Aiea holds off Kapolei to win OIA White title

In a lineup loaded with seasoned seniors, Jarred Uyeda is always more than happy to help out.

The junior southpaw pitched six innings of four-hit ball and Aiea hung on for a 6-5 win over Kapolei to capture the OIA White baseball championship on Saturday afternoon.

A festive crowd at Patsy T. Mink Central Oahu Regional Park saw Aiea finish league play at a perfect 12-0. Coach Ryan Kato put Uyeda on the mound even though he had not pitched in Aiea’s previous two regular-season games against the Hurricanes. Aiea won those contests by scores of 6-4 and 3-2.

"We’re fortunate enough to have lots of pitching, and we have the same amount of confidence in each of them," Kato said.

Kapolei, which had already qualified for the Division II state tournament, finished 9-3 in OIA play, with all three losses coming against Aiea.

Uyeda was sailing along with a one-hitter and a 6-0 lead into the sixth. That’s when the Hurricanes reached him for two unearned runs. A pair of Aiea errors with two outs set up an RBI single by Tristen Manoha, and Ekolu Young scored on a throwing error by Aiea catcher Makana Ah Yo on a double-steal attempt.

The lead was still comfortable at 6-2 when Aiea saw their title hopes nearly fizzle in the seventh. Robert Oliveros doubled and Uyeda (80 pitches) was replaced by second baseman Janson Kudaishi, who then hit a batter and allowed a two-run triple by pinch hitter Joe Uesato, cutting the margin to two runs.

Kobe Kato, the coach’s son, then moved from third base to the mound. He got Ty-Noah Williams out on a bunt attempt, but hit Jordan Macias to put a second runner on base. Kato then struck out pinch hitter Kamea Wong and got Young to pop out for the final out.

"I’m elated," coach Kato said. "These kids work so hard. These seniors, when they were sophomores, they got knocked around, and to see their progression, that’s what I feel so good about."

Uyeda struck out five and didn’t walk a batter, permitting just one earned run.

"We use a spray chart (during the game) and that lets me know where they hit in their previous at-bat, plus we know all their tendencies. That helps a lot," Uyeda said. "I just made sure I hit my spots with my circle change and curve, and let my defense work. I knew I wasn’t going to blow it by."

Aiea leadoff man Jaryn Nakamoto went 3-for-4, including a run-scoring triple in the second inning that reached the right-field fence.

"That was the wind," he said.

Na Alii scored two runs off the starting pitcher, Oliveros, in the first inning. Nakamoto led off with a single and eventually scored on a double steal. Logan Ho drilled a single to left, scoring Shannon Fermahin.

In the second, Chaz Quebral Acosta reached base on a bunt single and scored on Nakamoto’s triple to deep right. Fermahin’s single to right brought home Kobe Kato for a 4-0 Aiea lead.

Aiea reached Manoha, Kapolei’s third — and most effective — pitcher for two runs in the fourth. Nakamoto singled to right before Kato sent a line drive to center that Williams dove for and missed, resulting in a two-run, inside-the-park homer and a six-run lead. That proved to be the difference.

"We’re excited and proud to bring this to the community of Aiea," Nakamoto said. 

Robert Oliveros, Bradyn Yoshida (2), Tristen Manoha (3) and Mykah Kuratani. Jarred Uyeda, Janson Kudaishi (7), Kobe Kato (7) and Makana Ah Yo. W–Uyeda. L–Oliveros. 

Leading hitters–Kapolei: Tristen Manoha 2-3, walk; Oliveros 1-2, double, run; Joe Uesato 1-1, triple, 2 RBIs. Aiea: Jaryn Nakamoto 3-4, triple, 2 runs, RBI; Kobe Kato 1-4, HR, 2 RBIs, run; Uyeda 2-4, triple, walk; Shannon Fermahin 2-3, RBI, run.