Leilehua coach Brandon Kon has watched junior Koen Barton work his way into becoming one of the best pitchers in the state.
He wasn’t about to take his 6-foot-3 right-hander out until the pitch count forced him to do so.
After hitting a batter and walking two with two outs in the top of the seventh, Barton remained in the game and induced a fly ball to left field with the tying run on second to close out a 2-0 victory over ‘Iolani in the first round of the Wally Yonamine Foundation/HHSAA State Baseball Championships at Les Murakami Stadium on Tuesday.
Barton struck out five and walked two for the OIA runner-up Mules (10-6), who will play MIL champion Baldwin in today’s 4 p.m. quarterfinal after winning their first state-tournament game in the winner’s bracket since 2004.
“We have a lot of confidence in Koen,” Kon said. “We had a game plan coming in on how to attack the hitters and he executed. Great job. Unbelievable.”
Barton has gone seven innings in each of his past four starts and hasn’t allowed more than two runs in seven starts this season.
Only seven ‘Iolani batters reached base, with three coming with two outs in the top of the seventh.
With the bases loaded, Bruin Agbayani, who barreled up two balls to dead center earlier in the game, popped a changeup to left field that was caught by Keola Hanoa to end it.
Barton threw 105 pitches.
“Just trying to find it, throw some strikes and let my defense work because we have a great defense out there,” Barton said. “I was feeling pretty good. I was just missing a little bit there at the end.”
The Mules haven’t advanced to the state semifinals since 1962, when they swept both the OIA and state championship.
‘Iolani starter Trent Ihle nearly matched Barton every step of the way, allowing four hits in six innings with two walks and four strikeouts.
The two runs were unearned, as an error at shortstop allowed Leilehua to put runners on first and second with nobody out in the second inning.
A sacrifice bunt moved runners to second and third and the Mules manufactured both runs that scored on a fielder’s choice and an RBI groundout by Lowen Owan.
“Trent did awesome. He kept us in the ballgame and that’s all we can ask for,” ‘Iolani coach Kurt Miyahira said. “I’m proud of them. It sucks it has to end this way. These guys they keep playing.”
Barton began the top of the sixth inning facing the top of the ‘Iolani lineup for the third time in the game.
Agbayani hit a ground ball to third that Ryden Sasaki fielded cleanly and thew to first. It was a bang-bang play that was ruled an out instead of a base hit.
Kaimana Lau Kong followed with a base hit and moved to second on a wild pitch, but the Raiders (11-8-1) couldn’t bring him home.
“That was very important. A nice play by my third baseman,” Barton said. “I was making sure to mix it up because those guys can hit the fastball well, so I was throwing a lot of changeups today.”
Barton started games for Leilehua as a sophomore but has turned himself into one of the elite pitchers in the state. He’s now 5-1 with a 1.00 ERA and 41 strikeouts in 49 2/3 innings.
“He has taken a big jump forward. Credit to him because he’s worked hard in the weight room and on his pitches and location and all that,” Kon said. “Credit to him because he’s done a great job for us all season.”
