Sweet victory for Aloha Stars
By Stacy Kaneshiro
Advertiser Staff Writer
WAIPAHU — Some of the 200 or so spectators — and some players for that matter — wanted the seventh SportStan Sugar Mill Classic to end in a 9-9 tie after the regulation nine innings. But think of what they would have missed if the game didn't play itself out.
Andrew Shimabuku • The Honolulu Advertiser
No one would have seen Kip Masuda's solo home run that was followed two batters later by Kaohi Downing's two-run shot — both blasts over the left-field fence — break the tie in the top of the 11th to lift Aloha over Hawaiian, 12-11, yesterday at Hans L'Orange Park.
Aloha starter Jared Pate was not as sharp as he was in pitching Punahou to back-to-back state championships. Pate yielded three runs to Hawaiian in the bottom of the first inning.
They also would have missed Hawaiian's rally that fell a run short in the bottom of the 11th.
"I wanted to go home already," said Downing, an outfielder for Punahou. "The sun came out and I was tired and sweating. But we had enough energy to hang on and keep going."
The home runs came against Pearl City's Thomas Yamasaki. Ironically, he is Masuda's cousin.
"I got a little lucky," said Masuda, Mid-Pacific Institute's catcher. "He (Yamasaki) was just smiling."
Hawaiian kept Aloha fans squirming with two runs in the bottom of the 11th. Waimea's Kane Zalopany led off with a single and took third on a double by Baldwin's Marcus Makia. James Bannister's ground out to second moved the runners to make it 12-10 and a wild pitch closed it to 12-11.
But Punahou pitcher Landon Nakata got Campbell's Jacob Kaku to fly out to left and Mililani's Tony Aquino to fly out to center to end the game and save the win for Kamehameha's Nick Freitas, an outfielder pressed into pitching because of the extra innings.
This was the first extra-inning game since 2000, when Aloha (then made up primarily of O'ahu Interscholastic Association players) beat Hawaiian, 10-8, in 10 innings.
Yesterday, a different pitcher was used in each inning and players who shared positions alternated at-bats to keep their focus.
The annual all-star-type game brought together seniors from around the state.
"It was fun playing with the best seniors," 'Aiea outfielder/pitcher Lance Powell said.
"It was good to see everybody I played with on some teams," said Kaua'i High pitcher/infielder Kirby Yates, referring to club teams he played on with players from other schools.
Besides allowing players to team with players they played against all season, as well as reunite them with club teammates, they were exposed to pro scouts and local college coaches.
University of Hawai'i assistant Travis Janssen and newly hired Hawai'i Pacific head coach Garrett Yukumoto were in attendance.
The game also gave players a chance to show all their abilities. Punahou's Downing got to pitch an inning (allowing the tying run in the ninth). Although he pitched as a junior, he did not pitch this past season for the Buffanblu.
"It was fun," Downing said of pitching. "I practiced (all season), but I didn't need to pitch (for Punahou) because we had guys like Jared Pate and Landon Nakata."
Yates, brother of New York Mets pitcher Tyler Yates (disabled list) started for Hawaiian and pitched a scoreless first inning, getting three easy groundouts while allowing a single to Iolani's Marc Factor. Yates also hit a two-run double in a three-run first inning against Aloha starter Pate, who was nearly unhittable in the state tournament for Punahou.
Wai'anae pitcher Clayton Uyechi had a three-run double in the second off Kamehameha's David Parrow that gave Hawaiian a 6-1 lead.
Besides the home run, Masuda had a two-run single in the fifth that tied the score at 6 for Aloha.
Moloka'i shortstop Travis Fernandez executed a perfect hit-and-run RBI single that gave Aloha a 7-6 lead in the sixth. With the runner breaking for second on the pitch, Fernandez hit the ball where the shortstop vacated to cover the bag. An error later in the inning made it 8-6.
Hawaiian closed to 8-7 in the bottom of the sixth when Kailua's Tyler Harrison doubled and, one out later, scored on a double by Roosevelt's Kevin Fujii.
Aloha increased its lead in the eighth when Nakata tripled with one out and scored on a sacrifice fly by Baldwin's Kimo Klask to make it 9-7.
Hawaiian responded in the bottom of the eighth when Uyechi singled and scored on a double by Moanalua's Andrew Blomberg.
Hawaiian tied the game in the bottom of the ninth. Powell doubled to right-center, then stole third an out later. After Kaiser's Landon Ka'aua was hit by a pitch, Powell scored when Harrison grounded to second for a forceout.
Aloha was coached by former minor leaguer and UH baseball catcher Collin Tanabe, while Hawaiian was coached by former big leaguer and Hawaii Islanders player John Matias, who coaches at Damien.
ALOHA 010 322 010 03—12 15 1
HAWAIIAN 330 001 011 02—11 15 2
Jared Pate, David Parrow (2), Jayson Kramer (3), Ian Mopas (4), Keli'i Zablan (5), Conan Young (6), Koa Kaleo (7), Travis Fernandez (8), Kaohi Dowing (9), Nick Freitas (10), Landon Nakata (11) and Kip Masuda, Sheldon Santiago. Kirby Yates, Clayton Uyechi (2), Kevin Matsumoto (3), James Bannister (4), Chaz Miyashiro (5), Kahoko Piho (6), Andrew Blomberg (7), Adam Arakawa (8), Tony Aquino (9), Lance Powell (10), Thomas Yamasaki (11) and Kevin Fujii, Preston Pires, Kamaka Crabbe. W—Freitas. L— Yamasaki. S—Nakata
Leading hitters: Aloha— Kyson Morikuni 2-run single; Keli'i Zablan RBI single; Landon Nakata triple; Chester Wilson double; Nick Freitas double; Kip Masuda 2-run single, home run; Kaohi Downing, RBI single, two-run home run. Hawaiian—Tony Aquino double; Kevin Fujii 2-2, double, RBI; Kirby Yates, 2-run double; Clayton Uyechi, 2-2, 3-run double; Andrew Blomberg RBI double; Marcus Makia 2-3, double; Lance Powell double, stolen base.
Reach Stacy Kaneshiro at skaneshiro@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8042.
