Tyler Fujimoto scattered seven hits and outlasted counterpart Royce Komesu as No. 10 Moanalua posted a 3-1 baseball win over No. 8 Kailua on Wednesday at the Surfriders’ field.
Moanalua improved to 6-2 in the OIA Red East with a crucial win, dropping Kailua to 6-2.
"It’s a good win for the kids. We didn’t hit very well, but we got the runs," Moanalua coach Scott Yamada said. "Both pitchers threw well. It could’ve gone either way. Our defense eluded us last game, so it’s a good bounce-back for the kids."
In what was supposed to be another home game, Na Menehune found themselves on the road — the same circumstance they’ve dealt with since the start of preseason. An announcement last week about the unavailability of their home field due to renovation delays was a downer for the entire team.
"Everybody has their home field, so they feel comfortable. We’ve been physically struggling because we can’t play at home this year, but we make the best of it," Yamada said.
Fujimoto improved to 4-0 with a crafty performance on a breezy afternoon. He fanned three and walked none, throwing 87 pitches for a complete-game win. His curveball snapped and stunned batters late into the contest.
"I feel good coming off that loss the other day," Fujimoto said, referring to a 16-8 loss to Kalani on Monday. "My coaches said, ‘Pitch with your legs.’ I blocked out (Kailua’s) noise and kept the ball down."
Kailua got enough pitching and defense to win, but was stifled by two big Moanalua double plays.
"It’s a tough loss. We didn’t execute when we had chances," Kailua coach Corey Ishigo said. "Fujimoto pitched a great game. He threw a lot of strikes and got balance when he had to. The baserunning mistakes, that’s our fault. Fujimoto threw the pitches where he wanted to."
Royce Komesu pitched a solid game, permitting just four hits, striking out four and walking one. But he had control issues early on with two wild pitches that were factors in Moanalua’s first two runs. By the time both pitchers settled down, it turned into a duel.
Moanalua scored in the bottom of the first inning. Leadoff hitter Casey Isa singled to right and later scored on a wild pitch. In the top of the second, Kailua got back-to-back doubles by Lawson Faria and Noah Auld, with Faria scoring easily to tie the game at 1.
Moanalua regained the lead in the second. With two runners in scoring position and Nicholas Enrico at the plate, Komesu was called for a balk, allowing Mark Kuga to score.
Moanalua got a big insurance run after courtesy runner Chance Kinoshita scored on a two-out, line-drive single to center by Drake Fukushima. Kinoshita’s clutch hit came on an 0-2 pitch.
Kailua had runners in scoring position in the third, fourth and fifth innings, failing to capitalize.
With the OIA race heading into the stretch run, neither team showed a lot of emotion after the game.
"We have to play focused," Yamada said. "We can’t play up and down because of caliber. All the teams are great. It’s just a matter of us taking care of what we have to do."
At Kailua
The game was played at Kailua due to renovations on Moanalua’s field
| Kailua (6-2) |
010 |
000 |
0 |
— |
1 |
7 |
0 |
| Moanalua (6-2) |
110 |
010 |
x |
— |
3 |
4 |
0 |
Royce Komesu and Dalton Kalama. Tyler Fujimoto and Brayton Sakai. W–Fujimoto. L–Komesu.
Leading hitters–Kailua: Peter Kanoho 2-3, SB; Lawson Faria 2-3, double, run; Noah Auld 2-3, RBI. Moanalua: Drake Fukushima 1-2, RBI.
Kaiser 5, Castle 3
Kelan Yoshioka went 2-for-3 and hit a home run to lead the Cougars over the Knights. Chase Kalama had two RBIs for Castle.
| At Kaiser |
| Castle (1-6) |
300 |
000 |
0 |
— |
3 |
7 |
1 |
| Kaiser (3-4) |
011 |
102 |
X |
— |
5 |
9 |
3 |
Stephen Lee and Jordan Harvest. Michael Austin and Kelan Yoshioka.
W–Austin. L–Lee.
Leading hitters–Cas: Harvest 2-4; Matthew Anderson-Lee 2-3; Chase Kalama 2 RBIs. Kais: Yoshioka 2-3, HR; Jeshua Bitanga 2-3; Kamalu Simeona 2-3.
Kalani 11, Kalaheo 1
The Falcons scored in every inning and pounded out 19 hits as they beat the Mustangs.
| At Kailua Rec |
| Kalani (6-2) |
112 |
213 |
1 |
— |
11 |
19 |
1 |
| Kalaheo (0-8) |
100 |
000 |
0 |
— |
1 |
5 |
7 |
Reece Kakugawa, Logan Scott (7) and Reyn Shitanishi. Iokepa Lapera, Jack Bell (6), Kaliu Lapera (7) and Kaliu Lapera, Iokepa Lapera (6).
W–Kakugawa. L–I. Lapera.
