Nanakuli’s Donald Kapaku Jr. was in control on the mound and his teammates took charge on the base paths Saturday as the Golden Hawks claimed their first OIA baseball title.
Kapaku Jr. pitched a five-hitter with six strikeouts and Nanakuli stole 11 bases in a 10-0 six-inning victory over short-handed Waianae in the final of the OIA Division II baseball tournament at Hans L’Orange Park.
“We prayed, God answered our prayers and the band came through,” said Nanakuli coach Donald Kapaku Sr.
Nanakuli, Waianae and Waipahu will represent the OIA at the Wally Yonamine Foundation Division II baseball championships May 5-7 at Francis Wong Stadium on Hawaii island.
Kapaku, a sophomore right-hander, walked two — one intentional — and four of the hits he allowed didn’t leave the infield.
“I was just trying to hit that outside corner, hit my locations and let them put the ball in play so my defense can make (the plays),” Kapaku Jr. said.
He threw 51 strikes in his 79-pitch outing to resemble a four-time Cy Young Award winner with excellent control.
“It’s years of building to show he could be like Greg Maddux,” Kapaku Sr. said. “He’s not going to be a speed pitcher. He’s just going to be Greg Maddux.”
The Golden Hawks’ stolen base total included two successful double-steals of home.
“We like to put pressure on the other teams,” Kapaku Sr. said. “We were able to create it. It was successful.”
Nanakuli (13-1) took a 3-0 lead in the first inning. Isaiah Enriquez’s two-run single scored Keahi Ah Sui and Damian Griffin, who was intentionally walked before Enriquez’s at-bat and stole second. Enriquez took second on the throw to the plate and scored on consecutive wild pitches by Waianae’s Shysten Nagasako.
Griffin led off the third by scoring on a pair of Searider errors. He reached second on a throwing error by the third baseman. As the Waianae defense relaxed, Griffin sprinted for third and scored on a throwing error by the first baseman. Nakakuli, the No. 1 seed, made it 5-0 later in the inning when Enriquez scored on a double-steal with Alden Mahoe at first base and two outs.
The Golden Hawks executed another double-steal to score in the fourth. Jordan Kay reached third on an infield single, stolen base and wild pitch. Ah Sui followed with a walk and took off for second. The throw from the catcher to second base was not in time and Kay was able to score on the play. Ah Sui scored on a wild pitch to make it 7-0.
In the sixth, Nanakuli scored on a bases-loaded walk by Griffin, a hit by pitch by JB Gonsalves and Micah Nihoa’s groundout to the first baseman.
Nanakuli didn’t allow a run in the OIA tournament. The Golden Hawks defeated Kahuku 16-0 on Friday.
No. 3 seed Waianae (10-5) was missing six players — four attended their prom and two were at a football camp in Las Vegas.
Waianae coach Ben McQuown said, “No excuses,” when talking about the loss.
The Seariders also issued nine walks, five wild pitches and committed all four of its errors over the first three innings. The Golden Hawks only had five hits.
“Defense is our Achilles’ heel,” McQuown said. “Either we’re up or we’re down. Today, obviously, was a down game for us. We can’t beat teams like this, especially Nanakuli, they don’t make mistakes.”
Nanakuli beat Waianae 8-2 and 7-2 during the regular season.
—
Nanakuli 10, Waianae 0 (6 inn.). W—Donald Kapaku Jr. L—Shysten Nagasako.
Leading hitters— Nanakuli: Keahi Ah Sui 2 runs; Damian Griffin 3 runs; Isaiah Enriquez 2-3, 2 runs, 2 RBIs; JB Gonsalves 2-3; Jordan Kay 2 runs. Waianae: Joeziah Clifton 2-3.
Third place
Waipahu 14, Kahuku 1
W—Phoenix Torres. L—Davin Aea.
Leading hitters—Waipahu: Jacob Sugimoto 2 runs, RBI; Aaron Nobu run, 2 RBI; Mason Salausa-Galletes run, 2 RBI; Donald Miller 2 runs; Kylan Kono run, 2 RBI; Kien Leong 2-2, run, 2 RBI.
