Kailua comes back on Pearl City

Down to its last out and trailing by two, Kailua stormed back to tie and then beat visiting Pearl City 3-2 in 10 innings Thursday.

With the win, the fifth-ranked Surfriders (11-2) earned an Oahu Interscholastic Association baseball semifinal matchup against Mililani (7-6) today at Les Murakami Stadium along with a berth in the Division I state tournament.

“It wasn’t easy,” Kailua coach Corey Ishigo said. “It was a tough one. Pearl City played us well today. They shut us down pretty good. We were just fortunate at the end to come out with the ‘W.’ ”

In the bottom of the 10th, Jalen Ah Yat’s bases-loaded single to left drove in Cody Riturban with the winning run.

Earlier, with two out in the seventh, Surfriders starting pitcher Joey Cantillo singled to right to knock home two runs and make it 2-all. On the same play, with a runner on third, Cantillo was thrown out trying to take second, putting a damper on Kailua’s chance to end it before extras.

With single unearned runs in the fifth and sixth, the Chargers went up 2-0 off of Cantillo, the lefty ace. Carter Hirano led off the Pearl City fifth with a single, stole second and scored on an error. In the next inning, Sam Prentice delivered an RBI single for the two-run lead.

Asked for his thoughts about the excruciating loss, Pearl City first-year head coach Peter Arakawa declined comment. The Chargers (6-8) play at Moanalua (8-6) today in the consolation bracket semifinals, with the winner advancing to the D-I states and the loser wrapping up its season.

In the 10th, Riturban’s leadoff double started Kailua’s winning rally, and after an intentional walk to Cantillo and a bunt hit by Dylan Kurahashi Choy Foo loaded the bases, Ah Yat’s liner went over Pearl City left fielder Prentice, who was playing shallow.

“I was just trying to square it up and it hit the left-center gap,” Ah Yat said. “We were down, but we stuck together and we pulled out this victory for the team.”

A University of Kentucky commit if he doesn’t go pro, Cantillo talked about his tying hit and the road ahead: “I was just doing my job and put the ball in play. Luckily it happened. It’s an amazing feeling. I love this team so much. This team works extra hard and it was such a team win today. I say that every time, but today it was true. This Pearl City team was really talented.”

Surfriders freshman pitcher Ryan Inouye picked up the win in relief of Cantillo and didn’t allow a run in 21⁄3 innings. Cantillo went 72⁄3 innings and struck out 10 with three walks before coming out upon reaching the 110-pitch limit.

“He was always in our back pocket,” Ishigo said about the frosh. “We used him throughout the year. We knew what he could do. We counted on him when we needed him and he was there. He did what he had to do.”

Dillin Hasegawa, the third of four Chargers pitchers, took the loss.