In danger of falling into a second-place tie in the ILH, No. 4 Kamehameha clutched up just like it has for most of the season.
A throwing error allowed the Warriors to tie the game in the top of the seventh inning and Kalamaku Kuewa blasted a two-run homer to cap a four-run frame that delivered a 5-2 victory over No. 5 Punahou on Tuesday at Goeas Field.
The rally kept Kamehameha (8-2), which has won eight of its past nine, tied for first place with Saint Louis heading into Thursday’s game at the same field. The winner will have a one-game lead with four to play in the ILH regular season. The champion clinches one of the league’s two berths in the state tournament.
The Crusaders have won both of the previous meetings this season.
“I think it’s a pretty good time for us to go up against Saint Louis again,” Kuewa said. “I think we’re ready.”
Nakea Hanohano had three of Kamehameha’s six hits and drove in the Warriors’ first run with an RBI single to tie the game in the top of the third inning.
The Warriors didn’t score again until the top of the seventh, when pinch hitter Chase Miyasato led off with a double into the gap in right center.
Chaesten Chon followed with a sacrifice bunt to the pitcher, and the throw was wide of the bag at first, allowing pinch runner Kalei Kim to score from second.
Chon ended up at third and scored on Kawai Takemura’s sacrifice fly for the go-ahead run.
Instead of settling for a one-run lead, Kamehameha added to it, with Hanohano collecting his third hit before Kuewa crushed a ball over the fence in center.
“I just tried to stay relaxed up there and did it for my boys,” Kuewa said.
Kamehameha left the bases loaded in the first inning and was robbed of extra bases twice on miraculous diving catches by Punahou outfielders before coming through.
“I was pretty comfortable because we were hitting the ball well,” Kamehameha coach Thomas Perkins said. “We were getting guys into scoring position and couldn’t capitalize, but we kept getting guys up there.”
Kyson Donahue drove home both of Punahou’s runs and gave the Buffanblu (6-4) a 2-1 lead in the fifth inning with an RBI single to score Kai Terada-Herzer.
Starter Kyle Uemura stayed in the game for the final inning and had a chance to get out of it with the score tied.
Chon was on third with nobody out when Takemura lifted a fly ball to shallow center. Right fielder Colin Freeman charged the ball on the catch and threw a one-hopper to the plate that was there in plenty of time, but catcher Matt Nakamoto couldn’t secure it to make the tag.
“We were thinking about taking Kyle out because it seemed like he was running out of gas, but he’s done a great job all year, all game and I thought he deserved a chance to fight his way out of that,” Punahou coach Keenan Sue said. “He gave up a fly ball that probably should have been caught at home, but that’s baseball.”
Kamehameha starter Li’i Pontes gave the Warriors six innings and allowed four hits with one walk and five strikeouts.
One of the two runs Punahou scored was unearned.
Hunter Breault, who is expected to start Thursday against Saint Louis, gave up a leadoff walk in the seventh before getting the final three outs to earn the save in his third relief appearance of the season.
“Today was Hunter’s bullpen day, so it was a good opportunity for us to get him out there,” Perkins said.
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PREP SCOREBOARD
No. 3 Saint Louis 5, Mid-Pacific 2
At Mid-Pacific
>> Saint Louis (8-2) 005 000 0 — 5 6 0
>> Mid-Pacific (3-7) 000 000 2 — 2 8 0
Dawson Yamaguchi and Kai Alquiza. Shane Adams, Jaydon Tomas (4), Cade Rapozo (6) and Kyle Layugan. W— Yamaguchi. L— Adams.
Leading hitters–StL: Charlie Lopez 2-3; Aaron Renaud 2-4, 2 RBIs. MPI: Zachary Gushiken 2-4; Jet Uechi 2-3, 2b.
No. 4 Kamehameha 5, No. 5 Punahou 2
At Goeas Field
>> Kamehameha (8-2) 001 000 4 — 5 6 3
>> Punahou (6-4) 001 010 0 — 2 4 2
Li‘i Pontes, Hunter Breault (7) and Dylan Salcedo. Kyle Uemura, Kevin Matsueda (7) and Matt Nakamoto. W— Pontes. L— Uemura. S—Breault.
