In years past, it was the Mid-Pacific Owls who often made magical moments out of dire straits.
By all means necessary, the Owls would string together comebacks like almost no other program could muster. A 7-2 loss to Punahou on Saturday afternoon at Damon Field confirmed what has become a theme for a young MPI team this season: The process requires patience.
Punahou was the team that manufactured runs and got a masterful performance from Kyle Uemura on the mound. Uemura spotted his fastball, changed speeds and scattered five hits without issuing a single walk over six innings. Riley Guieb, still regaining his old form since recovering from injury, pitched the seventh frame as the visiting Buffanblu improved to 4-2 in the gauntlet known as the Interscholastic League of Honolulu.
It was a key win for coach Keenan Sue’s team, which began the season 3-0 before losing to Kamehameha on Tuesday and Saint Louis on Friday. The Buffanblu did it with a balanced effort, including a key two-run, two-out pinch-hit double by senior Noah Loughlin in the top of the fourth inning.
“In every game, we’re 0-0, just trying to move forward and get momentum,” said Loughlin, who sometime starts at designated hitter. “My role is like an extra bullet when we need it. It’s a tough role, but it’s fun.”
The Owls dropped to 1-5 in league play, including four losses in a row. The young Owls outhit Punahou, 6-5, and several of their swings ended up in line-drive outs.
“It’s like, OK, we’ve won five (ILH titles) in a row, and now the (baseball) gods are saying, maybe not this time. We’ve been hitting the ball, but people are catching it,” longtime coach Dunn Muramaru said.
The Buffanblu were, despite three errors, superb defensively at times. First baseman Andrew Matsueda played like a gold-glover, spearing a couple of tough ground balls and leaping for a nifty grab on a line drive off the bat of Wyatt Young to end the fifth inning.
“I felt really good. I trust these boys. They’ve got my back. I just have to throw my pitches,” Uemura said.
MPI starting pitcher Carter Rustad had a nice groove early on. The 6-foot-3 sophomore overcame two errors by his infield in the first inning, retired the side in order in the second, and had a 1-0 lead entering the third.
The Owls scored an unearned run in the bottom of the second off Uemura. Corey Takahashi singled to right, advanced to second on a balk, moved to third on a ground ball and scored on a two-out wild pitch by Uemura.
Punahou tied the game in the top of the third frame. Cole Cabrera worked the count full and drew a two-out walk, went to second base on a wild pitch, and raced home on a single to center by Jake Tsukada.
Uemura settled in and retired the side in order through the third and fourth innings. The Buffanblu took the lead in the fourth thanks to Loughlin’s clutch hit. Rustad began the top of the fourth with some discomfort in his pitching hand, walking Matsueda, and then hitting Brent Shimoda on a 1-2 pitch.
J.T. Navyac took the mound and regained control momentarily, inducing Ryan Nishi into a fielder’s choice grounder and striking out Colin Freeman. But he hit Asa Kurasaki to load the bases. On the first pitch to Loughlin, pinch-hitting for Kai Terada-Herzer, the right-handed Loughlin launched the ball deep, where it glanced off the left-field fence 327 feet away. Shimoda and courtesy runner Kirk Terada-Herzer scored, and Kurasaki was thrown out at home plate by Young, the shortstop, for the third out.
Up 3-1, the Buffanblu added three runs in the top of the fifth.Jacob Yoshida drilled a solo home run in the bottom of the sixth off Uemura, cutting the score to 6-2. Another Punahou run in the top of the seventh made it 7-2.
The Owls kept hope alive, loading the bases in the bottom of the seventh, but Guieb got Breyndon Nakamura to line out to right, and Jacob Yoshino flew out to end the game.
“Somewhere along the line, we have to learn how to play the game,” Muramaru said. “I can’t get it across to them. We’re getting closer to figuring out who should play.”
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ILH DIVISION I BASEBALL
No. 3 Punahou 7, No. 9 Mid-Pacific 2
At Damon Field
Punahou (4-2) 001 230 1 — 7 5 3
MPI (1-5) 010 001 0 — 2 6 2
Kyle Uemura, Riley Guieb (7) and Ryan Nishi, Matther Nakamoto (7). Carter Rustad, J.T. Navyac (4), Michael China (4), Jaydon Tomas (4) and Kyle Layugan, Matt Erickson (5). W—Uemura. L—Rustad.
Leading hitters—Pun: Cole Cabrera 2-3, 3b, 3 runs; Noah Loughlin 1-1, 2b, 2 RBIs. MPI: Jacob Yoshino 1-4, HR, run, RBI; Shea Yamaguchi 2-2.
No. 4 Saint Louis 10, Maryknoll 4
At Ala Wai Field
STL (5-1) 220 123 0 — 10 11 2
Maryknoll (1-5) 001 030 0 — 4 7 2
Dylan Lum, Kekahi Haina (5), Richie Vidal (7) and Kaiolohia Perreira-Alquiza. Matthew Dunaway, Justice Yamashita (4), Micah Neves (5), Kody Miyamoto (6) and Chayson Dulatre, Tyler Quinn (5). W—Lum. L—Dunaway.
