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Every time the Maryknoll Spartans built their house of cards high, Royce Hirayama blew it to the ground.
The senior right-hander escaped danger in each of his five innings on the mound, lifting No. 3-ranked Saint Louis over pesky Maryknoll 6-1 on Tuesday afternoon at Ala Wai Field.
Saint Louis improved to 9-4 in the Interscholastic League of Honolulu, keeping in range of first-place Mid-Pacific (11-3). Maryknoll, winner of the past three Division II state championships, dropped to 2-12 in its first season of Division I baseball.
“That’s the best two-win team in the state. They hit line drives,” Saint Louis coach George Gusman said.
For Hirayama, those line drives were often snagged to end scoring threats. Double plays closed out Maryknoll scoring opportunities in the fourth and fifth innings.
“This is our struggle, needing two-out hits,” Maryknoll coach Ryan Yamashiro said.
The young Spartans stranded 11 baserunners and were 1-for-12 with runners in scoring position. Their lone run came in the bottom of the sixth inning on an error by Saint Louis shortstop Keith Torres.
Much of that struggle, though, came from Hirayama’s willingness to pitch to contact. He spotted his fastball well enough and kept his pitches down, mixing in a curve and a change-up. He allowed five hits and no runs in five innings with two strikeouts and three walks.
“Royce is always around the plate. He was not as sharp as he usually is,” Gusman said.
“I did enough to keep them off balance,” Hirayama said, showing the poise of a middle reliever or closer. “That’s my main goal, to be an all-around guy.”
“He wasn’t sharp, but he did his job and his defense supported him,” Yamashiro added. “That team is hot.”
The Crusaders scored twice in the top of the second inning off Maryknoll starter Dylan Takara. Brendan Uchima tripled to right center and later scored on a sacrifice fly to right by D.J. Stephens. After Aaron Renaud was hit by a pitch, he came home on John Kea’s double to left center for a 2-0 Saint Louis lead.
In the top of the third, Charles Lopez drew a one-out walk, stole second base, and later scored on a two-out single to left by Uchima for a 3-0 lead.
Stephens led off the top of the fourth with a single to right and stole second base. Renaud followed with a single to right, scoring Stephens as the Crusaders opened a four-run cushion.
In the top of the fifth, Torres led off with a single and stole second base. He came home on a one-out single to center by Taylor Meilleur for a 5-0 lead.
In the top of the sixth, Kaiolohia Perreira-Alquiza led off with a single to left and stole second base. With two outs, Kea came through with a single to left, scoring Perreira-Alquiza, and Saint Louis led 6-0.
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