Jason Shiigi fired a two-hitter with nine strikeouts as OIA champion Mililani advanced to the semifinals with a 4-0 win over ILH runner-up Kamehameha.
“The boys played well. Error free. Jason threw strikes and gave us a chance. We were able to scratch and claw for a couple of runs, and we played defense. That’s been our formula,” Trojans coach Mark Hirayama said.
Kamehameha got a complete-game performance from Dylan Rawlins, who gave up two runs in the second inning and single runs in the fourth and sixth. Shiigi struck out nine and walked just one.
“Honestly, it’s about not getting complacent,” he said. “I’ve had time when I thought I was OK and I stopped working, but before this trip, I worked with other coaches. Constantly improving, still, everything — motion, release point, every little thing a pitcher needs. I was placing my ball in the right spots and changing speeds, especially Kamehameha, they have good hitters. That was always my problem. I’d get up 0-2 and maybe throw a fastball down the middle and they hit it. I’ve been working on hitting my spots a lot.”
In the second inning, the Trojans plated two runs with the help of two Kamehameha infield errors. Kaiwi Winchester led off with a single and advanced to second base on Hunter Faildo’s sacrifice bunt. After Jayton Pang’s infield single, Mililani had runners at the corners.
Winchester then came home when Waika Fukuda’s grounder to third turned into an error.
With two outs, Micah Kaohu grounded deep into the hole at shortstop, and the throw to first was high. Pang scored on the infield single and Mililani led 2-0.
In the fourth, Mililani eked out an insurance run. Fukuda led off with a single, went to second on a sacrifice bunt by Jacob Hirayama, and on the play, Rawlins opted to throw to second base and Fukuda was safe.
In the sixth, the Trojans scored an unearned run. JR Suehisa reached base with two outs on an infield error and advanced to third base on two wild pitches. After Oshiro walked, Ethan Thomas singled to right-center, scoring Suehisa.
DIVISION I CAPSULES
Punahou 4, Kaiser 1
WAILUKU >> The going got tough and Matt McConnell bore down with no mercy.
The senior right-hander worked through a threat by Kaiser in the middle innings and hurled Punahou to a 4-1 win in the Division I quarterfinal round of the Wally Yonamine Foundation/HHSAA State Baseball Championships. McConnell’s five-hitter was clean on paper, with five strikeouts and no walks.
“I’m just a part of this team. It kind of hit me that I’m pitching today for the last time,” said McConnell, referring to the tournament’s pitch-count limit. “It’s a true blessing playing with all these guys. I wouldn’t trade it for the world. This means everything to me and it means everything to everyone here.”
Punahou (23-5-1 overall) will meet Big Island Interscholastic Federation champion Hilo (12-3), which defeated Kailua, in today’s semifinals. The Vikings are a mystery.
“We’re trying not to project too far down the road and just take care of today,” Punahou coach Keenan Sue said.
Kaiser (13-13-2) was one of the most dangerous teams late in the season and had upset Campbell on Wednesday. The Cougars were within three runs entering the fifth inning when Christian Reasoner reached base on an infield error, Brock Perreira got an infield single, and Gyson Oshiro reached on a second infield error by Punahou. With the bases loaded, McConnell and his teammates had a brief conference at the mound.
“I just, what we call dawg up. We’ve suck it up and do our jobs. We pushed through and that’s what I did, I guess. I trusted my teammates,” he said.
McConnell responded with a three-pitch strikeout of Kaiser designated hitter Branden Chun-Ming, and then he whiffed a tough contact hitter, Cal Tashiro, on four pitches. Both times, McConnell’s sweeping curveball drew third-strike swings.
“That’s a testament to Matty’s grit and perseverance, and his ability to stay present and focused,” Sue said.
From there, McConnell retired nine of the last 10 Kaiser batters.
“We want to just win the next pitch. Breathe, take a deep breath and repeat all day long, one pitch at a time. It’s pretty cliche, but I think in this environment, you have to keep your wits about you. The best way to do that is to take a deep breath,” Sue said.
Punahou opened the game with two runs in the first inning against Kaiser starter Curtis Chung.
