throwing ace or a lineup that routinely blasts home runs out of the park. But Na Ali'i did all the right things in topping their second straight unbeaten opponent. They gave Wai'anae (5-2) its first loss Saturday, 2-0.
"I was very surprised at how they hit, and they played well defensively (no errors)," Pearl City coach Mel Seki said. "You gotta give them credit."
'Aiea got six hits and eight runs off Chargers left-hander Shawn Benson, a three-year starter. Na Ali'i took a 1-0 lead in the first inning after two errors, but Pearl City answered in the bottom half with Nolan Kugiya's three-run homer over the left-field fence.
"It was an inside fastball; it was where I wanted it," said 'Aiea starter Nelson Hao. "He just made a good hit. I just tried to stay focused, and right after that my team came back and picked me up."
In the top of the second, Taylor Watanabe drove in Bryson Tajiri with a one-out single and Johnny Sakurai also scored on the play after an errant throw home. Watanabe then stole home to give Na Ali'i a 4-3 lead.
"I told our guys that we probably are not going to bunch up hits against Benson, so we'll have to scratch for runs," 'Aiea coach Ryan Kato said. "We had to get guys on base and then force the issue."
Na Ali'i added four runs in the fifth inning, on Aaron Asher's RBI single, a two-run single by Tajiri and a balk. 'Aiea scored again in the seventh on Dylan Libadisos' run-scoring single.
Hao, meanwhile, got out of a bases-loaded jam in the third and did not allow another hit until the seventh, when he was removed with one out.
"I threw fastballs, I tried to hit the outside corner," said Hao, a senior right-hander making only his second regular-season start. "Every time I came inside, that's when they would get hits."
Hao's performance follows teammate Blaze Moleta's one-hitter at Wai'anae.
"We're just getting guys to step up," Kato said. "After that home run, that was a great test of (Hao's) composure. Then our offense picked it up."
Na Ali'i face Mililani (5-1) at 1 p.m. Saturday at 'Aiea Recreation Center.
'Aiea (6-0) 130 040 1—9 9 0
Pearl City (5-1-1) 300 000 0—3 4 3
Nelson Hao, Lance Powell (7) and Aaron Asher. Shawn Benson, Rex Yamaguchi (6) and Corey Giammalvo. W—Hao. L —Benson.
Leading hitters: 'Aiea—Bryson Tajiri 2-3, 2 RBIs; Kepa Wong 2-4. Pearl City—Nolan Kugiya 1-2, homer, 3 RBIs.
• CAMPBELL 3, WAI'ANAE 2: Jonah Canionero was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the seventh inning to force in the winning run as the host Sabers beat the Seariders.
Earlier in the inning, Brandon Tanigawa stole home off a double steal to tie the game at 2. Jason Scholl scored the winning run.
Wai'anae (4-2) 100 000 1—2 4 1
Campbell (5-1) 000 100 2—3 8 1
Calvin Uyechi and Darryl Ohelo. Tristan Bailey and Ian Pantorilla. W—Bailey. L—Uyechi.
Leading hitters: Wai'anae—Ohelo 2-3. Campbell—Jason Scholl 3-3; Pantorilla 3-3, double.
• LEILEHUA 10, NANAKULI 0: Patrick San Nicolas pitched a three-hit shutout with two strikeouts as the host Mules beat the Golden Hawks.
Leilehua scored five runs in the first inning on four singles and two walks, and tacked on four more in the fifth, which ended the game because of the 10-run mercy rule.
Nanakuli (0-7) 000 00— 0 3 3
Leilehua (4-2) 500 14—10 8 2
Mario Bartholomew, Mike Nakagawa (5) and Kale Naehu. Patrick San Nicolas and Ricky Paderes. W—San Nicolas. L—Bartholomeu.
Leading hitters: Nanakuli—Bartholomew 2-3. Leilehua—Ross Masuhara 2-2, 2 RBIs.
• WAIPAHU 4, KAPOLEI 3: Shane Jelf's sacrifice fly scored Ross Garabiles with the go-ahead run in the fifth inning as the host Marauders edged the Hurricanes.
In the top of the seventh, Kapolei had the bases loaded with one out, but Jaryd Kiyabu induced a 4-6-3 double play.
Kapolei (1-5) 020 100 0—3 4 1
Waipahu (3-2-1) 012 010 X—4 5 2
Howard Vinhasa and Colin Dumlao. Jaryd Kiyabu and John Fauatea. W—Kiyabu. L—Vinhasa.
Leading hitters: Kapolei—Vinhasa homer, 3 RBIs. Waipahu—Jerome Khan 2-3, double, triple; Shane Jelf 2 RBIs.
