Infield of dreams

In a season of tremendous parity, pitcher Trey Saito and catcher Marcus Doi had one definitive moment after another as their Mid-Pacific Owls soared to the state baseball championship.

In fact, so did the Owls’ infielders.

In all, six Owls landed on the first team and their entire infield being selected is believed to be a first in All-State voting. There was good reason for that perspective by voters — and Saito.

The senior credited his defense all season long. The right side of second baseman Quintin-John Collier and first baseman Daniel Fentriss didn’t commit an error all year. Isiah Kiner-Falefa had tremendous range at short and not a single throwing error. Third baseman Brent Sakurai had just one error while patrolling the hot corner without peer.

"It was, what do they call it, a symbiotic relationship between Trey and the defense," MPI coach Dunn Muramaru said.

But it was Saito and Doi who led the march to MPI’s first title since 2002.

Saito’s smooth efficiency on the mound belied a determined nature that occasionally left Muramaru calling the senior right-hander "a bulldog."

Doi, an equally diligent performer behind the plate, had the task of handling a relatively inexperienced pitching staff. Grinding through the gauntlet of the ILH and the unpredictable twists of the Wally Yonamine Foundation/HHSAA State Championships, he came up with the right pitch calls as well as clutch hits.

Coaches and media voted Saito the Star-Advertiser All-State pitcher of the year and Doi the position player of the year.

Saito went 7-0 with a 0.45 ERA. In 461/3 innings, he walked just 12 batters. He struck out a mere 16, but his control was superb and his pitch counts — and pace — were also outstanding. Opponents simply struggled, hitting .195, as Saito used his superior control to mix his pitches, especially a tricky slider.

At the state tourney, Saito threw a meager 80 pitches to shackle Waiakea with a three-hitter in a 5-1 win. In the title game, he managed only 87 pitches in a 3-1 victory over Mililani, scattering eight hits.

"He always credits our defense, but without him throwing strikes and hitting spots, it’s hard for the defense to play," Muramaru said. "He didn’t have his best stuff against Waiakea. The last game against Mililani he wasn’t sharp, but something about him kept him from losing it. He kept us close and we got our opportunity."

Saito allowed just three earned runs, including the one by Mililani in that rescheduled title game that moved from rainy Maui to comfy Les Murakami Stadium in Manoa. Not bad for a player who was primarily a setup pitcher and backup catcher a year earlier.

"Without the team, I’d be nothing. They backed me up a lot," Saito said. "My slider was my best pitch this year. It got better every year. I could spot it better. It was a little sharper with Coach Craig (Hayashi’s) help."

Doi hit .423 and was second on the team in RBIs. His two-run single in the seventh inning gave the Owls the lead for good in the state final against Mililani.

"We had Dane Fujinaka (two years ago). He just filled in the gap where we needed him," Muramaru said of Doi playing catcher. "In a way, it kind of hurt him because he didn’t have a position, but I think maybe that versatility helped him another way.

"He’s always been that guy who comes up with the big hit. The kids follow him. When we lose him (to graduation), we’re going to find it’s a huge gap. We won’t realize it until we start playing again."

Doi was as driven as any of the Owls.

"All the work since seventh grade, it finally paid off," Doi said, adding praise for his battery mate. "Trey’s the best pitcher in the state."

Doi’s selection wasn’t a given. Kiner-Falefa was a close second in the voting for position player of the year. Kiner-Falefa hit .365, leading MPI in hits and runs scored.

"He was our table setter and he saved us a lot of times (defensively) in the ILH tournament, taking away hits up the middle, and at the state tournament," Muramaru said.

The panel also selected Muramaru as coach of the year after he guided the Owls to their fifth state crown.

"The kids deserve it. A lot of people talk about working hard, but they really did work hard. Senior leadership. They led the way. They don’t like to talk about coming on Sundays, but they come on Sundays and take ground balls, and hit in the cage. Hat’s off to them," he said.

"Also, you can’t discount our coaches like Craig. He took two guys who hardly pitched last year and made them great pitchers.

"Other coaches like Scott Muromoto who works on the mental side of the game, all the things that come into play in the state tournament. It all worked together."