Leading hitters—StL: Keith Torres 2-4, 3b; Dylan Pagente 2-4, 3b; Daniel Stephens 2b. Mryk: Noah Kinder 2-4, 2b, 3b; Drayden Yamauchi 2-3.
ILH DIVISION II BASEBALL
St. Francis 13, Pac-Five 2, 5 inn.
At Central Oahu Regional Park
St. Francis (7-0) 142 33 — 13 10 0
Pac-Five (2-5) 000 20 — 2 9 7
Jared Yara, Kiyo Perry (5) and Makana Poole. Ryan Moritsugu, Makoa Paresa (3), Blaise Wada (4), Richard Higa (5) and Jared Miyasato. W—Yara. L—Moritsugu.
Leading hitters—StF: Bubba Akana 3-4, 2b, 2 RBIs, 3 runs; John Paul Tilley 2 runs; Poole 2-2, 4 RBIs, run; Yara 1-2, 2 RBIs; Zach Alcos 2b, 2 runs; Reece Kadota 1-2, 2b, 2 RBIs; James Yamasaki 2 runs. Pac: Higa 2-2, 3b, RBI, run; Zane Oshiro 2-2; Lii Carvalho 2-2, 3b, run.
Damien 11, Hanalani 5, 5 inn.
At Central Oahu Regional Park
Hanalani (0-7) 000 00 — 0 4 2
Damien (5-2) 152 3x — 11 10 1
Chad Wakabayashi, Tyler Lee (3) and Chad Williams. Chayne Wayton, Dylan Tapat (5), Devin Shimabukuru (5) and Kana Schuman. W—Wayton. L—Wakabayashi.
Leading hitters—Dam: Paul Mazurashi 2-2, 2b, 3b, RBI, 3 runs; Jordan Donahue 3b, 3 RBIs; Grayson Bueno 2-3, 3b, 2 runs; Schuman 2-3, 2 RBIs; Tapat 2 runs; Akila Arechi 2-3, 2 runs.
BIIF BASEBALL
Keeau 12, Kohala 1
ILH SOFTBALL
Maryknoll 14, No. 2 Kamehameha 4, 6 inn.
At Sand Island
KSK (2-1-1) 030 010 — 4 6 1
Maryknoll (2-1) 410 603 — 14 13 4
Reese Mokuao, Alyssa Manoe (2), Shayle Alani (4), Manoe (5) and Kyler Stephens, Mo Hasegawa (5). Maia McNicholl and Caylie Kahele. W—McNicholl. L—Mokuao.
Leading hitters—KS: Alani 2-3. Mryk: Nohea Hee 2-4, 2 RBIs, Logan Carlos 3-3; Kanoe Tanigawa 2-4, 3 RBIs, Kamalei Labasan 2-3; Kahele 2-4, 4 RBIs.
St. Francis 15, Mid-Pacific 1, 5 inn.
At Mid-Pacific
St. Francis (2-2) 330 27 — 15 12 0
Mid-Pacific (0-3) 100 00 — 1 6 3
Kailee Mahelona and Kalyn Higa. Lea Hanawahine, Michaela Fonoti (1) and Lia Nakamoto. W—Mahelona. L—Fonoti.
Leading hitters—StF: Kaena Keliinoi 2b, 3 runs; Joerdan Lovell 2-3, 2b, RBI, 3 runs; Sammie Ofoia HR, 3 RBIs, 3 runs; Jordyn Lono 3-4, 2b, 3 RBIs, 2 runs; Mahelona 2-3, 2b, 2 RBIs, run; Hailey Matsumura 2b, 2 RBIs, run; Kenna Santos 2b. MPI: Beyli Correa 2-3, run; Fonoti 2-2, RBI; McKenna Silva 2b.
No. 6 Punahou 17, Pac-Five 0, 5 inn.
At Punahou
Pac-Five (0-3) 000 00 — 0 3 6
Pun (3-1) (12)20 3X — 17 11 0
Megan Yoshioka, Mailani Dias (1), Kiara Peterson (4) and Hi‘ialo Apo. Bailey Akimseu, Jolie Fujita (2), Kara Tsuruda (4), Hope Barkai (5) and Janell Sato. W—Akimseu. L—Yoshioka.
Leading hitters—Pun: Kennedy Ishii 2-4, RBI, 3 runs; Maya Matsubara 2-3, 2b, 2 RBIs, 3 runs; D’Asha Saiki 2 RBIs, run; Fujita 2 RBIs, 2 runs; Sato 2-2, 2b, 4 RBIs, run; Ashley Nakagawa 2 runs; Lauryn Tachino 2b, RBI, run; Kelsey Wong 2b, RBI, run.
