While it wasn’t an easy road to trod, Mid-Pacific finally earned a few moments during which it could enjoy another successful season — one that resulted in the coveted Interscholastic League of Honolulu championship.
Longtime coach Dunn Muramaru, who has guided the Owls since 1987, made sure to inscribe a few game balls with "ILH Champions" before the team boarded the bus following No. 2 Mid-Pacific’s 3-2 victory over No. 4 Kamehameha in what turned out to be the ILH postseason tournament championship game Tuesday afternoon at ‘Iolani.
"We won and that’s the main thing," said Muramaru, who let out a few smiles in relief after watching his team win the league’s tourney title to accompany the squad’s regular-season crown. "All year, the guys played well. Kamehameha played tough, too."
Mid-Pacific (12-3) struck first in the home half of the fourth inning on RBI singles from Ryne Yamashiro and Jarrod Infante that scored Tyler Yamaguchi and Chase Wago, both of whom singled. The Owls strung together their four hits in the inning off Warriors pitcher Ladd Ah Choy around Sean Kinel’s sacrifice bunt, which allowed Yamaguchi to move into scoring position with one out.
Kamehameha (10-7) attempted to answer in the fifth as shortstop Kody Cacal and pinch hitter Makoa Mau singled consecutively with two out. However, Micah McNicoll grounded into a fielder’s choice to end the threat.
The Owls added an insurance run in their ensuing turn at bat as second baseman Jacob Maekawa doubled off the fence in right field. The speedster came plateward when Noah Shackles blooped a single into shallow left to bring in what turned out to be the winning run.
"It was big, the infield was up and I just put the bat on the ball. I didn’t really make good contact, but it dropped in — you take what you can get," said Shackles.
The Warriors pressured Mid-Pacific again in the sixth as leadoff batter Matthew Yokota walked, and after Kekai Rios walked with one out, the baserunners moved up a station on Grant Doi’s wild pitch. After Doi gave way to Maekawa on the hill, Codie Paiva plated Yokota on a sacrifice fly to center and Makana Arakaki doubled off the fence in center to score Rios’ courtesy runner Kawalola Takemura to narrow the deficit to 3-2.
Noah Sills came on to pitch the seventh and set down the three Warriors he faced on just 13 pitches to notch the save. Doi earned the win, and while the two runs were charged to him, Kamehameha managed just three hits in 51/3 innings off the hurler.
"Grant did a helluva job, he hit his spots and when he does that, he’s unhittable," said Shackles of his battery mate. "He’s able to work around (trouble). Our coaches tell us to get better every day and we can’t be satisfied with where we’re at."
While both teams had already secured the league’s two berths into the Wally Yonamine Foundation/HHSAA state tournament slated for May 6-9 at Les Murakami Stadium, Tuesday’s matchup was important in determining the league’s overall champion and a vital first-round bye in the state tournament. The Owls last claimed the state title in 2013 and are in pursuit of the crown again after Saint Louis won it all last year. Kamehameha hasn’t enjoyed state gold since 2003.
"We had a couple mental errors on the bases and it was those and some missed opportunities that killed us," said Kamehameha coach Tom Perkins. "Now it’s a matter of clearing up those mental mistakes and working on being a little more patient at the plate.
"There’s going to come a time when it all comes together," Perkins said.
Tuesday’s matchup was supposed to take place at Mid-Pacific but was moved to the neutral site after heavy rains drenched the diamond in Manoa.
At ‘Iolani
| Kamehameha |
000 |
002 |
0 |
— |
2 |
4 |
1 |
| Mid-Pacific |
000 |
210 |
x |
— |
3 |
9 |
0 |
Ladd Ah Choy and Kekai Rios. Grant Doi, Jacob Maekawa (6), Noah Sills (7) and Noah Shackles.
W–Doi. L–Ah Choy. S-Sills.
Leading hitters–Kamehameha: Makana Arakaki 2b, RBI. Mid-Pacific: Maekawa 2-3, 2b.
ILH DIVISION II
Maryknoll 8, Pac-Five 6
Chayson Dulatre had two hits, driving in two runs to lead the Spartans past the Wolf Pack.
At Maryknoll
| Pac-Five |
020 |
031 |
0 |
— |
6 |
6 |
2 |
| Maryknoll |
303 |
110 |
x |
— |
8 |
9 |
2 |
Dayne Ramos, Brandon Miyasato (3), Marques Asato (5), Shaun Mahiko (6) and Micah Lum. Joshua Muneno and Neal Nakasone.
W–Muneno. L–Ramos.
Leading hitters–Pac-Five: Dayne Ramos 2-3, HR, run, RBI. Maryknoll: Kahi Hirano 2-3, 2b, RBI; Chayson Dulatre 2-3, 2 RBIs; Cade Ohata 2-2, run, RBI.
ILH DIVISION II SOFTBALL
Pac-Five 8, St. Francis 7
Brazzlyn Tovio-Asato hit a two-run homer in bottom of the seventh inning to lift the Wolfpack past the Saints and to the ILH Division II title.
Pac-Five earns the No. 1 seed going into the State tournament with Tuesday’s win.
At Ala Wai Field
| St. Francis |
500 |
020 |
0 |
— |
7 |
11 |
1 |
| Pac-Five |
003 |
021 |
2 |
— |
8 |
8 |
2 |
Tiare Guerrero and Taiana Creekmur. Megan Yoshioka, Kiara Peterson (5) and Kailee Russell.
W–Peterson. L–Guerrero.
Leading hitters–St. Franics: Joerdan Lovell 3-3; Rasela Vili 2-3, 2 RBIs. Pac-Five: Shazzareigh Nakoa-Chun 2-4, 3 RBIs; Brazzlyn Tovio-Asato HR, 2 RBIs.
OIA RED WEST SOFTBALL
Pearl City 2, Mililani 1
Taylyn Kimura singled in the bottom of the fourth inning to lead the Chargers past the Trojans.
At Pearl City
| Mililani |
000 |
000 |
1 |
— |
1 |
0 |
1 |
| Pearl City |
001 |
100 |
X |
— |
2 |
3 |
2 |
Misha Carreira and Markie Okamoto. Tyanna Kaaialii, Kristin Frost (4) and Hope Casarez.
W–Kaaialii. L–Carreira.
Leading hitters–Pearl City: Taylyn Kimura 2-2, run, RBI.