Cody Hirano led off with a walk and stole second base. After Aaron Tom drew a two-out walk, Kade Morihara’s triple to center scored both runners, giving Punahou a 2-0 lead.
After one frame, third baseman Landon Shigeta replaced Chung, who was under the weather before the game.
Koa Eldredge led off the second inning with a triple to left and scored on a ground ball by Matt Nishimura that turned into an infield error. Nishimura stole second base and came home on a single by Hirano and the Buffanblu led 4-0.
Kaiser got on the scoreboard in the third. Jesse Stroede singled with two outs, stole second and came home on a single to center by Shigeta. On the same play, the Buffanblu then nabbed Shigeta at second base on an 8-2-6 putout.
Shigeta pitched the final five innings, allowing two runs.
“He did great. It just shows if you throw strikes, good things happen,” Sue said. “He wasn’t overpowering, but he pounded the strike zone. He got over a lot of first-strike curveballs, which is what Matt did. Hat’s off to Shigeta.”
McConnell is done as a pitcher, but he will be cheering on his teammates heartily.
“I think we’re going to go out and play the way we play,” he said. “And show the state what we’ve got.”
Hilo 7, Kailua 4
Ocean Gabonia hurled a four-hitter as the BIIF champion Vikings rallied past the Surfriders. He struck out five and walked just one.
The Vikings took a two-run lead in the first inning. Ryan Cabreira was hit by a Quinn McMurray pitch and Maui Ahuna singled. After the throw from right field sailed high over third base, Hilo had runners at second and third. Gabonia singled to left, scoring Cabreira and Ahuna.
Kailua scored three times to take the lead in the third. Mikey Hanano and Kayde Iranon singled, and Brandon Sarae walked with one out to load the bases. Hanano scored on a fielder’s choice, and Takata and Sarae scored on a single by Kalua Neves.
Hilo crept back with one run in the third. Cabreira walked and Ahuna doubled to left, scoring Cabreira.
A four-run push in the fifth gave Hilo the lead for good. The Vikings loaded the bases against McMurray, who was replaced by Jalen Ah Yat. Dayson Urbanozo-Moses laid down a squeeze bunt, scoring Titus Sato to tie the game at 4.
Paul Anthony then grounded to second, where second baseman Taylor Takata dropped the ball as he tried to begin a double play. Ahuna scored to give Hilo a 5-4 edge.
After Sabu Kahee’s single loaded the bases, Xaige Lancaster’s infield single brought Urbanozo-Moses home for a two-run cushion.
Micah Freeman followed with an opposite-field single, scoring Anthony from third for a 7-4 lead.
Baldwin 8, Waiakea 5
The defending champion Bears rallied with a three-run third inning to take the lead and hold on against the sluggers of Waiakea.
Kaipo Haole, who surrendered three runs in the first inning, recovered to give Baldwin a complete-game win. Baba Varner got the final two outs for the save.
The Bears will meet OIA champion Mililani in today’s semifinal round.
Five Waiakea errors proved helpful to the Bears. Waiakea center fielder Kalai Rosario was a force of nature, homering for the second time in two days. His two-run homer gave the visitors a 2-0 lead. He also doubled to lead off the third inning and scored on a double by Safea Mauai as the Warriors had a 4-2 lead in the third frame.
Baldwin pushed ahead with RBI singles by Haole and Mochi Dukelow in the bottom of the third. The 5-4 lead was precarious, but the Bears added two more runs in the fourth off Waiakea’s Cody Hirata.
Danelle Daniels singled, stole second base, went to third on a wild pitch and scored on a two-out single by Varner off new pitcher Ryan Ross. After a wild pitch, Varner scored on a single by Cade Kalehuawehe for a 7-4 lead.
After exchanging single runs in the fifth, Waiakea trailed 8-5 in the top of the seventh when Baldwin replaced Haole with Varner. With one out, Stone Miyao cranked a double off the right-field wall. Varner, a right-hander, got ahead 0-2 with curveballs and nearly whiffed the talented slugger for a third strike on another bender that was ruled a foul tip.
Rosario, who had been 3-for-3, flied out to center. Varner, who started in right field, then struck out the dangerous Mauai to end the game.
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Paul Honda, Star-Advertiser