Leading hitters–Kaln: Payton Awaya 3-3; Ryan Sato 3-4; Shitanishi 2-3, 2 RBIs; Ian Higa 2-4, HR; Justin Ibara 1-3, 3b. Kalh: Abel Kanehe 2-3.
OIA RED WEST
No. 1 Campbell 8, Pearl City 2
Pitchers Zachary Kapihe and Dorrien Hermosura combined to scatter seven hits to help the Sabers beat the Chargers.
Kapihe also struck out three batters. Dane Kaneshiro had three hits for Pearl City.
| At Pearl City |
| Campbell (7-0) |
022 |
202 |
0 |
— |
8 |
8 |
3 |
| PCHS (3-5) |
100 |
100 |
0 |
— |
2 |
7 |
5 |
No. 7 Waipahu 12, Mililani 1, 5 inn.
Patrick Villanueva’s three-run home run helped the Marauders in a victory over the Trojans.
| At Waipahu |
| Mililani (3-5) |
100 |
00 |
— |
1 |
4 |
1 |
| Waipahu (5-1) |
300 |
9x |
— |
12 |
10 |
1 |
Trevor Inouye, Micah Chinen (4), Koa Islak (4), Tyler Kaneshiro (4) and Sean Sonognini. Dylan Sugimoto and Patrick Villanueva.
W–Sugimoto. L–Inouye.
Leading hitters–Mil: Sonognini 1-2, 3b; Kaimana Souza-Paaluhi 1-3, 2b, run. Waip: Grayson Fuentes 2-3, 2b, 2 runs, 4 RBIs; Shiloh Baniaga 2-4, run, 2 RBIs; Villanueva 1-3, HR, 3 RBIs.
Kapolei 9, Aiea 6
Dylan White’s three-run homer in the sixth inning helped the Hurricanes rally past Na Alii. Kapolei scored five runs in the sixth to erase a 6-4 deficit.
Kobe Kato had three hits and three RBIs for Aiea.
| At Kapolei |
| Aiea (3-5) |
032 |
001 |
0 |
— |
6 |
9 |
1 |
| Kapolei (2-5) |
001 |
215 |
X |
— |
9 |
9 |
3 |
Kobe Kato, Shae Ishimoto (6) and Hunter Yara. Ty-Noah Williams, Jace Barayuga (5), and Tyler Hao.
W–Barayuga. L–Kato.
Leading hitters–Aiea: Liwai Manoa 2-4, 3b, 2 runs, RBI; Kato 3-3, 3 RBIs. Kapo: Dylan White 3-3, HR, 3 RBIs; Kaimi Kalaola 2 RBIs.
OIA WHITE
Waianae 14, Kahuku 1 5 Inn.
Jerzey Ramento-Acosta pitched a four-hitter and struck out seven to help the Seariders beat the Red Raiders. Chasetin Nash-Santiago went 4-for-4 and drove in three runs.
| At Waianae |
| Kahuku (0-6) |
000 |
10 |
— |
1 |
4 |
2 |
| Waianae (6-1) |
701 |
6x |
— |
14 |
14 |
1 |
Ronald Hurlburt and Josiah Vea. Jerzey Ramento-Acosta, Thomas Kaauwai (5) and Ejay Kuakini, Darion Domingo (5).
W–Ramento-Acosta. L–Hurlburt.
Leading hitters–Kahu: Vea 2-2. Wain: Chasetin Nash-Santiago 4-4, 3 RBIs, 2 runs; Domingo 2-2, 2 runs; Niko Kala-Mahiai 2-2, RBI, 2 runs; Kuakini 2-3, 2 RBIs, 2 runs; Sheaven Delima-Fereira 3b; Kekoa Kaluhiokalani Jr. HR, 3 RBIs.
Radford 10, McKinley 0, 5 innings
Marc Tejada struck out eight as the Rams defeated the Tigers in a game shortened by the mercy rule.
| At Radford |
| Mckinley (2-5) |
000 |
00 |
— |
0 |
0 |
6 |
| Radford (6-1) |
080 |
11 |
— |
10 |
12 |
2 |
Noah Diaz, Jantzen Hatakenaka (3), Landon Rita (3) and Chevas Pacheco. Marc Tejada and Dominic Albalos, Dylan Cox (4).
W–Tejada. L–Diaz.
Leading hitters–Rad: Tjaber De Alba 2-3.
Kaimuki 4, Waialua 1
Keith Masui went 2-for-3 to lead Kaimuki past Waialua.
| At Waialua |
| Kaimuki (3-5) |
301 |
000 |
0 |
— |
4 |
5 |
2 |
| Waialua (3-3) |
001 |
000 |
0 |
— |
1 |
4 |
0 |
Keoni Umeda and KB Palsis. Taleon Lele, Caelan Alejandro (6) and Kebi Dellatan.
W–Umeda. L–Lele.
Leading hitters–Kaim: Keith Matsui 2-3.
Also
MIL
Maui 11, Kamehameha-Maui 0, 5 innings
