Leilehua clinches top spot in OIA West with 2-1 victory
| • | Saints beat Punahou in ILH playoff |
By Wes Nakama
Advertiser Staff Writer
Leilehua won a share of the O'ahu Interscholastic Association's Western Division baseball championship yesterday, fittingly by the slimmest of margins.
Andrew Ontai dashed home on Jesse Matsuura's ground single to center field and slid head first just ahead of the tag with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning to lift the Mules to a 2-1 victory over Pearl City at Fred Wright Park.
Leilehua finished the OIA West season with a 9-1 record, tied with 'Aiea. But the Mules defeated Na Ali'i, 6-5, in the season opener and thus will be the West's No. 1 seed in next week's league playoffs.
Pearl City (7-3) finished in a tie for third with Campbell (7-3) in a tight race.
"We've been working hard since Day 1, we've been busting it," said Matsuura, a senior catcher who played on Kamahemeha's 2003 state championship team. "But all those hours paid off. We never let down, we just kept pushing."
The Mules needed that resilient attitude yesterday, especially after watching a golden opportunity disintegrate in the sixth inning. Leilehua loaded the bases with no outs, only to come up empty after a popup to first and two missed squeeze attempts resulting in runners from third being tagged out.
"I thought that was a momentum builder," Chargers coach Mel Seki said. "But you gotta give their pitcher (John Olley) credit. He just came right back and shut us down."
Olley, a sophomore right-hander, got two quick flyouts to start the seventh before hitting the third batter. But he rebounded quickly by getting the next batter to fly out to short center. Olley finished with only one strikeout but walked none and induced 11 flyouts.
"John stayed composed when we needed it and he was able to throw strikes," Mules coach Garrett Yukumoto said. "You have to tip your hat to him."
In the bottom of the seventh, Ontai stroked a one-out single to left, and after the next batter grounded out, Spencer Omalza was intentionally walked. Matsuura then hit the first pitch for a sharp grounder up the middle which skipped into center field, allowing Ontai enough time to score from second.
Pearl City (7-3) 010 000 0 — 1 7 4
Leilehua (9-1) 010 000 1 — 2 5 1
Tony Ganigan and Corey Giammalvo; John Olley and Jesse Matsuura. W—Olley. L—Ganigan.
Leading hitters: Pearl City—Giammalvo 2-3, double. Leilehua—Bryant Moniz 1-3, triple.
'AIEA 17, RADFORD 0: Lance Powell pitched no-hit ball through the first three innings as Na Ali'i clinched a share of their second straight OIA West championship.
'Aiea (9-1) 465 20 — 17 11 0
Radford (2-8) 000 00 — 0 2 5
Lance Powell, Shane Koga (4), Blake Lamug (5) and CJ Tausaga. Chad Afi, Andrew Atmospera (3) and Kyle Howell. W—Powell. L—Afi.
Leading hitters: 'Aiea—Dylan Libadisos 2-3, double, triple, 4 RBIs; Powell 4-4, double, triple, 4 RBIs. Radford—Kahoku Tampos double.
Reported by James Sunday
CAMPBELL 14, WAIPAHU 0: Tristan Bailey and Ian Pantorilla combined for nine strikeouts and James Bannister and Bailey each hit home runs to lead the Sabers.
Campbell (7-3) 008 33—14 13 0
Waipahu (3-7) 000 00— 0 1 4
Tristan Bailey, Ian Pantorilla (5) and Pantorilla, Jeff Ramos (5). Mark Peralta, Alfred Maglangit (4), Jordan Mikami (5) and Jake Tabieros. W—Bailey. L—Peralta.
Leading hitters: Campbell—Brandon Tanigawa 2-3, 2 RBIs; James Bannister 2-3, homer, 4 RBIs; Bailey 2-3, homer, 2 RBIs.
MILILANI 15, WAIALUA 2: Ian Koki, Chaz Miyashiro and Kelsey Nakata combined to strike out 10 Waialua batters.
Mililani (6-4) 262 50—15 13 2
Waialua (0-10) 200 00— 2 2 3
Ian Koki, Chaz Miyashiro (3), Kelsey Nakata (5) and Jordan Apduhan, Ian Koki (3). Justin Barit, Michael Kuraoka (2) and Justin Manglallan. W—Koki. L—Kuraoka.
Leading hitters: Mililani—Jaron Hanzawa 2-3, 2 RBIs; Troy Flores 3-3; Brandon Oshiro double; Pierce Manglallan double, 2 RBIs; Tony Aquino 2-3, 2 RBIs. Waialua—J. Manglallan 2-3, 2 RBIs.
Reported by Dean Sato
WAI'ANAE 21, NANAKULI 3: Andre Kuakini went 3 for 3 and Mike Ferreira and Billon Guzman each hit a home run to lead the Seariders past the Golden Hawks.
Wai'anae (6-4) 012 7(11)—21 14 2
Nanakuli (2-8) 120 0 0 — 3 5 3
Allen Holt, Ande Kuakini (4) and Mike Ferreira. Bryson Felisi, Devan Harris (4) and Nathan Naehu. W—Holt. L— Felisi.
