Kamehameha finally gets win over sluggish Saint Louis

Makoa Mau has performed admirably throughout the Interscholastic League of Honolulu season while patrolling the outfield for Kamehameha, but all the while the junior still maintained an "itch" to pitch.

So when it came time for Warriors coach Tom Perkins to name a starting hurler for Wednesday’s crucial tie-breaking game that determined the league’s second-place finisher, the skipper had confidence in letting his player scratch that itch.

The move paid off as No. 7 Kamehameha defeated No. 4 Saint Louis for the first time in four tries this year, 7-5, in a game that was called in the sixth inning due to darkness and boasted a playoff-like vibe at Mike Goeas Field within a wind-whipped Koko Head District Park.

By clinching second place in the regular-season standings, the Warriors (8-5) enter the ILH postseason tournament as the second seed behind No. 1 Mid-Pacific (9-3), while Saint Louis (7-6) is seeded third. The Warriors, who have rebounded from a four-game losing streak with three consecutive victories, took Wednesday evening to enjoy the triumph before preparing to face the Crusaders again on Saturday at 3 p.m. at Ala Wai Park in the first round of the league tourney.

"He’s been doing a lot of different things for us, including playing center field, but he’s been itching to get on the mound," Perkins said of Mau, who represents one of nine Warriors pitchers on the roster. "We’ve been holding off in order to work with him a little more and I felt today was a good day to put him out there. He did a great job."

The left-handed Mau earned the victory after holding Saint Louis without a hit through the first three innings. The hurler effectively mixed fastballs and off-speed pitches, painted both corners of the plate and ended up striking out four through 42/3 innings, while walking three and allowing two runs.

Kamehameha’s offense clicked again, and one day after downing Mid-Pacific 7-3 while getting nine hits, the Warriors racked up eight against four Saint Louis pitchers.

"We had a lot of base hits, which is what we’ve been working on and things are coming together so we’d like to continue on down that road," Perkins said.

Crusader starter Tanner Atiburcio took the loss after surrendering three runs in three innings, two of which came on RBI singles from Codie Paiva and Brandon Henderson in the third stanza.

Ensuing pitcher Dawson Yamaguchi allowed three unearned runs in the fourth inning. After getting the first two out on infield grounders, Micah McNicoll reached on an error and came home along with Matthew Yokota when Crusader center fielder DJ Stephens dropped a fly ball off the bat of Kahoea Akau. Kamehameha catcher Kekai Rios made the miscues count by doubling in Akau, who scored three runs on the afternoon.

"I didn’t think we were very good at all today," said Saint Louis coach George Gusman. "We didn’t pitch well, didn’t play good defense and we didn’t hit worth a lick. We lacked some toughness today and hopefully we can get it back."

Saint Louis attempted to remedy its sluggish start by finally getting to Mau in the home half of the fifth inning as Pono Anderson led off with a single up the middle. After Mau got Ronson Timbreza to ground out to short, second baseman Mana Manago laced a double to plate Anderson.

Perkins replaced Mau with Joshua Souza, who proceeded to walk Keith Torres before surrendering an RBI single to Crusader catcher and captain Taylor Meilleur. Souza got the second out as Travis Tanaka grounded into a fielder’s choice, but after Ryder Kuhns walked, Brendan Uchima laced a line drive to center fielder Lawson Faria, who dropped the ball and allowed three more runs to score.

The five-run outburst would not be enough to overcome the Warrior advantage as Souza gave way to closer Ladd Ah Choy. The pitcher notched the save by promptly striking out Anderson and getting Timbreza to line out to center in the sixth frame before the game was called due to darkness.

"You can’t just rely on one inning and I’m disappointed with the first five innings defensively and on the mound," Gusman said. "It’s a mental thing and we were not mentally tough at all today."

When Gusman was asked what his team needed to do in order to rebound when facing Kamehameha again on Saturday, the skipper replied: "We’ll figure something out in these next two days."

Perkins, on the other hand, was pleased that his squad is on an uptick but hopes it hasn’t reached its peak too early.

"We’ve got a few things to work on to make sure we’re ready for Saturday," Perkins said. "Saint Louis is a tough team."

At Mike Goeas Field

Makoa Mau, Joshua Souza (5), Ladd Ah Choy (6) and Kekai Rios. Tanner Atiburcio, Dawson Yamaguchi (4), Royce Hirayama (5), Kainalu Paikai (6) and Taylor Meilleur.

W-Mau. L- Atiburcio. S-Ah Choy.

Leading hitters–Kamehameha: Rios 2-3, 2b, RBI; Brandon Henderson 2-3, RBI; Micah McNicoll 2b. Saint Louis: Mana Manago 2b, RBI.