Aloha Stars walk away with victory

By Stacy Kaneshiro
Advertiser Staff Writer

Hawaiian's Spencer Omalza is about to be tagged out by Aloha shortstop Randy Rundgren at the Sugar Mill Classic. Deborah Booker • The Honolulu Advertiser

A Memorial Day get-together of 557 at Aloha Stadium saw Aloha send 12 batters to the plate, six of them drawing walks that either ended up scoring or driving in a run.

It was the first time the game was played at Aloha after previously being held at Hans L'Orange Park in Waipahu.

The Aloha Stars were made up of players from Interscholastic League of Honolulu schools and Waiakea, while the Hawaiian Stars had players from the O'ahu Interscholastic Association and the other Neighbor Island schools. Every league was represented.

Except for the sixth inning, pitching pretty much kept the game in control. Waiakea's Avery Kagawa had the only extra-base hit of the game with an RBI triple in the first inning.

"It was a good experience," said Kagawa, who plans to attend Howard junior college in Texas. "It's fun because there's lots of competition."

Every inning saw at least one new pitcher. Kaiser's Michael Heu had the longest stint at 1 2/3 innings because Hawaiian left-hander and starting pitcher Alec Reichle of Kaua'i felt a twinge in his throwing elbow after facing only two batters. After he walked Michael Lam of Punahou, he left the game.

"It felt like my arm was hanging," said Reichle, who has signed with Brigham Young.

It was Reichle's second appearance of the season. He did not pitch until the state tournament because an auto accident left him with a fractured right ankle.

Speaking of debuts, Kalani pitcher Ty Sarchet made an impressive one. He entered in the seventh inning after Roosevelt's Justin Goo allowed a lead-off single after one-plus innings. Sarchet was perfect, striking out two, stranding the runner he inherited.

"It felt good to face some people," said Sarchet.

Sarchet missed his senior season with the Falcons for reasons he said he could not disclose. But he worked out on his own to stay sharp with hopes of continuing to play in college.

Sarchet impressed one of the Aloha coaches, former minor league and University of Hawai'i pitcher Paul Ah Yat.

"When you can get your breaking ball over for strikes (consistently), you can be successful at any level," Ah Yat said. "There's a lot of potential there. You want to see a kid like that succeed."

Since Iolani's Eric Muraoka pitched a scoreless top of the sixth when his team was trailing 2-1, he benefitted from the six-run bottom of the sixth to get credit for the win.

Hawaiian out-hit Aloha, 8-5. Leilehua's Spencer Omalza was 2 for 3.

The game was dedicated to the memory of Travis Mitsuda, who died March 25. The Iolani graduate played in the 2001 Classic. His father, Daniel Mitsuda, threw out the ceremonial first pitch yesterday.

Reach Stacy Kaneshiro at skaneshiro@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8042.