Roosevelt's late rally knocks off Hilo, 4-3
| • | Punahou tops Kaiser in first round, 3-2 |
| • | Pearl City tops Kaua'i in eight innings, 6-3 |
| • | Leilehua routs error-prone Honoka'a, 13-0 |
By Stacy Kaneshiro
Advertiser Staff Writer
Roosevelt capitalized on three errors in rallying for three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to down Hilo, 4-3, yesterday in the opening round of the HHSAA/Wally Yonamine Foundation State Baseball Championships at Les Murakami Stadium.
Gregory Yamamoto • The Honolulu Advertiser
The Rough Riders (11-4) play third-seeded Mid-Pacific Institute (16-5) in today's 7 p.m. quarterfinal.
Roosevelt third baseman Grant Hayami reaches for an errant throw that allows Hilo's Kaleo Calip to tag up from second and then score. Roosevelt won, 4-3.
It was the third consecutive year Roosevelt beat Hilo (12-3) in an opening round game of the tournament.
Justin Goo allowed three runs — one earned — on seven hits and six strikeouts in recording the complete-game win for the Rough Riders. Roosevelt coach Kerry Higa praised Goo for keeping his composure despite being victimized by errors early in the game.
"No matter what the situation was, he did what he usually does — throw strikes," Higa said. "Even when the errors were happening, he kept his composure. He's one of the leaders on the team and they feed off his energy. He's not concerned about the errors. He just goes about his business."
Goo said he was confident his team would rally.
"I know we're a team that can hit," Goo said. "Even though they scored early runs off of me, I knew I just had to keep it close and we would have a shot."
The Vikings took a 3-1 lead into the bottom of the sixth behind starter Jesse Yoshida. After getting the first two batters out, Ricky Eusebio singled to right. Riki Nakagawa drew a walk and was lifted for pinch-runner Brent Maeda before pinch-hitter Keenan Loo walked to load the bases.
Milton Kenui came in for Yoshida to face Daniel Taniguchi. On a full count, Taniguchi hit a one-hopper to Kenui, but the ball squirted out of his glove, allowing Eusebio to score and reloading the bases.
Third baseman Matt Haasenritter then made a diving stop of a Derek Shigano grounder, but threw wide to first, allowing Maeda to score the tying run. On the play, first baseman Joshua Leopoldino's throw home was wild, allowing Loo to score the go-ahead run. Goo flied out to right to end the inning.
Yoshida allowed four runs — one earned — on three hits and three walks with two strikeouts in 5á innings.
Hilo took a 2-0 lead in the third on a two-out RBI single by Will Nau and a throwing error by right fielder Eusebio on the play that allowed the second run to score.
Gregory Yamamoto • The Honolulu Advertiser
Roosevelt made it 2-1 in the bottom of the third on Kevin Fujii's sacrifice fly to center.
Roosevelt's Justin Goo pitched a complete game with six strikeouts against Hilo.
The Vikings went up 3-1 in the fourth when the Rough Riders committed two errors. Keola Mizuguchi-Holt reached on third baseman Grant Hayami's fielding error. After taking second on Leopoldino's sacrifice, courtesy runner Kaleo Calip advanced to third when Jacob Fukuda flied out to left. Calip scored when second baseman Shigano's relay throw to third was wide of the bag.
Hilo's Haasenritter batted 3 for 4, including a single with two outs in the seventh. But Goo got Nau to fly to right to end the game.
"We just didn't make the plays that we had to," Hilo coach Sydney Nozaki said. "But, hey, we're still proud of the kids. In our league, we weren't favored to do well, but the kids did what they needed to do. At least we gave (Big Island champ) Waiakea a run."
Reach Stacy Kaneshiro at skaneshiro@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8042.
