The comeback kids of Kamehameha did it again.
The third-ranked Warriors rallied with two runs in the top of the seventh inning to end Trevor Ichimura’s shutout bid and force extra innings, then plated three more runs in the eighth for a 5-2 win at ‘Iolani on Tuesday.
Chase Miyasato’s run-scoring single brought Micah McNicoll home with the go-ahead run in the eighth as the Warriors improved to 8-3 in the merciless Interscholastic League of Honolulu. Lii Pontes finished the last 21⁄3 innings on the mound for the win. The Warriors are in a chase for the regular-season title and the reward of an automatic state-tournament berth.
“We look at every game as a championship game,” starting pitcher Hunter Breault said.
‘Iolani, which was ranked in the Top 10 during the first three weeks of the regular season, dropped to 3-8 with another close loss.
“If the games are four innings long, we’d probably be in first place,” Raiders coach Kurt Miyahara said.
It was confirmation for Breault. Though he didn’t get the win, he overcame a bases-loaded, one-out scenario in the first inning and escaped unscathed. He went 52⁄3 innings, scattering seven hits and permitting two runs. He fanned two and walked two, finding his groove midway through. It may have been a breakthrough performance for the right-hander, who pronounces his last name “Bro.”
“He’s been working really hard to regain his mound presence,” Kamehameha coach Tommy Perkins said.
Ichimura, a right-handed sophomore, was masterful at times. He went seven innings, allowing two runs on four hits. He struck out three and walked one in a no-decision.
“He’s young and he’s only going to get better,” Miyahara said.
“He did a great job for six innings,” Perkins added.
The home team broke a scoreless tie with a run in the bottom of the fifth inning. Shane Sasaki led off with a gapper to right center, legging out a triple. He scored on pinch hitter Chad Suga’s single to center.
While Ichimura was on a roll, retiring 12 batters in a row at one point, the Raiders added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth. Matt Inaba beat out a grounder in the hole at short, stole second base and advanced to third on a deep flyout by Cade Yonamine. With two outs, Inaba raced home and scored on Breault’s wild pitch for a 2-0 lead.
After throwing just 53 pitches in the first six innings, Ichimura appeared to tire in the seventh. He walked Mason Quinlan on a full-count pitch and Kawai Takemura singled to left. The runners advanced a base on a wild pitch by Ichimura before Micah Hee grounded out to short, with pinch runner Nakea Hanohano scoring from third to cut the lead to 2-1.
Makoa Mau then went after the first pitch by Ichimura and lined a two-out single to right, bringing in Takemura from third to tie the game at 2.
In the bottom of the seventh, Pontes walked Devin Ide, but pinch runner Ezra Heleski got caught off first base and was tagged out on a 2-6-3 play. Matt Campos reached base on a throwing error by the shortstop, McNicoll. However, Pontes struck out dangerous Everett Lau and got Inaba to ground out.
Facing reliever Jordan Iwasaki in the top of the eighth, McNicoll singled to center with one out and Logan Salcedo’s perfectly placed push bunt turned into an infield single. Miyasato then singled, and when Inaba misplayed the ball in left field, McNicoll scored easily from second and Salcedo sprinted home from first. Kamehameha led 4-2.
Quinlan then sent a shot to deep center for a double, scoring Miyasato for a 5-2 Kamehameha lead.
Pontes retired the Raiders in order in the bottom of the eighth.
| At ‘Iolani |
| Kamehameha (8-3) |
000 |
000 |
23 |
— |
5 |
8 |
1 |
| ‘Iolani (3-8) |
000 |
011 |
00 |
— |
2 |
7 |
2 |
Hunter Breault, Lii Pontes (6) and Revan Wong. Trevor Ichimura, Jordan Iwasaki (8) and Devin Ide. W–Pontes. L–Iwasaki.
Leading hitters–Kamehameha: Logan Salcedo 2-4, run; Chase Miyasato 1-4, RBI, run; Mason Quinlan 1-3, 2B, RBI, run, BB; Kawai Takemura 2-3, run; Makoa Mau 1-3, RBI.
ILH DIVISION I BASEBALL
Punahou 5, Maryknoll 2
ILH DIVISION II BASEBALL
Pac-Five 4, Damien 1
Lee Tanaka pitched a three-hitter with 10 strikeouts as the Wolfpack beat the Monarchs.
Pac-Five’s Jared Miyasato drove in two runs and Shandon Lagua scored twice.
| At Hans L’Orange Park |
| Damien (3-7) |
000 |
000 |
1 |
— |
1 |
3 |
0 |
| Pac-Five (4-5) |
200 |
110 |
x |
— |
4 |
9 |
0 |
Grayson Bueno and Milton Gainey. Lee Tanaka and Jared Miyasato. W–Tanaka. L–Bueno
Leading hitters–Pac-Five: Shandon Lagua 2-2, 2 runs; Miyasato 2-3, 2 RBIs; Zane Oshiro 2b.
OIA DIVISION II SOFTBALL
Farrington 15, Kalaheo 1, 5 inn.
Krislon Philpot-Rosa pitched a five-hitter and the Governors benefited from 10 walks to beat the Mustangs.
| At Kalaheo |
| Farrington (4-2) |
402 |
90 |
— |
15 |
8 |
1 |
| Kalaheo (2-4-1) |
000 |
01 |
— |
1 |
5 |
3 |
Krislon Philpot-Rosa and Kaycie Okada. Michelle Sasaki, Tiana Perry (4) and Elise McCabe. W–Philpot-Rosa. L–Sasaki.
Leading hitters–Farr: Okada 2b; Kylie Carganilla 2b; Kelia Miller 3-4. Kalh: Terra Bush 2b; Ruthie Ilab 2b; Perry 2b.
Radford 12, Waialua 8
Kayla Dempsey and Baileigh Suska scored twice as the Rams beat the Bulldogs.
| At Radford |
| Waialua (1-2-1) |
000 |
503 |
0 |
— |
8 |
9 |
5 |
| Radford (4-3) |
050 |
160 |
x |
— |
12 |
7 |
1 |
Kaedy Hatchett and Lea’a Puleiala. Ciera Farias, Kayla Dempsey (6) and Honor Siu-Auelua. W–Farias. L–Hatchell.
Leading hitters–Waialua: Andrea Dicion 3-4, 3b, 4 RBIs; Nova Rivera 2 RBIs; Candice Basillio 2 runs. Radford: Dempsey 2-4, 2 runs; Baileigh Suska 2b, 2 runs.
MIL BASEBAll
Kamehameha-Maui 4, Lahainaluna 3
Maui 12, King Kekaulike 5
BIIF BASEBAll
Kamehameha-Hawaii 17, Kohala 4, 5 inn.
