Ganigan helps Pearl City knock off Leilehua, 2-1
By Wes Nakama
Advertiser Staff Writer
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| Pearl City's Blaine Hironaga, above, hits an RBI single with two outs in the second inning to give starting pitcher Tony Ganigan a 2-0 lead over Leilehua. Ganigan worked five scoreless innings for the victory.
Photos by Eugene Tanner • The Honolulu Advertiser |
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Junior Tony Ganigan, a nephew of former lightweight champion Andy Ganigan, pitched five shutout innings to help the Chargers hold off visiting Leilehua, 2-1, in the O'ahu Interscholastic Association Western Division opener for both teams.
Pearl City ace Jonathan Serapion, who has signed with the University of Hawai'i, fractured his ankle sliding into second base two weeks ago and senior lefty Shawn Benson, a two-year starter, suffered a less serious ankle injury in the past week.
A third starter, Davin Nakasone, was ill yesterday. Ganigan thus got his starting assignment just before pregame warmups.
"We just have to pick up the slack, it's our chance to shine," Ganigan said. "I knew my defense is pretty good, so I wasn't worried."
Ganigan allowed a double to Ryan Basco in the first inning and a double to Ricky Paderes in the fourth, but otherwise held the Mules hitless and induced 10 flyouts over five innings before being relieved by Rex Yamaguchi.
"I threw a lot of curves and changes, and I was trying to keep the ball low; I threw it near their shins," Ganigan said. "I thought they were impatient and swinging (freely). Plus I saw them play last week, and I noticed they were hitting fastballs."
The Chargers provided Ganigan with some early run support in the form of a first-inning RBI single by Nolan Kugiya and Blaine Hironaga's run-scoring single in the second.
"Both hits were after two outs," Pearl City coach Mel Seki said. "That second one was really nice to see, because Blaine is usually a reserve. Our regular left fielder (Reece Hirano) was sick, so we put Blaine into the lineup and he got the big hit."
Leilehua closed to 2-1 in the sixth on Daylan Hale's RBI single. But Yamaguchi got a strikeout to strand the tying run on third and got Basco on a flyout to right in the seventh to end the game with the tying run on third.
"(Ganigan) gave them five good innings, and then we couldn't execute on our part," Mules coach Garrett Yukumoto said. "They kept the ball down, and it's one of those things. We knew we were going to have to battle no matter who we faced."
That should be the case for any team facing Leilehua, which has two strong starters in Spencer Omalza and Basco. Omalza, who finished with a five-hitter, was a second-team OIA West All-Star last season, and Basco, a transfer from defending state champion Mid-Pacific, was a first-team All-ILH selection in 2002.
"It would be a huge plus for any program to get a guy like Basco," Yukumoto said. "If we can just get some timely hitting, our pitchers can probably get us through."
LEILEHUA (0-1) 000 001 0 — 1 6 1
PEARL CITY (1-0) 110 000 x — 2 5 0
Spencer Omalza and Ricky Paderes; Tony Ganigan, Rex Yamaguchi (6) and Jayson Kira. W — Ganigan. L — Omalza.
Leading hitters: Leilehua — Paderes 3-4; Ryan Basco 2-4, RBI; Daylen Hale 1-2, RBI. Pearl City — Kira 2-3; Nolan Kugiya 1-2, RBI; Blaine Hironaga 1-2, RBI.
WAI'ANAE 4, NANAKULI 2: Kevin Kauweloa hit a two-run double in the fifth inning, and the Seariders scored two more runs in the sixth on a hit, walk, wild pitch and two errors.
Ikaika Asinsin batted 3-for-4 and drove in two runs for the Golden Hawks.
Nanakuli 100 001 0—2 7 3
Wai'anae 000 022 X—4 7 2
Mario Bartholomeu, Jeral Alapai (5), Ikaika Asinsin (6), J.C. Alapai (6) and Nathan Naehu. Calvin Uyechi, Allen Holt (7) and Darrel Ohelo. W—Uyechi. L—Bartholomeu. S—Holt.
Leading hitters: Nanakuli—Asinsin 3-4, triple, 2 RBIs. Wai'anae—Chevy Teves 2-2; Ohelo 2-3; Kevin Kauweloa double, 2 RBIs.
MILILANI 21, WAIALUA 1: Chaz Miyashiro and Anson Oda combined on a two-hitter and seven strikeouts to lift the Trojans.
Troy Flores, Kelsey Nakata and Erick Soeth each had two hits and two RBIs for Mililani, which amassed 16 hits.
Waialua 001 00—1 2 3
Mililani 294 6X—21 16 2
Gavin Nakamura, John Keao (3), John Carrano (4) and Joshua Acosta, Grant Yamanouchi (4). Chaz Miyashiro, Anson Oda (5) and Kamaka Crabbe, Ian Koki (4). W—Miyashiro. L—Nakamura.
Leading hitters: Mililani—Dustin Nuibe triple; Christopher Balatico triple; Kelsey Nakata 2-3, 2 RBIs; Miyashiro 2-3, 2 runs; Crabbe 2-2, double; Troy Flores double, 2 RBIs; Erick Soeth 2-2, double, 2 RBIs.
'AIEA 18, RADFORD 3: Taylor Watanabe, Kepa Wong, and Bryson Tajiri homered during Na Ali'i's nine-run first inning.