Leading hitters—KS: Nakea Hanohano 3-4; Kalamaku Kuewa 2-run HR; Chase Miyasato 2b. Pun: Kyson Donahue 2 RBIs.
No. 10 ‘Iolani 6, Maryknoll 1
At ‘Iolani
>> Maryknoll (1-9) 001 000 0 – 1 3 1
>> ‘Iolani (4-6) 013 200 x – 6 6 0
Kody Miyamoto, Justice Yamashita (3), Bryce Otsuka (4), Micah Neves (5) and Chayson Dularte. Logan Yee, Jonah Miyazawa (5) and Blake Hiraki. W–Yee. L– Miyamoto.
Leading hitters–Iol: Cade Yonamine 2b; Matt Inaba 2 RBIs; Zack Kon 2 RBIs.
OIA DIVISION II BASEBALL
Waianae 17, Kahuku 0, 5 inn.
At Kahuku
>> Waianae (6-0) 460 52 – 17 13 1
>> Kahuku (1-5) 000 00 – 0 2 5
Kaleo Akiona and Earl “EJ” Keamo-Young. Max LaGrass, Elvis Vakapuna (2), Andrew Kohlert (5) and Keola Baily. W–Akiona. L–LaGrass.
Leading hitters–Wain: Braiden Ayala 2-3, HR, 3 runs, 3 RBIs; Matt Orian 2-3, 2 runs; Rudyjay Keopuhiwa 3-4, 2 runs, 2 RBIs; Teva Foster 2-3, 2b, 3 runs; Brayden Chong 3b, 2 runs, 4 RBIs.
MIL BASEBALL
>> Baldwin 4, Kamehameha-Maui 0
>> King Kekaulike 7, Lahainaluna 2
ILH SOFTBALL
No. 7 ‘Iolani 8, No. 5 Punahou 7, 8 inn.
At ‘Iolani
>> Punahou (3-2) 200 221 00 – 7 10 4
>> ‘Iolani (3-1-1) 202 020 11 – 8 15 1
Briahni Alejo, Kennedy Ishii (4) and Janell Sato. Marley Dyer, Marcee Nakamura (4), Aleia Agbayani (5) and Kailyn Barrett. W–Agbayani. L–Ishii.
Leading hitters–Pun: Kawailana Mielke 2-5; Alyssa Rasmussen 3b; Jolie Fujita HR, 2 RBIs. Iol: Macy Uyehara 2-4, 2b, 2 runs; Agbayani 4-5, 2b, HR, 2 runs, 5 RBIs; Barrett 2-4; Kennedi Lopes 3-4; Kawaiuluhonua Scanlan 2-3.
OIA EAST SOFTBALL
No. 10 Moanalua 15, Kalaheo 4, 6 inn.
At Kalaheo
>> Moanalua (5-0-1) 303 702 — 15 17 1
>> Kalaheo (1-5) 000 040 — 4 8 0
Shanelle Lum, Jada Young (4) and Raven Rosa-Lasco. Michelle Sasaki and Skyla Bain, Shaly Salis (4). W—Lum. L—Sasaki.
Leading hitters–Moan: Summer Kamioka 2-4, 2 runs; Kori Young 2-3, 2 runs; Kylie Kawelo 2-2, 3b, 2 runs, 2 RBIs; Rosa-Lasco 3-4, 2b, 3b; Lacey Wilson-Pena HR, 3 runs, 2 RBIs; Iyana Reed 2-3, 2 runs, 3 RBIs; Hilari Balenti 2 runs; Genice Gabriel 2-3, 2 RBIs; Aleksya Batoon 2-3, 3b, 3 RBIs. Kalh: Sasaki HR, 3 RBIs; Ruthie Ilab 2-2, HR; Rheanna Bain 3-3.
