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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Friday, May 11, 2007

Pearl City gains semis, 10-0

Photo galleryPearl City vs. KS-Maui gallery

By Stacy Kaneshiro
Advertiser Staff Writer

Kamehameha-Maui's Dayton Alexander is forced out at second base as Pearl City's Chad Quillopo throws to first base in the sixth inning.

REBECCA BREYER | The Honolulu Advertiser

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Bryson Nakamura pitched four shutout innings and helped his own cause by driving in three runs to guide Pearl City to a 10-0 win against Kamehameha-Maui last night in a Wally Yonamine Foundation Baseball State Championship quarterfinal at Les Murakami Stadium.

The game ended with one out in the bottom of the sixth after Carlton Tanabe's RBI single because of the 10-run differential mercy rule.

The Chargers (12-3) advance to today's 5:30 p.m. semifinal against Kaiser (11-5), assuring O'ahu Interscholastic Association representation for tomorrow's championship.

Nakamura survived a scary first inning, when he stranded runners at second and third. He allowed five hits while walking two and striking out one.

Although effective, he ran his pitch count to 70 and another left-hander, Cory Yuh, finished the last two innings, allowing three hits. Nakamura said his changeup was working well; it's what he used to retire Kamuela Kalehuawehe-Valentine for the last out in the first inning. But the junior left-hander deferred credit for his success to his sophomore catcher Tanabe.

"That was all Cartlon," Nakamura said. "He was calling the pitches. He's been a big help when I pitch."

Chargers' coach Mel Seki took Nakamura out after the fourth despite the big lead because of the high pitch count. Seki also wanted to give Yuh some tournament experience.

"Bryson looked tired after four innings and it was a good time to get some of the other pitchers some experience," Seki said.

The Chargers built their lead early with a four-run first against starter Aaron Asato, who was charged with 10 runs (six earned), 13 hits and two walks in 5 1/3 innings for the Warriors (11-6), who will play Waiakea at 3 p.m. today in a fifth-place bracket game. The Chargers batted through the order in the first. Two errors aided in the scoring, one directly leading to a run, the rest coming on Jeff Domingo's two-run double and Chad Quillopo's sacrifice fly.

"In a tournament like this, to get the lead at the beginning is huge," Seki said. "We were nervous, Bryson was nervous, but with a four-run lead, I think it took some pressure off."

Pearl City added a run in the second. Rorry Nakayama reached on a check-swing single to third and stole second before Ryno Acosta walked. After a double steal, Nakamura grounded out to second on a contact play that allowed Nakayama to score despite the infield playing in to make it 5-0.

The Chargers kept the pressure on in the third with three more runs, all with two outs. Quillopo and Jordan DeKneef reached on bunt singles and Nakayama walked to load the bases. Acosta hit an RBI single to short to make it 6-0 and Nakayama followed with a two-run single to make it 8-0; Acosta was thrown out trying for third on the play to end the inning.

In the sixth. Acosta led off with a double and one out later, took third when Kellen Ushijima reached on an error. Another error made it 9-0 before Tanabe ended it with his run-scoring single.

This was the Warriors' debut in the state tournament, as well as the first year for co-head coaches Scott Takakura and Brandona Kanamu.

"It was a real productive season," Takakura said. "It was a good experience for the kids for next year."

Reach Stacy Kaneshiro at skaneshiro@honoluluadvertiser.com.