Wong batted 4-for-4 with four RBIs for 'Aiea, which had 17 hits, 11 for extra bases.
Radford 010 11— 3 4 4
'Aiea 934 2X—18 17 0
Andrew Atmospera, Sunny Belcher (1) and Ryan Matt. Blake Lamug, Shawn Hao (4) and Aaron Asher, Herbert Chung (3). W—Lamug. L—Atmospera.
Leading hitters: Radford—Gregg Suwa double; Rollie Suniatan double. 'Aiea—Taylor Watanabe 2-2, double, home run, 3 RBIs; Kepa Wong 4-4, double, home run, 4 RBIs; Asher triple; Bryson Tajiri 2-4, double, home run, 3 RBIs; Lance Powell double; Dylan Libadisos 2-2, double; James Miyashiro double; Blaze Moleta double.
KALAHEO 14, KAIMUKI 4: T.J. Meyer hit a three-run home run in the first inning, sparking a six-run charge for the Mustangs.
Sean Fernandez had three hits, including a double and a triple, and Kurt Okumura, Ransen Kaanoi, Jake Myking and Aren Viveiros each paired hits for Kalaheo.
Kaimuki 004 00— 4 6 2
Kalaheo 615 2X—14 15 4
E. Leong, B. Kaluna (1), Shiprit (4) and F. Aso'au. Kurt Okumura and Jake Myking. W—Okumura. L—Leong.
Leading hitters: Kaimuki—T. Mitani home run, 3 RBIs; D. Johnston triple. Kalaheo—Okumura 2-4, double, 2 runs; Ransen Kaanoi 2-3, triple; Sean Fernandez 3-4, double, triple, 3 RBIs; Myking 2-3; T.J. Meyer home run, 3 RBIs; Aren Viveiros 2-2.
KAILUA 11, KAISER 7: Koo Kamalamalama had three hits, including two doubles, and drove in four runs to boost the Surfriders.
Colby Ho had two hits for the Cougars, who led 7-6 entering the bottom of the fourth.
Kaiser 000 700 0— 7 9 5
Kailua 015 203 X—11 10 2
Sean Sampson, Michael Heu (5) and Jarryd Maeda. Bronson Kamaka, Chris Mahelona (3) and Hoho Obed. W—Mahelona. L—Sampson.
Leading hitters: Kaiser—Neil Asato double; Colby Ho 2-4, Nao Fukuzawa double. Kailua—Sean Sasaki double, 3 RBIs; Koo Kamalamalama 3-4, 2 doubles, 4 RBIs.
ROOSEVELT 7, MCKINLEY 6: Cameron Kimura singled home Ransen Tamai for the Rough Riders' winning run in the bottom of the seventh inning.
Kimura had three hits and four RBIs while Reed Tamashiro had two hits and two RBIs for the Tigers.
McKinley 101 022 0—6 6 5
Roosevelt 032 010 1—7 11 6
Kai Kaino and Jarren Hirasaki. Ricky Eusebio, Kaimi Mead (6) and Joshua Danz. W—Mead. L—Kaino.
Leading hitters: McKinley—Devin Okinaga 2-3; Reed Tamashiro 2-4, 2 RBIs; Kyle Nagatori 2-4. Roosevelt—Jared Furtado 2-4; Danz 3-3; Cameron Kimura 3-4, double, 4 RBIs.
MOANALUA 5, CASTLE 4: Ryan Wallsinger singled home Andrew Kaneko with the go-ahead run in the top of the eighth inning for the Menehunes.
Brett Tanigawa hit a three-run homer for Moanalua, while Ikaika Reppuhn batted 3-for-4 for Castle.
Moanalua 301 000 01—5 4 3
Castle 100 200 10—4 8 6
Chance Daskauskas, Andrew Blomberg (8) and Brett Tanigawa. Jeff Syrop and David Mohika. W—Daskauskas. L—Syrop.
Leading hitters: Moanalua—Tanigawa homer, 3 RBIs. Castle—Ikaika Reppuhn 3-4; Darren Hamada double; Stephen Koki triple; Daniel Chinen 2-3.
KALANI 7, KAHUKU 3: Chassis Moody and Davin Muramoto each had three hits for the Falcons.
Len Shimabuku hit an RBI double in a three-run seventh that put Kalani ahead 6-3.
Kalani 201 003 1—7 10 2
Kahuku 201 000 0—3 4 3
Randy Kitagawa, Asher Tamanaha (5) and Reid Pamatigan, Allen Komori (4). Mel Silva and Alex Ponciano. W—Tamanaha. L— Silva.
Leading hitters: Kalani— Chassis Moody 3-4; Len Shimabuku 2-4, double, 2 RBIs; Davin Muramoto 3-4, 3 RBIs. Kahuku—Josh Bohnet 2-4.
GOLF
Souza shoots 69: Kamehameha's Chris Souza shot a 3-under-par 69 in Interscholastic League of Honolulu competition at Barbers Point Tuesday.
Souza is averaging 74.3 through four tournaments.
VOLLEYBALL
McKinley seeks coach: McKinley High is seeking applicants for varsity girls volleyball head coach.
Resumes should be sent to: Athletic Director Neal Takamori, McKinley High School, 1039 S. King St., Honolulu 96814.