Leading hitters: Wai'anae— Kuakini 3-3; Ferreira triple; Billon Guzman HR; Ransen Sylva 2-3. Nanakuli—Ainoa Oliviera 2-2.
Reported by Houston Anderson
Kailua 11, Kaiser 2: Kekoa Sua smashed a two-run homer in the fifth inning and Michael Kealoha pitched a four-hitter as the Surfriders handed the Cougars' their first loss of the season.
Kailua (7-3) 223 011 2—11 12 0
Kaiser (9-1) 000 001 1— 2 4 4
Michael Kealoha and Ho'o Obed. Ren Kimura, Trent Hamada (2), Andy Uehara (5), Mitch Shimabukuro (7) and Jarred Maeda. W — Kealoha. L — Kimura.
Leading hitters: Kailua— Kealoha 3-5, 2 doubles; Kekoa Sua homer, 2 RBIs; Kevin Matsumoto 2-4, 2 RBIs; Obed 2-2. Kaiser—Shimabukuro double.
Reported by Peter Ho
KALANI 7, KAHUKU 2: Randy Kitagawa struck out 14 and walked one to lead the Falcons past the Red Raiders at Kahala Field.
Kahuku (1-9) 010 001 0—2 7 2
Kalani (8-2) 200 104 x—7 8 0
Melvin Silva and Bronson Ponciano-Ahue. Randy Kitagawa and Preston Pires. W—Kitagawa. L— Silva.
Leading hitters: Kahuku— Ponciano-Ahue 2-3, double; Silva 2-2, double. Kalani—Chassis Moody 3-3; Trevor Teraoka 2-2.
Reported by Shannon Hirai
Roosevelt 8, McKinley 2: Jared Furtado's two-run double highlighted a four- run first inning for the Rough Riders.
Roosevelt (7-3) 404 000 0—8 9 0
McKinley (2-8) 000 020 0—2 6 3
John Alarcio, Kalani Yoshimura (4), Robb Oshima (5), David Aquino (6), Ricky Eusebio (7) and Kevin Fujii. Kalen Kuniyuki, Jarren Hirasaki (3), Devin Okinaga (6) and Andy Mitani. W—Alarcio. L—Kuniyuki.
Leading hitters: Roosevelt— Jared Furtado 2-3, double; Eusebio 2-4; Grant Hayami 2-2, triple. McKinley—Micah Yonemura 3-3, double; Hirasaki triple.
Reported by Lester Higa
Kalaheo 17, Kaimuki 0: Sonny Harbottle pitched a three-hitter and Ransen Ka'anoi belted a two-run homer in the fifth inning to carry the Mustangs.
Kalaheo (5-5) 403 37—17 10 1
Kaimuki (2-8) 000 00— 0 3 4
Sonny Harbottle and Jacob Myking. Tyson Seto-Mook, Corey Morihara (3), Erik Leong (5) and Janson Hew. W—Harbottle. L—Seto-Mook.
Leading hitters: Kalaheo—Myking 2-2, Aaron Luis double, 2 RBIs; Scott Galusha 2 runs, 2 RBIs; Chris Gonglas 2-3, 2 runs; Ransen Ka'anoi 3-3, homer, 2 runs, 3 RBIs. Kaimuki—Morihara 2-3, double.
Reported by Duke Chinen
CASTLE 14, MOANALUA 9: Travis Pa'aga went 2 for 4 with a double, home run and four RBIs to lead the Knights past the Menehunes in a game called by darkness in the sixth inning.
Castle (3-6) 174 110—14 15 9
Moanalua (6-3) 422 010— 9 10 3
Kaini Ahnew and David Mohika. Trevor Bell, Chance Daskauskas (2), Andrew Blomberg (6) and Donovan Souza. W—Ahnew. L—Bell.
Leading hitters: Castle—Ikaika Reppuhn double, RBI; Travis Pa'aga 2-4, HR, double, 4 RBIs; Mohika double; Shane Duydasco 2-3, double, 2 RBIs; Kelsey Kochi 2-4, double, RBI; Mike Hiyasoka 2-4; Evan Kaneshiro 3-4. Moanalua—Glenn Taijeron 3-4, double, 2 RBIs; Dayne Dela Cruz HR, RBI; Kawika Kulukukui double; Peter Arakawa double.
Reported by Michelle Hahn
Reach Wes Nakama at wnakama@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-2456.
• • •
Saints beat Punahou in ILH playoff
Marc Nobriga hit a three-run homer in the top of the seventh inning yesterday and Ryan Sasaki later hit a run-scoring double to lift the Saint Louis School baseball team to a 10-9 victory over Punahou at Ala Wai Field.
Saint Louis (12-3) will play Mid-Pacific (11-3) at 3:45 p.m. today at Ala Wai for the Interscholastic League of Honolulu regular-season championship.
Punahou's Mark Veneri crushed a three-run homer in the bottom of the seventh to make it 10-9 with no outs. However, Sasaki retired the next three batters.
— Advertiser Staff
