Kapolei erupted for four runs in the first inning and rode the pitching of southpaw Ekolu Young to a 14-3 victory over Waialua on Saturday.
Young held the Bulldogs hitless in three innings on the hill in the game that ended after five due to the 10-run mercy rule.
With the win, the Hurricanes (6-1) head to Wednesday’s OIA White first-place rematch at Aiea (6-0). Na Alii beat Kapolei 6-4 on March 20.
Young struck out seven Bulldogs with an overpowering fastball and a sharp curve.
"He’s our ace," Kapolei coach Thomas Ebanez said. "He had been struggling a little lately and I feel like he hasn’t had his breakout game yet. I’m hoping it comes Wednesday against Aiea. That’s our big game."
Offensively, the Hurricanes delivered seven hits off of four Waialua pitchers. Noah Lono-Soares drove in the first two runs with a double and Mykah Kuratani struck for a two-run single to allow Young to ease into the bottom of the first with a 4-0 lead.
Kuratani drilled an RBI single and Jace Barayuga hit a sacrifice fly during a four-run third that boosted the advantage to 8-1.
"Our pitching was OK," Waialua coach Terry Onizuka said. "Our defense didn’t back ’em up. They didn’t make plays that they should have made. And mental errors also hurt us."
Bulldogs left-handed starter Dane Little took the loss, and three relievers shared in what turned out to be a futile effort in stopping Kapolei.
"Our hitters are a lot more relaxed than they were at the beginning of the season," Ebanez said. "They were putting pressure on themselves, figuring that they should be in Division I. This is their first season in Division II and they were trying so hard they were taking the enjoyment out of the game. Now, they’re relaxed enough to be aggressive and attack when the time is right."
In the fourth, Kapolei scored three runs on wild pitches and another run crossed the plate on Robert Oliveros’ sacrifice fly for a 12-1 lead.
Two Waialua errors (out of five total) and Joe Uesato’s sacrifice fly led to Kapolei’s final two runs in the fifth.
In the first inning, the Bulldogs (3-3) scored on Kapolei’s only error, and Little’s RBI infield hit keyed a two-run fourth for their final runs.
"We’re not where we want to be or where we expect to be," Onizuka said.
"But the kids are working on it."
| At Waialua |
| KAPOLEI (6-1) |
404 |
42 |
— |
14 |
7 |
1 |
| WAIALUA (3-3) |
100 |
20 |
— |
3 |
2 |
5 |
Ekolu Young, Robert Oliveros (4), Bradyn Yoshida (5) and Mykah Kuratani. Dane Little, Matthan Hatchie (2), Josh Moniz (3), Jarrett Felix (4) and Jake Riviere. W–Young. L–Little.
Leading hitter–Kapolei: Tristen Manoha 2-3, 3 runs; Noah Lono-Soares 2-3, 2b, 2 runs, 2 RBIs; Kuratani 2-2, 2b, 3 RBIs.
Kalaheo 10, Nanakuli 2
Tennison Cantrell, Jordyn Soares, Alfred Catimon and Kaleb Gilmore combined on a three-hitter as the Mustangs beat the Golden Hawks for their fifth consecutive league victory.
Gilmore recorded two RBIs.
| At Kalaheo |
| NANAKULI (2-5) |
001 |
001 |
0 |
— |
2 |
3 |
2 |
| KALAHEO (5-2) |
143 |
011 |
X |
— |
10 |
9 |
2 |
Ronson Vea, Chayson Hoopai (4) and Travis Lopes. Tennison Cantrell, Jordyn Soares (3), Alfred Catimon (5), Kaleb Gilmore (7) and Kaliu Lapera, Jonah Kenny (3). W–Cantrell. L–Vea.
Leading hitters–Kalaheo: Jack Bell 3b; Thomas Capllonch 3b; Abel Kanehe 3b; Gilmore 2 RBIs.
Aiea 10, Farrington 1
Kobe Kato, Jaryn Nakamoto and Ty Matsunami combined on a four-hitter and Micah Peters Valdez batted 2-for-3 with a double and three RBIs as Na Alii beat the Governors.
| At Farrington |
| AIEA (6-0) |
030 |
025 |
0 |
— |
10 |
8 |
0 |
| FARRINGTON (4-3) |
000 |
010 |
0 |
— |
1 |
4 |
5 |
Kobe Kato, Jaryn Nakamoto (5), Ty Matsunami (7) and Makana Ah Yo. Paul Madamba, Chasen Castilliano (5), Stanley Misioka (5) and Brett Walden. W–Kato. L–Madamba.
Leading hitters–Aiea: Micah Peters Valdez 2-4, 2b, 3 RBIs; Jansen Kudaishi 2-3, 2 RBIs. Farrington: Kody Leiu 2-4; Ranan Mamiya 2b.
