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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Sunday, March 7, 2010

Kamehameha, Punahou finish tied at 9-9 in ILH


By Kyle Sakamoto
Advertiser Staff Writer

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Punahou's Kainoa Crowell tries to avoid a tag by Kamehameha second baseman Joe Yokoi between first and second base in the fourth inning at Ala Wai field. The ILH game ended in a 9-9 tie.

NORMAN SHAPIRO | The Honolulu Advertiser

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There wasn't enough daylight on Opening Day of the Interscholastic League of Honolulu baseball season yesterday.

There also was no winner between Kamehameha and Punahou, and the back-and-forth game won't be continued.

It will go down as a 9-9 tie after seven innings.

"Two good teams. It doesn't matter ... last year in the semis in the states or opening game," said Punahou coach Eric Kadooka.

The game started at 3 p.m. in bright sunshine and ended at 6:40 with darkness settling in.

Using the lights at Ala Wai field wasn't an option, according to Kamehameha coach Vern Ramie.

"Our rules prohibit us from turning these lights on and finishing the game," he said. "The lights won't come on anyway. Even if we flipped the switch, they would not have come on."

Here are some game statistics: eight pitchers, 274 pitches and 12 walks.

Punahou led 3-0; Kamehameha led 6-3; Punahou led 9-6; Kamehameha scored three in the bottom of the sixth to tie it.

"I'm proud of the way our guys battled back," Ramie. "We were down several times. Give credit to Punahou, too. We came back and took the lead and they battled back, too.

"That's ILH baseball. It's going to be another one of those fun years where you have to come out here and bring your 'A game' every day or you'll have a chance to get your butt kicked."

In the sixth, the Warriors had runners at the corners with one out. Jacob Meyer hit a deep fly ball, which was dropped by the Punahou left fielder just in front of the fence for an error. TC Campbell scored on the play to make it 9-7, with Kainoa Inafuku advancing to third and Meyer to second.

Kewby Meyer's groundout to second scored Inafuku, and Bryson Kenolio's single to deep short plated Jacob Meyer to tie it at 9-9.

"Even though we were down, we always try to pick each other up," said Kamehameha designated hitter Preston Hao.

Both teams had two runners on in the seventh, but couldn't break through.

In the bottom half, Kamehameha had a runner at third with one out, but couldn't execute a safety squeeze. Punahou reliever David Eldredge, who started at catcher, stranded the runner at third when he caught a foul pop up just in front of the first-base dugout.

After the inning, the coaches and umpires got together, and the team handshakes followed shortly after.

Both teams had five-run innings — Kamehameha in the second and Punahou in the fourth.

The Warriors' big inning was highlighted by a lead-off homer by Kenolio and a two-run shot by Hao. Both homers went the opposite way to right. The inning put Kamehameha ahead, 5-3.

In the Buffanblu fourth, Michael Suiter had a two-run single to left and Eldredge followed with a two-run triple to left-center. Eldredge later scored on a double steal with runners at the corners. The inning put Punahou up, 9-6.

PUNAHOU (0-0-1) 030 510 0—9 8 3

KAMEHAMEHA (0-0-1) 051 003 0—9 11 3

Alaka'i Aglipay, Tyler Kanazawa (2), Ty Tirpak (3), David Eldredge (6) and Eldredge, Reece Toma (6). Harley Holt, Brennan Doane Alcos (3), Bryson Kenolio (4), Kewby Meyer (7) and Kash Kalohelani.

Leading hitters: Punahou—Michael Suiter 2-3, 2 RBIs; Eldredge 2-4, triple, 2 RBIs; Kainoa Crowell 2-3, double; Jeremy Ioane 2 runs; Ryan Yamane 2 runs.

Kamehameha—TC Campbell 2-4, 2 runs; Jacob Meyer 2 RBIs; Kewby Meyer 2 RBIs; Bryson Kenolio 2-4, homer, 2 RBIs; Kalohelani double; Preston Hao two-run homer; Alika McGuire double.