Just 10 days after trading in his basketball sneakers for baseball cleats, 'Iolani junior Jarrett Arakawa had to call on all of his diamond skills yesterday in helping the Raiders hold off visiting Kamehameha, 9-6, in the Interscholastic League of Honolulu opener for both teams.

Arakawa dropped a bunt single in the third inning and eventually scored to cap a five-run rally that put 'Iolani ahead, 7-2, then came in from left field as a relief pitcher in the sixth and got the final five outs to earn the save after Kamehameha had closed it to 8-6 with the tying run at the plate.

"We knew (the Warriors) could hit — they showed it," said Arakawa, a 6-foot left-hander who finished his basketball season in the state tournament on March 7. "I just had to focus extra hard on my off-speed pitches."

After getting only three hits through the first three innings, Kamehameha cranked out three singles, three doubles and a home run over the final four frames. Makana Ramie's double scored Arlie Johnson with one out in the sixth to close it to 8-6, but Arakawa came in and got a grounder to second and a strikeout on two curve balls to escape the jam.

The Raiders got an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth after Jensen Park led off with a triple to right-center and scored on a double-play grounder, but the Warriors threatened again in the seventh, when back-to-back singles by Kewby Meyer and Keanu Carmichael put runners at first and second with one out.

Arakawa then got a strikeout and a groundout to second to end the game.

"We hit the ball OK, but (Arakawa) came in and threw strikes and we couldn't get the big hits when we needed to," Kamehameha coach Vern Ramie said. "We got a runner to third with less than two outs in the sixth, but we couldn't bring him in. We had other chances, but we couldn't capitalize."

The Warriors capitalized on two first-inning walks to take a 2-0 lead after run-scoring singles by Meyer and Carmichael. 'Iolani tied it in the second by scoring on a wild pitch and a delayed steal.

The Raiders then started the third with a single, walk and single, and scored two runs when an errant throw at second base sailed into left field. Arakawa then followed with his bunt single, and Grant Iwamoto brought home two more runs with a single to right.

Sean Nada followed with an RBI single to right, making it 7-2.

"I told our guys we gotta play our game," 'Iolani coach Dean Yonamine said. "We wanted to put pressure on (Kamehameha), so that's why we were able to bunt and force them to make plays. We had guys clutch up."

Arakawa said the key was focusing on each at-bat.

"(Yonamine) told us not to panic, not to try to get it all back at once," Arakawa said. "We tried to win as a team, to bunt when we could move runners over and count on the next guy."

The Warriors closed it to 7-3 in the fourth after Josh Wong was hit by a pitch, stole second and scored on Johnson's single, but the Raiders pushed the lead to 8-3 in the bottom half on Breland Almadova's home run over the fence in right-center.

Kamehameha cut it to 8-5 in the fifth after Kalei Hanawahine's solo homer over the right field fence and Carmichael's run-scoring double to left-center.

KAMEHAMEHA (0-1) 200 121 0 — 6 9 2

'IOLANI (1-0) 025 101 X — 9 11 0

Chris Pascual, Alika Pruett (3) and Keanu Carmichael; Sheldon Lee, JR Bunda (5), Jarrett Arakawa (6) and Grant Iwamoto. W — Lee. L — Pascual. S — Arakawa.

Leading hitters — Kamehameha: Carmichael 2-3, double, RBI; Arlie Johnson 2-3, double, RBI; Kewby Meyer 2-4, RBI; Kalei Hanawahine home run; Makana Ramie double, RBI. 'Iolani: Sean Nada 3-3, RBI; Jensen Park 3-4, triple; Arakawa 2-3; Iwamoto 1-2, 2 RBIs; Breland Almadova home run.

Reach Wes Nakama at wnakama@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-2456. Read his blog on high school sports at www.preptalk.honadvblogs.com.

SAINT LOUIS 13, DAMIEN 2

Chris Ching allowed two runs and four hits, and Moses Samia hit a two-run homer in a three-run bottom of the fifth as the Crusaders beat the Monarchs in a game shortened to five innings because of the mercy rule.

DAMIEN (0-1) 011 00— 2 4 4

SAINT LOUIS (1-0) 311 53—13 10 0

Isaac Ventura, Trey Derby (4), Derrick Duduoit (5), Aalona Amemoto. Chris Chung and Moses Samia. W — Chung. L — Ventura.

Leading hitters — Damien: Taylor Kaaweloa 2-2. Saint Louis: Lucas Gonsalves double, 2 runs; Samia 2-2, 2-run homer, 2 RBIs; Kaden Kamoe triple, 4 RBIs; Vonn Feao 2-3, 2 RBIs.

Reported by Duane Fraticelli

MID-PACIFIC 9, MARYKNOLL 0

Details were not available.

CORRECTIONS