Joey Cantillo may be his own toughest critic, but in the biggest game of the season to date, the powerful southpaw came through just fine.
The 6-foot-4 senior struck out 10 and scattered six hits as No. 7 Kailua overwhelmed No. 8 Kalani 6-1 on Wednesday afternoon at Kaimuki High School field. The win secured first place and an opening-round bye in the upcoming OIA Division I baseball playoffs for the Surfriders (9-2). Kalani dropped to 8-3.
“Getting the bye is huge, especially in baseball,” Kailua coach Corey Ishigo said.
The game was played at Kaimuki because Kalani’s home field at Kahala Community Park is under repair. It didn’t matter much for Cantillo, who mixed in an effective curve ball with his normal repertoire of fastballs and change-ups. A three-run fourth inning helped the Surfriders open a 5-0 lead, and a solo homer by catcher Kalua Neves in the seventh added an insurance run.
“This is one of our most complete team wins. This is the first time (this season) I got three pitches working,” Cantillo said.
Kailua’s defense was error-free. The Surfriders were aggressive at the plate against Kalani starting pitcher Edward Lee.
“Their guys throw a lot of strikes. There’s no sense falling behind in the count,” Ishigo noted.
Four errors by the normally sure-handed Falcons were also their undoing. Five of Kailua’s runs were unearned.
“Our pitching and defense got us this far, but we were trying to make a (defensive) play when we didn’t have to,” Kalani coach Shannon Hirai said. “It was the same in the first game (against Kailua). We need to figure it out.”
The visitors benefited from an infield error in the top of the first inning to score the game’s first run. Matthew Kaleiohi reached base, went to second on Cody Riturban’s infield single and later scored on Dylan Kurahashi Choy Foo’s fielder’s choice grounder.
Kalani answered with a run in the bottom of the first. Hunter Lau led off with a walk, Kohl Suehiro (2-for-2, two walks) singled and Chad Kagawa walked to load the bases. With one out, Micah Kawano grounded into a fielder’s choice and Lau came home to tie the game at 1.
In the top of the third, Riturban (2-for-3, RBI, two runs) reached base on a one-out infield single, advanced to third on a single by Cantillo and came home on a throwing error by Lee when Kurahashi Choy Foo’s comebacker ended up in the pitcher’s hands and he rushed a throw to home plate. The ball sailed well over catcher Bronson Matsumoto’s head, and Kailua led 2-1.
Then came the pivotal fourth inning. Dakota Kadooka reached base on an infield error, Bryson Ballesteros singled, and the runners advanced on a sacrifice bunt by Dayne Ishigo. After Kadooka was out at home on a fielder’s choice, Riturban came to the plate with the bases loaded and was hit by a pitch, bringing Ballesteros home for a 3-1 Surfriders lead.
With two outs, Kurahashi Choy Foo’s slow grounder to short turned into an off-target throw to first by the shortstop, Lau, allowing Kaleiohi and Riturban to score for a 5-1 lead.
Neves, a burly left-handed hitter, belted his homer off Kalani’s third pitcher, Harrison Moy. The ball landed beyond the 318-foot sign bordering Kaimuki’s track.
OIA EAST BASEBALL
>> No. 7 Kailua 6, No. 8 Kalani 1
At Kaimuki
Kailua (9-2) 101 300 1 — 6 9 0
Kalani (8-3) 100 000 0 — 1 6 4
Joey Cantillo and Kalua Neves. Edward Lee, Travis Tagad (4), Harrison Moy (7) and Bronson Matsumoto. W—Cantillo. L—Lee.
Leading hitters—Kailua: Cody Riturban 2-3, 2 runs, RBI; Dylan Kurahashi Choy Foo 1-4, 2 RBIs; Neves 2-3, HR, run, RBI. Kalani: Kohl Suehiro 2-2.
>> Moanalua 13, Kalaheo 3, 6 inn.
At Moanalua
Kalaheo (1-10) 020 100 — 3 6 4
Moanalua (7-4) 523 012 — 13 15 4
Gabriel Guebara, Noa Lapera (6) and Lono Hussey, Curtis Chung Jr. (3). Nainoa Chun, Austyn Kometani (3), Noah Kang (5) and Skyler Yamamoto. W—Chun. L—Guebara.
Leading hitters—Kalaheo: Lapera 3b, 2 runs. Moanalua: Ryne Oshiro 2-3, 2b, run, RBI; Kamuela Labasan 2-4, 3 runs, RBI; Randy Tabura 2-3, 2b, 3b, 2 runs, 2 RBIs; Yamamoto 3-4, 2b, 2 RBIs; Tyler Trim 2-4, 3b, run, 2 RBIs; Cody Isa 3b, run, 2 RBIs.
