OIA seniors shine in annual Sugar Mill Classic, 8-2

By Stacy Kaneshiro
Advertiser Staff Writer

Aloha's Kaimi Mead of Roosevelt High School pitched two hitless innings, walking one and striking out three. Photos by Rebecca Breyer • The Honolulu Advertiser

Aloha's Kyle Juliano of Kahuku steals second, beating the throw to Hawaiians' Keoni Ruth of Kamehameha in the first inning.

The team composed of O'ahu Interscholastic Association players beat the Hawaiian Stars, 8-2, yesterday in the fifth annual SportStan Sugar Mill Classic.

A friends and family gathering of about 400 at Hans L'Orange Park watched the baseball game that features graduating seniors from around the state. They also saw the Hawaiian Stars, made up of Interscholastic League of Honolulu and Neighbor Island players, walk 14 batters, five of them scoring.

"It's just fun," said Saint Louis School's Bobby George of the Hawaiian Stars, who did not walk a batter in his one inning. "It's not like football, where everything is serious. You just have fun and do your thing."

Which he did when he got to pitch against former Crusaders' teammate Kaimi Mead, who transferred to Roosevelt after his junior season at Saint Louis.

Mead mockingly pointed his bat toward center. George told him he was gong to challenge him with a fastball. Mead hit a grounder that hit base runner and teammate Cameron Kimura for the third out of the fifth inning.

"I just called my shot," said Mead, who considers George a good friend. "I was trying to take him deep, but (laughs)."

Mead, a left-hander who has signed with the University of Hawai'i, started for Aloha and pitched two hitless innings, walking one and striking out three.

Kamehameha's Isaac Kamai, who got into and out of jams in the state tournament, started for the Hawaiian Stars. He walked five, but yielded only a run on Taylor Watanabe's RBI double in the second that gave Aloha a 1-0 lead.

Hawaiian tied it in the top of the third on pro prospect Keoni Ruth's RBI single, but Aloha regained the lead, 2-1, on Sean Fernandez's RBI double that scored Kimura, who reached on a double.

Hawaiian tied the game again on Reid Saito's RBI single in the sixth against Jaryd Kiyabu. But Aloha took the lead for good in the bottom of the sixth on a bases-loaded wild pitch on a swinging third strike to Brandon Morimoto that scored Ivan Fujii.

Hawaiian pulled away with a four-run seventh when it sent nine batters to the plate. It also added a run in the eighth.

The game started with a Rainbow recruit and ended with one. Pearl City's Jonathan Serapion, who signed with UH in November, pitched a perfect ninth. It was his first time back on the mound since he broke his left leg sliding into second base during a preseason game against Roosevelt. He said he will have a screw removed from his leg on June 4.

"I've been throwing (while) on my knees" during the recovery process that forced him to miss his senior season, he said.

The game, conceived by Kansas City Royals scout Eric Tokunaga, a former Rainbow, also serves as a showcase for college recruiters and pro scouts. Rainbows' assistant Chad Konishi was in attendance as were pro scouts. One of the scouts served as a coach for the Hawaiian Stars.

"It's a good thing that Eric does for the kids," said Scott Murray, a scout for the Arizona Diamondbacks. "They're having fun and that's the way it should be. They're also getting an opportunity to shine."

The game was sponsored by SportStan Sporting Goods.

Hawaiian (ILH/Neighbors) 001 001 000—2 4 1
Aloha (OIA) 011 001 41x—8 6 1

Isaac Kamai, Dustin Goto (3), Joseph Kala (4), Bobby George (5), Joe Donovan (6), Chase Masuda (7), Grant Yamaguchi (7) and Baba Merino, Colby Holt (3), Reid Saito (6). Kaimi Mead, Ryan Basco (3), Jeff Syrop (5), Jaryd Kiyabu (6), Nelson Ha'o (7), Chris Balatico (8), Jonathan Serapion (9) and Brett Tanigawa, Alex Ponciano (5). WP—Kiyabu. LP— Donovan.

Leading batters: Hawaiian—Keoni Ruth 1-2, RBI; Keven Whalen 1-2, double; JP Kennedy 1-1, walk; Reid Saito 1-1, RBI; Ryan Leong 2 walks, 2 SBs. Aloha—Chris Balatico 2 walks; Cameron Kimura 1-3, double; Kaimi Mead 2-2, 2 runs; Sean Fernandez 1-1, double, RBI; Jonathan Sakurai 1-1, 2 RBI; Taylor Watanabe 1-2, double, RBI.