Forget trying to wrest the ILH title away from Mid-Pacific, the other teams in the league would do well to figure out how to score against the Owls first.
Reigning ILH champ Mid-Pacific beat Kamehameha 5-0 in front of its home crowd on Thursday, completing its third shutout in three games. No other team has a single shutout.
The Owls opened the season with a 3-0 win over Saint Louis and followed it up with an 8-0 win over ‘Iolani. Brent Sakurai threw the gem in the first game and Trey Saito had the honors in the second. It was Sakurai’s turn again on Thursday, and he came through to run his scoreless innings streak to 101⁄3.
“He is excellent, he works hard,” Mid-Pacific shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa said. “He looked good today, I am confident with him on the mound. He works quick, too, so it’s easier for us to get ready on the field.”
The Owls scored their first four runs without hitting a fair ball out of the infield.
Mid-Pacific struck in the top of the first when Kiner-Falefa led off the game with a walk and scored from third on an apparent double-play ball by Daniel Fentriss. Kiner-Falefa made his way around to third on a bunt by Quintin-John Collier that Kamehameha third baseman Codie Paiva bobbled. While the Warriors stood around and watched Collier reach first base, Kiner-Falefa took third when he saw nobody was covering the bag.”
“He was wide awake, I guess,” Mid-Pacific coach Dunn Muramaru said. “He looked at me and he just ran. We have a lot of seniors, so they do those things.”
Mid-Pacific really had the small-ball working in the third, when Cal Muramaru beat out a bunt to the pitcher to start the inning. Kiner-Falefa placed a bunt past the pitcher trying to move Muramaru over to second but beat that one out, too. Since it worked the first two times, Collier squared on the second pitch he saw and placed the ball right on the third-base line. Paiva fielded it after he thought it rolled foul but the umpire disagreed and his call gave Mid-Pacific bases loaded with no outs.
“The one thing about this club is they do a lot of different things to put pressure on your defense,” Kamehameha coach Vern Ramie said. “They got some bunts down and we didn’t execute. We didn’t hit the ball very well today anyway.”
Marcus Doi appeared to hit into a 6-4-3 double play but the umpire ruled catcher’s interference to score Muramaru from third and keep the bases loaded. Fentriss followed with a sacrifice fly in foul ground to right field to make it 3-0 and Trey Sato plated the next run on a seemingly harmless ground ball to the pitcher that turned into a fielder’s choice when Kamehameha’s shortstop was late to cover the bag. Kamehameha got out of the inning when Sakurai popped out to short.
“We just have to execute and practice hard,” Kiner-Falefa said. “The team plays well together and we just bunt as much as we can in the cage to make sure we can execute in the games.”
Sakurai later doubled to lead off the seventh and scored on a single by Ryne Saiki. It was Mid-Pacific’s only extra-base hit of the game, as Sakurai allowed only a single hit and faced only 18 batters in his five innings.
At Mid-Pacific
KSK (1-3) 000 000 0 — 0 2 1
Mpi (3-0) 103 001 x — 5 7 1
Keenan Lum and Kekai Rios. Brent Sakurai, Deric Valoroso (6) and Marcus Doi. W—Sakurai. L—Lum.
Leading hitters—KSK: none. MPI: Isiah Kiner-Falefa 2-4, 2 Rs.
OIA RED EAST
Kailua 3, Moanalua 2
Bryce Ah Sam hit a two-run homer to right field in top of the fourth inning to lead the Surfriders over Na Menehune.
At Moanalua
Kailua (4-1) 000 200 01 — 3 6 2
Moanalua (2-3) 000 101 00 — 2 3 2
Bryce Ah Sam, Keola Himan (8) and Royce Komesu, Daniel Thomas (8). Tyler Fujimoto, Brayton Sakai (8), Jaraad Salas (8) and Elijah Monis.
W—Ah Sam. L—Fujimoto.
Leading hitters—Kail: Ah Sam, HR, 2 RBIs; Corey Louis-Soares 2b. Moan: Uchiyama RBI.
Wednesday
OIA Blue
Nanakuli 11, Farrington 2
Also
MIL
Thursday
Kamehameha-Maui 11, Lahainaluna 1
King Kekaulike 1, Maui 0, 8 innings
Softball
OIA RED EAST
Kaimuki 8, Roosevelt 1
Lani Preston’s triple to left-centerfield highlighted a three-run first inning as the Bulldogs rolled over the Rough Riders.