• WAIALUA 6, RADFORD 2: Justin Barit batted 2-for-3 with four RBIs and Gavin Nakamura pitched a five-hitter as the host Bulldogs won their first game of the season.
Casey Monizuka went 2-for-4 with two RBIs for Waialua.
Radford (0-7) 010 000 1—2 5 4
Waialua (1-6) 300 021 X—6 11 3
Andrew Atmospera and Matt Ryan. Gavin Nakamura and Grant Yamanouchi. W—Nakamura. L—Atmospera.
Leading hitters: Radford—Chris Walden double. Waialua—Casey Monizuka 2-4, 2 RBIs; Justin Barit 2-3, 4 RBIs; Yamanouchi 2-3; Brett Guerin 2-2.
Eastern Division
• KAILUA 10, KAHUKU 2: Mike Kealoha batted 3-for-5 with two RBIs and Kekoa Sua went 2-for-4 with two RBIs as the host Surfriders beat the Red Raiders, who committed six errors.
Kailua's Ryan Rodrigues and Chris Mahilona combined on a four-hitter.
Kahuku (4-2) 002 000 0— 2 4 6
Kailua (7-0) 030 043 X—10 14 1
Corey Supanovich, Mel Silva (5) and Alex Ponciano. Ryan Rodrigues, Chris Mahilona (4) and Sean Medeiros. W—Mahilona. L—Supanovich.
Leading hitters: Kahuku—Silva double; Au double. Kailua—Mike Kealoha 3-5, 2 RBIs; Kekoa Sua 2-4, 2 RBIs; Bronson Ho double; Mendeiros 2-4; Bronson Kamaka 2-3.
• CASTLE 5, ROOSEVELT 3: Jeff Syrop pitched a complete game with two walks and 10 strikeouts as the host Knights beat the Rough Riders.
Syrop also hit a solo homer in the second inning, and teammate Stephen Koki had a two-run single in the fifth to put Castle up 5-1.
Roosevelt (4-2) 100 002 0—3 7 2
Castle (2-4) 012 020 X—5 6 1
Cameron Kimura, Kaimi Mead (6) and Kevin Fujii. Jeff Syrop and David Mohika. W—Syrop. L—Kimura.
Leading hitters: Roosevelt—Kimura 2-4, double; Brandon Morimoto double; Derrick Shigano 2-2. Castle—Scott Shinsato double; Syrop 2-3, homer, 2 RBIs; Noah Khan 2-3, double; Stephen Koki 2 RBIs.
• KALANI 6, KAIMUKI 4: Shannon Chung's run-scoring single in the sixth inning scored the go-ahead run as the visiting Falcons beat the Bulldogs.
Kalani's Davin Muramoto batted 3-for-4.
Kalani (4-3) 101 003 1—6 9 5
Kaimuki (1-6) 200 100 1—4 8 2
Davin Muramoto, Shannon Chung (5) and Preston Pires. Baba Kaluna, Reid Yamane (5), Wilford Shiprit (7) and Janson Hew. W—Chung. L—Yamane.
Leading hitters: Kalani—Muramoto 3-4; Ryan Murakawa double; Ty Sarchet double. Kaimuki—Kaeo Neal 2-4; Tyson Seto-Mook 2-4, 2 RBIs.
• MOANALUA 8, FARRINGTON 6: Kawika Kaulukukui batted 2-for-3 with a double and two RBIs as the host Menehunes beat the Governors.
The Menehunes scored four runs on four hits in the bottom of the fourth inning to take a 6-3 lead.
Farrington (1-5) 002 130 0—6 5 3
Moanalua (4-2) 101 411 X—8 8 5
Royce Machado and Joseph Gabrillo. Andrew Blomberg and Brett Tanigawa. W—Blomberg. L—Machado.
Leading hitters: Farrington—Davin Alexander 2-3, triple; Nixon Gattu 2-3. Moanalua—Tanigawa double; Peter Arakawa 2-2; Kawika Kaulukukui 2-3, double, 2 RBIs.
• KAISER 5, MCKINLEY 4: Andy Uehara batted 2-for-2 with two RBIs and Jarryed Maeda batted 3-for-4 with two triples as the host Cougars held off the Tigers.
McKinley (0-7) 010 000 3—4 9 2
Kaiser (3-3) 022 100 X—5 10 1
Devin Okinaga and Andy Mitani. Michael Heu, Sean Samson (4) and Jarryed Maeda. W—Heu. L—Okinaga.
Leading hitters: McKinley—Reed Tamashiro 3-3; Jarren Hirasaki 2-4, 2 RBIs; Kyle Nagatori 2-3. Kaiser—Maeda 3-4, 2 triples; Andy Uehara 2-2, 2 RBIs.
