WAILUKU >> Kalani added its name to the list of schools to hand Maui High an extremely tough loss in the state tournament at Iron Maehara Stadium.
Senior Taichi Fujinaga singled home the go-ahead run in the top of the 10th inning and closed the game with three shutout innings of relief to earn the win in the Falcons’ 2-1 victory over the Sabers in the final of four opening round games on Wednesday.
Kalani (13-3) snapped a six-game losing streak in the state tournament to earn its first win in the winner’s bracket since 1986.
The Falcons will play BIIF champion Waiakea in the second game of today’s four quarterfinal games starting with Mililani against Kailua at 11:15 a.m. Saint Louis will play Pearl City and No. 1 seed Baldwin will end the day in the nightcap against Hilo.
Maui (8-7) suffered its third consecutive loss in the opening round of the state tournament when it’s held at Iron Maehara Stadium.
All three losses have gone at least nine innings with two lasting into the 10th.
Zachary Dando and Kahiau Teruya were the only players in the game to collect multiple hits. Teruya drove in Dando with an RBI single in the bottom of the first inning for what ended up being Maui’s only run.
Kalani starter Dylan Weddle, who entered the game 6-0 in six starts this season, allowed the one run in seven innings with three strikeouts.
Maui starter Jonah Richardson, a 6-foot junior, struck out 12 in eight innings and allowed one unearned run, one walk and three hits.
Kalani tied the game in the top of the fifth inning when Kadin Hanta walked, took second on a wild pitch and scored on an error.
Neither team scored again until the Falcons took advantage of a leadoff walk in the top of the 10th.
First baseman Jase Fujikawa drew the free pass to first and took second on a wild pitch. Pinch-runner Noa Uchida took third on a bunt and scored when Fujinaga singled to center.
Fujinaga then took the mound and closed out the game, getting a strikeout with a runner on second to end it.
“I can’t waste a game that (Weddle) threw so well,” Fujinaga said. “It felt amazing. It felt good.”
Kalani’s victory ended a day that featured two extra-inning games and a no-hitter.
The OIA went 3-1 on the day with its only loss coming when Moanalua lost to fellow OIA member Pearl City.
BIIF runner-up Hilo was the other team to advance as the ILH finished 0-2 on the day and Maui took the loss for the MIL.
At Iron Maehara Stadium
Kalani (13-3) 000 010 000 1 — 2 5 0
Maui (8-7) 100 000 000 0 — 1 7 2
Jonah Richardson, Christopher Mata (9) and Nicholas Nashiwa. Dylan Weddle, Taichi Fujinaga (8) and Koki Hayashi. W—Fujinaga. L—Mata.
Leading hitters—Maui: Zachary Dando 2-5, run; Kahiau Teruya 2-4, RBI.
