Two scrappers went at it in Kailua on Wednesday and the host Surfriders survived with a 2-1 Oahu Interscholastic Association East season-opening baseball victory over Kaiser.
The victory put a bit of a damper on the regular-season debut of Kila Ka‘aihue, the former major leaguer, as the Cougers’ head coach.
Kailua rode the arm of winning pitcher Joey Cantillo, the lefty who is being courted by major league scouts at games and practices. Cantillo went five innings, allowing just two hits and no runs while striking out seven.
“The team played really well today,” Cantillo said. “It was close at the end and the team played well in the end. We’re nowhere near our peak this year. We’re a really young team. Everyone knows that. All our seniors are gone. All sophomores and juniors and everybody played before. We’re scrappy and we’re really young. We’re going to get better and better.”
Kailua reliever Ryan Inouye pitched a scoreless sixth and Bryson Ballesteros followed to earn the save even though he allowed the Cougars’ only run in the seventh. Kaiser was on a mission to tie it up, as Christian Reasoner walked, stole second, moved to third on Keoni Pangan’s two-out single and scored on a passed ball. Pangan, a possible tying run, was left stranded at third when Micah Mashima hit a fly to right that nearly handcuffed Surfriders outfielder Stone Parker. Parker went to the left after the crack of the bat, but because of a heavy left-to-right wind, he had to shuffle around, and he backpedaled for the ball to catch it while falling down to end the game.
“It wasn’t pretty, but we did what we had to do at the end of the game to get a W,” said Kailua head coach Corey Ishigo, the former University of Hawaii infielder. “We walked a guy. I think that was huge. I think our offense has to improve. We’re going to get better. It’s still the first game of the season. It’s a matter of believing in the process and improving.”
Cody Riturban’s RBI single and Jalen Ah Yat’s run-scoring double gave Kailua a 2-0 first inning lead. After that, the Surfriders’ bats struggled against Cougars starter Tyler Dyball and an excellent defense that recorded three double plays. Dyball, a righty, pitched a complete game and scattered seven hits.
“They played well,” Ka‘aihue said about his Kaiser team. “They played really well. That’s exactly what I wanted to see. That’s what we’ve been working on, pitching and defense. That’s baseball. Give yourself a chance to win. We get a couple of hits here and there — different ballgame. Our boys played fantastic.”
It wouldn’t be a huge surprise to see both teams battling for East honors.
“Ty gave us (his all) and we played hard on defense out there,” Cougars shortstop Lincoln Lima said. “Everyone came up and had great at-bats. The ball just didn’t fall our way. We’re a good team. They’re a good, strong team, too.”
OIA DIVISION I BASEBALL
No. 5 Kailua 2, Kaiser 1 (at Kailua)
>> Kaiser (0-1) 000 000 1 — 1 5 0
>> Kailua (1-0) 200 000 X — 2 7 0
Tyler Dyball and Antonio Omphroy. Joey Cantillo, Ryan Inouye (6), Bryson Ballesteros (7) and Kalua Neves. W—Cantillo. L—Dyball. S—Ballesteros.
Leading hitters—Kaiser: Lincoln Lima 2-3; Christian Reasoner SB, run; Keoni Pangan SB. Kailua: Dakota Kadooka run; Cody Riturban 2-3, run, RBI; Cantillo 2-3; Jalen Ah Yat 2-3, 2 2Bs, RBI.
No. 3 Campbell 10, Aiea 0, 5 inn. (at Campbell)
>> Aiea (0-1) 000 00 — 0 1 2
>> Campbell (1-0) 141 4X — 10 10 0
Colby Narisco, Treyton Takamoto (2), Teron Kitashima (3) and Jake Nakamoto. Markus Ramos and TJ Takahama. W—Ramos. L—Kitashima.
Leading hitters—Aiea: None. Campbell: Ikaika Ganancial 2-4; Kekahi Reiny Aloy 2-2, 2 runs; Nick Sampson 2-2, 2b, 2 runs; Shane Shimizu 2b, 4 RBIs, 2 runs; Takahama 2-2, 3 RBIs.
No. 10 Mililani 6, Kapolei 1 (at Mililani)
>> Kapolei (0-1) 001 000 0 — 1 3 4
>> Mililani (1-0) 100 005 X — 6 2 1
Garrett Wong, Bradyn Yoshida (6) and Landon Kuroda. Cole Mayeshiro, Anthony Ano (7) and Thomas Nakatsukasa. W—Mayeshiro. L—Wong.
Leading hitters—Kapolei: None. Mililani: Noah Domogsac 2 runs.
Moanalua 5, Roosevelt 2 (at Central Oahu Regional Park)
>> Roosevelt (0-1) 000 200 0 — 2 8 4
>> Moanalua (1-0) 111 200 X — 5 10 1
Kekoa Lima, Hiram Kaikaina (5) and Jared Tamashiro. Skyler Yamamoto, Randy Tabura (4), Ryne Oshiro (7) and Andrew Oasay. W—Yamamoto. L—Lima.
Leading hitters—Roosevelt: Cameron Oshiro 2-3, 2b, 2 RBIs; Koby Brown 2-3, 2b, run. Moanalua: Yamamoto 2-3, 2b, RBI; Oasay 3b; Oshiro 3-3, 2b, 3b, 3 RBIs; Kaz Tachino 2-3, 2 runs.
Kalani 11, Castle 0, 6 inn. (at Castle)
>> Kalani (1-0) 200 117 — 11 7 0
>> Castle (0-1) 000 000 — 0 3 6
Harrison Moy, Micah Kawano (6), Edward Lee (6) and Chad Kagawa. Aidan Christiansen, Kelena Otsuji (6), Kody Lizama (6) and Jabe Kahawali. W—Moy. L—Christiansen.
Leading hitters—Kalani: Hunter Lau 2-4, 2 runs, 2 RBIs; Kohl Suehiro 2 runs; Travis Toyama 2 runs; Bronson Matsumoto 3 RBIs; Marquis Morgan 1-3, run, 2 RBIs; Logan Cabbat 3-3, 2 2b’s, 2 runs, 2 RBIs; Ian Higa 2b, RBI. Castle: Baron Arquero 2b.