Roosevelt 11, Kaiser 2
At Kaiser
>> Roosevelt (4-2) 212 040 2 — 11 10 2
>> Kaiser (4-1-1) 000 101 0 — 2 1 5
Mari Foster and Hayley Uetake. Primrose Aholelei and Precious Aholelei. W—Foster. L— Pri. Aholelei.
Leading hitters–Roos: Maya Nakamura 2-5; Kylie Kawamura 2 RBIs; Uetake 3 RBIs; Megan Taguchi 2 runs; Hoku Ching 4-4, 3 RBIs.
OIA WEST SOFTBALL
No. 6 Mililani 6, No. 1 Pearl City 1
At Mililani
>> Pearl City (5-1) 000 001 0 — 1 4 2
>> Mililani (4-2) 310 002 x — 6 7 1
PB Kaaialii and Hailey Yamaguchi. Misha Carreira and Markie Okamoto. W—Carreira. L— Kaaialii.
Leading hitters–Mil: Tarah Aniya 2-3, 3 runs; Merilis Rivera 2-3, 2 RBIs; Okamoto HR, 2 RBIs.
No. 2 Campbell 7, Nanakuli 4
At Campbell
>> Nanakuli (1-5) 010 300 0 — 4 7 2
>> Campbell (5-1) 011 005 x — 7 10 3
Crancy Kamaka and Kaila Burnette. Jade Behic, Danielle Cervantes (5) and Jocelyn Alo. W—Cervantes. L— Kamaka.
Leading hitters–Nan: Cheyenne Lute 2-4; Kanalei McCoy HR, 2 RBIs; Keani Nahinu 2b. Camp: Trinity Favela 2-4, 2 RBIs; Chloe Domingo 2-3, HR, 2 runs, 2 RBIs; Zoe Streadbeck 2 runs; Alo 2 runs; Alesia Ranches.
Kapolei 8, Waianae 4
At Waianae
>> Kapolei (2-4) 201 032 0 – 8 14 5
>> Waianae (0-6) 100 011 1 – 4 7 2
Tatum Guzman, Sadie Kapaku-You (7) and Lili Kaimi. Kayla Hensley, Hepua Tambaoan (5) and Tyra Pai. W–Guzman. L–Hensley.
Leading hitters–Kap: Ciena Kauhi 3-4, 3 runs; Kapaku-You 3-4, 2 2bs, 3b, 2 runs, 2 RBIs; Dallas Pollard-Brownell 3-4; Kaimi HR, 2 runs, 3 RBIs; Elora Tanaki 2-4. Wain: Pai 3-4, 2b, 2 RBIs
OIA DIVISION II SOFTBALL
Aiea 11, Kalani 8
At Kalani
>> Aiea (5-0) 200 423 0 — 11 14 4
>> Kalani (3-1) 010 014 2 — 8 10 0
Chantelle Shimabukuro and Mikelle Gonzales. Cherise Horita and Jazlyn Furuya. W—Shimabukuro. L—Horita.
Leading hitters–Aiea: Shimabukuro 2-3, 3 runs; Poamai Tuli 2-4, HR, 2 RBIs; Gonzales 2-4; Tavalo HR, 2 runs, 2 RBIs; Kayla Kalamau HR, 3 RBIs; Brie Valenciano 3-3, 2b, 2 runs; Jaenah Padasdao 2b.
Kaln: Furuya 2-3, 2 runs; Shandi Matsumoto 2-4, 2b, 2 runs; Toni-Lynn Ibara 2-3, 2b, 2 runs, 3 RBIs; Diamond DeMello 2-3, 2b; ; Chelsie Nakamura 2b.
Waipahu 10, Kaimuki 4
At Kaimuki
>> Waipahu (2-6) 122 202 1 — 10 10 4
>> Kaimuki (4-1) 100 000 3 — 4 3 5
Grace Kaopua and Cierra Columbini. Leilani Mauricio, Mele Loo-Goodinet (4) and Trinity Inouye. W—Kaopua. L—Mauricio.
Leading hitters–Waip: Sala Veu 3-4, 2b, 2 RBIs; Columbini 2-4; Orepa Fuiava 2-4. Kaim: Sonia Palik 2-4, 2 2b