At Roosevelt
Kaimuki (3-1) 300 000 5 — 8 10 0
Roosevelt (0-4) 000 000 1 — 1 5 3
Ellen Awaya and Seplynn Aikau. Katie DeBusca and Destiny Holani.
W—Awaya. L—DeBusca.
Leading hitters—Kaim: Lani Preston 2-4, 3b, RBI; Alison Pologa 3-4, 2 RBIs; Awaya 2 RBIs; Aikau 2 RBIs. Roos: Maho Wada 2-4; Holani 3b; DeBusca 2b.
Castle 7, Kalaheo 2
Brandee Lane struck out eight over six innings and the Knights turned three hits and three hits batsmen into a four-run first inning in the win over the Mustangs.
At Castle
Kalaheo (0-4) 000 001 1 — 2 3 2
Castle (3-2) 400 111 X — 7 8 2
Mahina Turner and Hope Spencer. Brandee Lane and Kawai Hussey.
W—Lane. L—Turner.
Leading hitters—Kalh: Turner 3b. Cast: Darrien Dacosin 2-4; Paige Matsuki 2-3, 2b.
OIA RED WEST
Kapolei 6, No. 5 Campbell 3
Kacee Navarro struck out 10 and the host Hurricanes cranked out 12 hits to down the Sabers.
At Kapolei
Campbell (3-3) 000 001 2 — 3 4 1
Kapolei (3-3) 203 100 X — 6 12 1
Kacee Navarro and Alecia Kupihea. Summer Palipti and Kiana Ulufale.
W—Navarro. L—Palipti.
Leading hitters—Kapo: Stacia Mahoe 2-4, 3b, 2 runs; Kana‘iaupuni Smith 3-4, 2b, 2 runs, 2 RBIs; Makana Meyers 2-3; Kamryn Kanae 2b, 2 RBIs. Camp: Jessica Arata 2-3, 3b, run, RBI.
Waianae 3, No. 7 Waipahu 2
Raelene Diorec tossed a four-hitter and Randie Santiago drove in two runs as the Seariders upset the Marauders for their first win of the season.
At Waipahu
Waianae (1-5) 002 000 1 — 3 5 1
Waipahu (4-2) 001 000 1 — 2 4 1
Raelene Diorec and Willy-Ann Perez. Shevan DeFreitas and Nala Viliamu, Shandell Palencia (5).
W—Diorec. L—DeFreitas.
Leading hitters—Wain: Randie Santiago 2 RBIs; Nue Sivia HR; Kaley Kamaka 2b; Mkaela Chong 2b. Waip: Alyssa Lene HR; Laugatausala Pedebone 2b, RBI.
OIA WHITE
Nanakuli 22, Kalani 1, 5 inn.
Kelcie DeFreitas and Raynette Meyers each homered and drove in four runs to power the Golden Hawks over the Falcons.
At Kalani
Nanakuli (5-1) 550 75 — 22 12 2
Kalani (2-4) 100 00 — 1 3 8
WP—Emma Kawaiaea. LP—Carly Kakuda.
Leading hitters—Nan: Amy Vitale 2 runs; Kelcie DeFreitas HR, 4 RBIs; Raynette Meyers HR, 4 RBIs.
Kaiser 11, Aiea 4
Kai Hasegawa drove in two runs with a triple to right-centerfield in the bottom of the third inning, and Kyra Hoohuli added a solo shot in the fourth to lead the Cougars over Na Alii.
At Kaiser
Aiea (2-3) 001 003 0 — 4 4 4
Kaiser (5-0) 105 302 X — 11 12 1
Raisa Strom-Okimoto and Ashley Nakamoto. Seli Aholelei, Crystal Ching-Lake (4) and Kyra Hoohuli.
W—Aholelei. L—Strom-Okimoto.
Leading hitters—Aiea: Kaile Alama 2-3, HR, 3 RBIs. Kais: Aholelei 2-4; Hoohuli 2-4, HR; Marissa Oda 2-2, 2b; Kai Hasegawa 2-4, 3b.
McKinley 8, Waialua 7
The Tigers edged the Bulldogs as the runner on third base tagged up and scored on a pop fly in foul territory.
At McKinley
Waialua (3-2) 101 030 20 — 7 4 4
McKinley (4-0) 210 400 01 — 8 9 2
Sabrina Tolentino and Michaela Tucker. Kimberly Amor, Jillian Cristobal (6); catcher not reported.
W—Cristobal. L—Tolentino.
Leading hitters—Wail: Amber Alejandro 2b, 2 RBIs. McK: Jaclyn Galinato 3b, run; Tiare Sugui 3-4, 2 runs.