McKinley 1, Kahuku 0 (forfeit)
The Tigers improved to
1-6; the Red Raiders fell to
0-7.
OIA RED EAST Baseball
No. 10 Kaiser 4, Kalani 3
Keoni Pangan and Kamalu Simeona scored on a throwing error by the third baseman to cap the Cougars’ four-run rally in the bottom of the seventh inning against the Falcons.
With runners at first and second and two outs, Emmett Garcia beat out a single to third base and both runners scored when the throw got past Kalani’s first baseman.
Earlier in the inning, Emmit Covello homered and Jace Kaito had an RBI groundout.
| At Kaiser |
| KALANI (4-4) |
000 |
011 |
1 |
— |
3 |
4 |
2 |
| KAISER (7-2) |
000 |
000 |
4 |
— |
4 |
3 |
2 |
Matthew Beall, Reece Kakugawa (7) and Bronson Matsumoto. Noah Sakatani and Emmit Covello. W–Sakatani. L–Kakugawa.
Leading hitters–Kalani: Kakugawa 2b. Kaiser: Sakatani 3b; Covello HR.
Moanalua 14, Kaimuki 0 (5 inn.)
Dane Nishimura and Brandon Ikehara combined on a one-hitter and Dilan Casupang and Kenji Yamaguchi each drove in two runs as Na Menehune beat the Bulldogs.
| At Kaimuki |
| MOANALUA (5-3) |
403 |
34 |
— |
14 |
11 |
1 |
| KAIMUKI (0-8) |
000 |
00 |
— |
0 |
1 |
5 |
Dane Nishimura, Brandon Ikehara (4) and Kekaulike Kalua, Skyler Yamamoto (4). Reymundo Gomez, JC Palsis (3), Isaac Waikiki (5), Keith Masui (5) and Kobe Hedgar. W–Nishimura. L–Gomez.
Leading hitters–Moanalua: Dilan Casupang 2-2, 2 RBIs; Nicholas Enrico 2-2, 2 runs; Cody Azuma 2-2; Kenji Yamaguchi 2 RBIs.
OIA RED WEST BASEBALL
No. 3 Campbell 10, Waianae 0 (5 inn.)
Zachary Kapihe pitched a four-hitter with eight strikeouts and Blayze Arcano-Llacuna batted 3-for-4 with three RBIs as the Sabers defeated the Seariders.
| At Waianae |
| CAMPBELL (8-1) |
007 |
03 |
— |
10 |
10 |
0 |
| WAIANAE (1-7) |
000 |
00 |
— |
0 |
4 |
2 |
Zachary Kapihe and TJ Takahama. Kawika Lalau, Thomas Kaauwai (3), Daven Ferreira (4) and Ejay Kuakini. W–Kapihe. L–Lalau.
Leading hitters–Campbell: Dorrien Hermosura 2-3; Blayze Arcano-Llacuna 3-4, 3 RBIs. Waianae: Braidan Ayala 2b.
Waipahu 1, Radford 0
Steven De Silva squeezed in Justin Kaeka with the winning run in the bottom of the seventh inning as the Marauders beat the Rams.
Kaeka was pinch-running for Michael Price.
Waipahu’s Oakland Scanlan pitched a five-hitter with 12 strikeouts.
Radford’s Landyn Bartness tossed a three-hitter.
| At Waipahu |
| RADFORD (2-7) |
000 |
000 |
0 |
— |
0 |
5 |
1 |
| WAIPAHU (3-6) |
000 |
000 |
1 |
— |
1 |
3 |
3 |
Landyn Bartness and Dominic Albalos. Oakland Scanlan and Graysen Fuentes.
W–Scanlan. L–Bartness.
Leading hitter–Radford: Jason Matthew Profitt 2-3.
Pearl City 10, Leilehua 3
Trestan Nakamura scattered three hits over six innings and recorded three hits at the plate as the Chargers defeated the Mules.
Pearl City’s Tyler Kushima scored three times and Christian Onomura, David Kapuras and Sam Prentice each had two RBIs.
| At Pearl City |
| LEILEHUA (3-6) |
000 |
021 |
0 |
— |
3 |
5 |
3 |
| PEARL CITY (5-3) |
123 |
103 |
x |
— |
10 |
12 |
0 |
Wayne Abear, Jansen Dangaran (3), Christian Ontai (3) and Kebi Dellatan. Trestan Nakamura, Dane Kaneshiro (7) and Shaye Higa. W–Nakamura. L–Abear.
Leading hitters–Leilehua: Trayson Kubo 2b. Pearl City: Higa 2b; Christian Onomura 2b, 2 RBIs; David Kapuras 2b, 2 RBIs; Tyler Kushima 3-4, 3 runs; Nakamura 3-3; Sam Prentice 2 RBIs.
