ISLE FILE
Waikiki to play West Oahu
Advertiser Staff
Pinch-hitter Marquez Smith hit a two-out, two-run homer in the top of the ninth inning as the Waikiki BeachBoys rallied past the Honolulu Sharks, 5-4, last night to capture the Hawaii Winter Baseball East title at Les Murakami Stadium.
The BeachBoys (19-17), who entered the game with a half-game lead over the Sharks (17-18), will play West champion West Oahu (19-14) 1 p.m. today for the league championship at Les Murakami Stadium. The CaneFires won a coin toss to be the designated home team.
West Oahu's regular season finale last night against the North Shore Honu (14-20) at Hans L'Orange Park was canceled because of rain.
A standing room crowd of 1,609 at Murakami Stadium — some six to eight times a usual crowd — also saw Maui's own Shane Victorino throw out the ceremonial first pitch to Waipi'o Little Leaguer Pikai Winchester. The Gold Glove center fielder made his first public appearance on O'ahu since helping the Philadelphia Phillies win the World Series.
David Pfeiffer (1-0) pitched a scoreless inning of relief and Jeremy Papelbon pitched out of a one-out bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the ninth by retiring Darin Holcomb on a fly to center for his league-leading seventh save.
Kyle Drabek (1-2), who allowed Smith's homer, pitched 4 1/3 innings of relief, striking out five.
TENNIS
SIJSLING, YOO IN FINAL
Second-seeded Igor Sijsling of the Netherlands defeated fifth-seeded Andrey Kumantsov of Russia, 6-7 (2), 6-3, 7-5, yesterday to advance to the final of the Honolulu Futures USTA Pro Circuit tournament at Central O'ahu Regional Park Tennis Complex.
Sijsling will play No. 6 seed Daniel Yoo of Korea, who defeated unseeded American Alexander Domijan, 4-6, 7-5, 6-2, in yesterday's other semifinal. Today's championship match is scheduled to start at 10 a.m., with the doubles match at 11.
Sijsling, who has played sparingly this year because of an elbow injury, said his match against Kumantsov "was tough, it was very long."
The third set stayed on serve until 5-5 where Sijsling broke Kumantsov's serve. "He double faulted at deuce and when I broke him I was feeling very confident to win the match," Sijsling said. "All I had to do was hold serve."
Yoo won last week's Mauna Lani Kohala Futures would like to make it two in a row.
"Igor is a great player and we'll see how that goes tomorrow," Yoo said.
Sijsling is also in the doubles final. He'll team with Matt Reid to play James Ludlow and Andreas Siljestrom.
GOLF
SOERO FALLS SHORT
University of Hawai'i graduate Pierre-Henri Soero shot a 73 yesterday and failed to advance out of the PGA Tour Second Stage Qualifier in Brooksville, Fla.
Soero, who was tied for 15th entering the final round, finished tied for 25th at 283.
The top 20 advanced to the final stage of Q School.
Todd Demsey and Camilo Benedetti shared medalist honors after both closed with 68 to finish at 275.
BASKETBALL
UH-HILO LOSES OPENER
Adam Moore scored 30 points as Warner Pacific beat Hawai'i-Hilo, 84-79, last night at Hilo civic.
Warner Pacific is 2-0.
John Smith scored 21 points, and Brandon Price had 15 points and 17 rebounds for the Vulcans (0-1).
