Maui Interscholastic League runner-up Baldwin rode the pitching of Kaden Anderson and Kip Watanabe to a 3-1 victory over Kailua at Iron Maehara Stadium in Wailuku in the opening round of the Wally Yonamine Foundation/HHSAA Baseball State Championships.
Baldwin (16-8-1) meets top-seeded Kamehameha in the quarterfinal round at 4 p.m. today. Kailua (11-11-1) and Roosevelt will meet on Friday at 8:45 a.m. in a consolation matchup.
Anderson pitched four scoreless innings, permitting one hit with two strikeouts and two walks.
Watanabe pitched the last three innings, allowing one run on two hits with two strikeouts and two walks.
Senior Jaden Hunt went 31⁄3 innings for Kailua, allowing two unearned runs on five hits with two strikeouts and one walk.
The game was scoreless for three innings when Baldwin scored twice in the top of the fourth. Devyn Rosaga doubled and Laakea Ko reached base on an error by third baseman Ryce Aoki.
Anderson’s pop fly was misplayed by Aoki, loading the bases. Kaedyn Miyake-Matsubayashi then grounded a single to left, scoring courtesy runner Eli Nouchi and Ko for a 2-0 Baldwin lead.
In the bottom of the sixth, Aoki singled and later scored on Brandon Moore’s double, cutting the lead to 2-1.
Baldwin added an insurance run on Kai Watanabe’s RBI single in the top of the seventh, scoring Miyake-Matsubayashi.
Kip Watanabe retired Kailua in order to end the game.
Leilehua 3, ‘Iolani 2
Tanner Tammarine hurled a four-hitter as the Mules knocked out the ILH runner-up Raiders. Leilehua scored one run in each of the first three innings and withstood a rally by the Raiders in the top of the sixth to advance.
Leilehua (13-10 overall) plays third-seeded Kamehameha-Maui today at 7 p.m. ‘Iolani will meet KS-Hawaii today at 8:45 a.m.
Blaze Manutai’s single scored Titan Pasco from third base for the game’s first run.
In the bottom of the second frame, Hurley Awana led off with a double to right and advanced to third on a groundout. ‘Iolani replaced starting pitcher Noah Chong with Cade Nakama, who walked Kela Baptista.
Titan Pasco stepped up with a single to left, scoring Awana for a 2-0 Leilehua lead.
In the third, Kysen Kobashigawa singled with one out and scored on Awana’s double to left for a three-run lead. In the top of the sixth, Mana Lau Kong led off with a double and advanced to third base on a single by Judah Ota.
Chase Thompson then doubled to center, scoring Lau Kong and Ota. Thompson was thrown out attempting to take third base on a relay throw by Pasco, the second baseman.
In the top of the seventh, Kaiaka Lau Kong reached base on an infield error and advanced to second base on a sacrifice bunt by Kainalu Kane. Tammarine then retired Ethan Akagi on a pop fly and Jadon Anzai on a fly ball to right, securing Leilehua’s win.
Saint Louis 6, Kamehameha-Hawaii 1
Pitcher Levi Perry scattered four hits over six innings as the Crusaders ousted the Warriors. Perry allowed one run, struck out two and walked three. Aycen Fernandez pitched a scoreless seventh with two K’s while permitting one hit.
Saint Louis (17-8-1), the third-place team from the ILH, will play second-seeded Mililani today at 11 a.m.
Kamehameha-Hawaii pitcher Noah Palea allowed two earned runs on six hits with five strikeouts and one walk. Four Warrior errors were costly.
Kamakanikai Kane led the Crusaders at the plate, going 2-for-3 with three RBIs.
Kaiser 7, Roosevelt 6
Bryson Toner went six innings, allowing five earned runs on seven hits with five strikeouts and three walks for the win. The Cougars survived and advanced despite committing five errors.
Kaiser (18-7) will play BIIF champion and fourth seed Waiakea (10-4-2) today at 1:30 p.m.
Jesse Shinagawa, Caleb Hamasaki and Mana Shigehara-Pang each went 2-for-4 to lead Kaiser’s 12-hit attack.