>> Roosevelt 12, Castle 6
At Stevenson Intermediate
Castle (2-10) 300 210 0 — 6 2 5
Roosevelt (6-5) 000 075 x — 12 15 2
Kody Lizama, Austyn Acosta (4), Jabe Kahawaii (5) and Brylan Kaneshiro, Lizama (4). Kekoa Lima, Matthew Schewe (5), Hiram Kaikaina (7) and Jared Tamashiro. W—Schewe. L—Kahawaii.
Leading hitters—Castle: Kaneshiro 1-4, 2 RBIs. Roosevelt: Riley Tanimura 2-3, 2b, 2 runs, 2 RBIs; Kaikaina 5-5 2b, run, RBI; Koby Brown 2-4, run, RBI; Makalii Lily 2-4, 2 runs.
OIA WEST BASEBALL
>> No. 2 Campbell 3, Leilehua 2
At Campbell
Leilehua (4-7) 200 000 0 — 2 5 2
Campbell (11-0) 021 000 x — 3 5 3
Christian Ontai, Raven Demmert (3) and Fox Hook. Nick Sampson, Dylan Florentin (3), Dayton Robinson (7), Ayzek Silva (7) and TJ Takahama. W—Florentin. L—Demmert. S—Silva.
Leading hitters—Leilehua: Jaku Hanohano 2-3; Nolan Tumacder 2-3, 2b, RBI. Campbell: Markus Ramos 2-3, run, RBI; Todd Takahama 2b.
>> Aiea 4, Waipahu 1
At Aiea
Waipahu (4-8) 000 100 0 — 1 5 2
Aiea (5-6) 000 400 x — 4 5 1
Gabriel Ballesteros, Khaine Viliamu (5) and Cole Phillips. Kobie Kato and Jake Nakamoto. W—Kato. L—Ballesteros.
Leading hitters—Waipahu: Phillips 2-3, RBI. Aiea: Casey Kitashima 2-3, RBI; Bronson Nekomoto 2b, run, RBI.
OIA DIVISION II BASEBALL
>> Farrington 6, Kaimuki 3
At Joey DeSa Field
Kaimuki (4-6) 010 110 0 — 3 5 4
Farrington (8-2) 211 110 x — 6 6 4
Jonah Fa‘asoa, Jamon Young (2), Raymundo Gomez Jr. (6) and KB Palsis. Trey Kaawa, Bishop Rapoza (7) and Treven Isobe. W—Kaawa. L—Fa‘asoa. S—Rapoza.
Leading hitters—Kaimuki: Palsis 2-4, RBI. Farrington: Sagucio 2-3, 3b, run, RBI; Arevalo 2-2, 2b, RBI; Isobe 2b.
>> Kahuku 11, McKinley 5
At Kahuku
McKinley (0-10) 002 030 0 — 5 11 5
Kahuku (3-7) 011 243 x — 11 17 4
Noah Diaz, Koolau Anderson (4), Keanu Bolkeim (6) and Elijah Vincent. Elvis Vakapuna, Andrew Kohlert (5) and Keola Baily. W—Vakapuna. L—Anderson.
Leading hitters—McKinley: Diaz 3-4, 2b, 2 runs, RBI; Braxton Lane 2-2, run; Anderson 2b, run. Kahuku: Stokes Botelho 4-5, 2b, 2 runs, RBI; Moewa‘a Graycochea 3-4, 2b, run, 2 RBIs; Vakapuna 2-5, 2b, 2 RBIs; Baily 2-4, RBI; Hala Latu 3-4, 2 runs, RBI; Pua Falemalu 2-3, 2 runs, 2 RBIs.
>> Radford 9, Waialua 0
At Waialua
Waialua (3-7) 000 000 0 — 0 3 1
Radford (8-2) 531 000 x — 9 8 2
Kyven Dicion, Matthan Hatchie (2) and Hatchie, Zane Dobecki (2). Jack Dillon and Cole Courtney, Bryson Conner (5). W—Dillon. L—Dicion.
Leading hitters—Waialua: Hatchie 2-2. Radford: Isaac Grant 2-3, 2b, 2 runs, 3 RBIs; Courtney 2-3, 2b, 2 RBIs; Dillon HR, run, RBI.
>> Waianae 9, Nanakuli 2
At Waianae
Nanakuli (4-6) 200 000 0 — 2 2 5
Waianae (10-0) 400 032 x — 9 8 0
Chyson Hoopai, Lexson Kunukau (6) and Shayden-Aaron Arindain-Pojas. Brayden Chong and Ej Keamo-Young, Kaleo Akiona (2). W—Chong. L—Hoopai.
Leading hitters—Nanakuli: Arindain-Pojas 1-3, run, RBI. Waianae: Keamo-Young 2-2, 2 2bs, 2 runs, RBI; Chong 2-4, 2 runs, RBI.
