The Pearl City baseball team doesn’t have access to its home field, which is undergoing renovations.
But what the Chargers do have is a solid team early in the OIA West season.
Devin Hayashi came on in relief and recorded a strikeout with the bases loaded and two outs in the sixth inning and Eddie Ogasawara scored the go-ahead run on an error by the first baseman in the bottom half as Pearl City beat host Mililani 2-1 on Saturday.
“Our boys work really hard in practice for these moments and they never give up and they always fight till the end,” Pearl City assistant coach Eric Boyles said. “It was a tight game between us and Mililani and it’s a rivalry with us.”
Pearl City improved to 3-0, while Mililani fell to 1-2.
The Trojans, the designated visiting team Saturday, loaded the bases with two outs in the top of the sixth off Chargers reliever Shaine Fujii on singles by Ridge Choy and Tanner Aoki, and a hit-by-pitch by Zen Staszkow.
Hayashi entered and struck out Brayden Suehisa on a 1-2 pitch to keep the score tied at 1-1.
“I saw him swing and I got really excited because I didn’t want anyone to score and I knew it was a tight situation for the whole team and I was glad I was able to come through,” said Hayashi, a senior left-hander.
In the Chargers’ half of the sixth, Hayashi led off with a hit by pitch against Kai Hirayama and was replaced by courtesy runner Ogasawara.
Eli Oshiro laid down a sacrifice bunt and Drew Boyles’ single off the glove of the shortstop put runners at the corners.
The left-handed Hirayama attempted a pickoff throw, but Mililani first baseman Choy missed the ball, which allowed Ogasawara to score and pinch runner Blaine Tsue to reach second.
“The lefty just kind of faked (Choy) out. He thought he was going to the plate and he came over. It’s one of those things,” said Mililani coach Mark Hirayama.
In the seventh, the Trojans’ Ethan Murakoshi had a two-out single, but Hayashi got Choy to fly out to center fielder Eliaz Duropan to end it.
“I just had the mindset that I need to do this for my team and make sure I touch their bats and I have full-on trust in my teammates that they’re going to make the plays,” Hayashi said.
Pearl City’s field renovations include the installation of FieldTurf.
Boyles, the assistant coach, said he hopes the field will be ready for a game against Campbell on April 13. Until then, Pearl City will play all road games.
The Chargers have been practicing on a grass area below the school’s gym and at Pacheco Park. While on campus, they can’t have batting practice, the pitchers have to work on flat ground and they have to share the area with the Pearl City softball team. On Tuesdays and Thursdays at Pacheco Park, the Chargers use the mound and hold batting practice.
“We don’t have a field. Even the JV went through a season without a field, and they just fight,” Boyles said. “They don’t make excuses and we’re real proud of them.”
Mililani took a 1-0 lead in the second on Kaleb Pongasi’s double to left-center, which scored Jaden Miranda.
Pearl City tied it in the third when Mark Moreno scored on a wild pitch by Mililani starter Randyn Rios.
The Trojans left 12 runners on base, including eight in scoring position.
“That’s the name of the game — you have to take advantage of the opportunities that you get,” Hirayama said. “We haven’t done that very well lately.”
Pearl City starter Dacoda Agoto allowed one run and one hit and struck out six in four innings but walked five.
“It’s hard because we don’t have a field at our school, but we still push,” said Agoto, a senior right-hander. “My team, they got my back always. We just push and it is what it is with the walks. No matter, my brothers got me. We’re all in this.”
Fujii allowed two hits with two strikeouts in 1 2/3 innings and Hayashi recorded the final four outs.
“Our pitching staff, we have a lot of faith in our pitchers right now,” Boyles said. “We’re pretty deep in pitching, so we’re very fortunate. We trust them all.”
Mililani’s Rios pitched five innings and allowed one run on four hits and three walks with three strikeouts.
At Mililani
Mililani (1-2) 010 000 0 — 1 4 1
Pearl City (3-0) 001 001 x — 2 5 3
Randyn Rios, Kai Hirayama (6) and BJ Tokushima. Dacoda Agoto, Shaine Fujii (5), Devin Hayashi (6) and Kody Hayashi. W—Devin Hayashi. L—Hirayama.
Leading hitters—Mililani: Kaleb Pongasi 2b. Pearl City: Devin Hayashi 2-2, 2b; Drew Boyles 2-2.
Saturday’s results
OIA EAST
Kalani 7, Roosevelt 4
W—Taichi Fujinaga. L—Ayden Revera.
Leading hitters—Kaln: Kolin Fukuki 2-3, run, RBI; Logan Ouchi 2-4, run, RBI. Roos: Brayden Moy 2-5; Dominic Teixeira 2-5; Austin Taniguchi 2-2, 2 runs; Torin Hirasa 2 RBI; Jeff Spurling 2-4, RBI.
Farrington 11, Castle 1
OIA WEST
Pearl City 2, Mililani 1
W—Devin Hayashi. L—Kai Hirayama.
Leading hitters—Mililani: Kaleb Pongasi 2b. Pearl City: Hayashi 2-2, 2b; Drew Boyles 2-2.
Campbell 12, Aiea 3
W—Shane Ramelb. L—Bostan Ujimori.
Leading hitters—Camp: Kayne Carlos 2 runs, 2 RBI; Deion Jones 3-4, run, 2 RBI; Dallas Alapai 2 runs; Cason Eliptico-Quinata 2-3, 2 RBI; Hunter Lindsey 2 runs, Shaun-Lee Saito 2-2, 2 runs, 2 RBI. Aiea: Raine Yoshida 3-3, RBI; Isaac Rodrigues 2-3, run.
OIA DIVISION II
Waipahu 12, McKinley 2
W—Deyn Lake. L—Dylan Takenaka.
Leading hitters—Waip: Phoenix Torres 2 runs, 3 RBI; Jacob Sugimoto 2 runs; Kylan Kono 3 runs; Kolby Wagatsuma 2-3, 3 RBI; Danen Nishimura 2 runs, RBI.
Waialua 15, Kaimuki 11
