Pearl City rallies in last inning to win state title

Down to his team’s last strike, Isaac Shim singled against his cousin Bronson Shim, driving in the only runs Pearl City needed to win its first state baseball championship, 2-1, over Moanalua on Monday at Les Murakami Stadium.

Chevas Numata pitched a four-hitter for the Chargers, who avenged a loss to Na Menehune in the Oahu Interscholastic Association championship game two weeks ago.

A crowd of 2,270 attended the final of the Wally Yonamine Foundation Hawaii High School Athletic Association Division I tournament, which was postponed from Saturday because of rain.

Pinch hitter Kyle Tom started Pearl City’s rally with a one-out single. With two out, freshman Tanner Tokunaga drilled a 1-2 pitch into left field for a double, moving Sean Milan, who re-entered, to third.

"I wasn’t too nervous. I was in that position before," said Tokunaga, alluding to his role as one of Waipio’s top players in its run to the 2008 Little League World Series championship.

Shim said he wasn’t too nervous either about facing his relative for the first time in high school, in such an extreme situation.

"It was a curve or a slider," he said. "Honestly, I wasn’t looking for it. In that situation it’s just see ball, hit ball."

Bronson Shim had relieved Moanalua starter Regan Lum, who pitched 6 2/3 innings, striking out six, walking three and allowing six hits.

Moanalua scored its run in the sixth, when Kamalu Kamoku doubled home Bronson Shim, who had singled.