Ask just about any player on the Kapolei or Aiea baseball teams, and they’ll tell you it’s destiny that they’ll meet again in the postseason.

Na Alii nudged past the Hurricanes 3-2 on Wednesday night at Hans L’Orange Park to retain sole possession of first place in the OIA White.

"We’ll play them in the OIA championship game," said Kapolei coach Thomas Ebanez after his team’s second close loss to Aiea this season. He said it with confidence and a smile and a hope that his team will have another crack at its rivals.

Lefties Dylan Madamba of Na Alii and Ekolu Young of the Hurricanes mowed down batters all night with an assortment of fine offerings.

It appeared Madamba was on the way to a 2-1 win, but Kapolei (6-2) fought back with a run in the seventh.

In the bottom half of the seventh, Aiea’s Jaryn Nakamoto singled to right and scored on three straight walks given up by a tiring Young. On a 3-1 pitch with the bases loaded, Shannon Fermahin took a cut and missed to bring the count to 3-2. The next pitch was low, allowing Nakamoto to cross the plate.

"Fatigue may have been a factor," Ebanez said about Young, who denied he was out of gas.

"Not at all," Young said when asked for his take on it. "I just tried to do my best and didn’t get the calls I would have liked. We do a lot of conditioning. Right, guys (speaking to his team)? We fight to the end."

Fermahin finished 3-for-3 with two RBIs and he said he was relaxed during crunch time during the final at-bat.

"I stayed calm and let Ekolu throw whatever he was going to throw (on the 3-2 count). It was kind of do or die, but there was only one out and I trusted Bronson (Nekemoto) behind me. He’s clutch."

The Hurricanes made six errors in the contest and were lucky to still be in it in the late stages. Three errors and three hits by Aiea (7-0) in the fourth inning — including Fermahin’s RBI single — led to a 2-0 Na Alii lead.

Kapolei manufactured a run in the fifth on Noah Lono-Soares’ double to left, Robert Oliveros’ sacrifice bunt and Mykah Kuratani’s sacrifice fly.

Madamba, who had been pretty much cruising along, hit Young with the first pitch of the seventh and it turned out to be costly. Young moved up two bases on two passed balls by closer and eventual winner Kobe Kato and scored on Lono-Soares’ single for a 2-2 tie.

"After the game, I talked to the team about stuff like that to clean up. Tighten up the situational defense," Aiea coach Ryan Kato said.

"They need to realize that one play can make a difference. In this case, if there hadn’t have been a runner on third, the closer wouldn’t have to be force-feeding fastballs in such a critical situation.

"Both starters pitched great ballgames. Every half inning, we talked about trying to push just one run across. We got two in that one inning and couldn’t seem to do anything else."

Lono Soares turned in the biggest defensive gem of the game with a full-tilt running and diving grab in left in the third.

Three Kapolei base runners were cut down on the basepaths, including two in big situations. Tristen Manoha bolted home from third on a squeeze attempt in the second, with the game still scoreless, but was caught on a pitchout. Then, in the sixth, Cobey Fujii led off with a single, was nearly picked off first, stole second and then got picked off.

At Hans L’Orange Park

Ekolu Young and Mykah Kuratani. Dylan Madamba, Kobe Kato (7) and Makana Ah Yo.
W—Kato. L—Young.
Leading hitters—Kapolei: Noah Lono Soares 2-3, 2b, RBI, run; Robert Oliveros 1-1, 2 SACs; Kuratani SF. Aiea: Kato 2b; Shannon Fermahin 3-3, 2 RBIs

KALAHEO 8, FARRINGTON 4

Thomas Capllonch, Zachary Espinoza and Jack Bell each drove in two runs as the Mustangs beat the Governors.

Kekai Smith allowed one run in 31—3 innings of relief for Kalaheo, which scored five runs in the first inning.

Farrington’s Brett Walden batted 2-for-3 with two RBIs.

At Kailua District Park

Chasen Castilliano, Austin Riley-Echiberi (4), Ranan Mamiya (5) and Brett Walden. Kaleb Gilmore, Kekai Smith (4) and Kaliu Lapera.
W—Smith. L—Castilliano.
Leading hitters—Farrington: Walden 2-3, 2 RBIs. Kalaheo: Lapera 2b; Alfred Catimon 3b; Thomas Capllonch 2 RBIs; Zachary Espinoza 2 RBIs; Jack Bell 2 RBIs.

NANAKULI 10, WAIALUA 7

The Golden Hawks took advantage of the five Bulldogs’ errors, scoring 10 runs on four hits to earn the win.

Chucky Hoopai and Ronson Vea led Nanakuli’s offense with two hits each.

At Waialua

Brayden Ramaila, Chucky Hoopai (5) and Zayn Kaaihue-Vasconcellos. Logan Onizuka, Jarrett Felix (2), Royce Tashiro (4) and Mila, Lele, Matthan Hatchie (5).
W—Ramaila. L—Onizuka.
Leading hitters—Nanakuli: Hoopai 2-3, RBI; Ronson Vea 2-3, RBI. Waialua: Tashiro 2-4, 3b, run, RBI; Felix 2-3, 2 runs, RBI; Branigan Lee 3-4, 3b, 2 runs, RBI; Lele 2-3, run; Hatchie 2b, run, RBI.

MCKINLEY 1, KAHUKU 0 (BY FORFEIT)

OIA RED EAST BASEBALL

NO. 5 KAILUA 18, KAIMUKI 6, 5 INNINGS

Dalton Kalama was hot at bat, drilling three doubles and driving in six runs, as the Surfriders dominated the Bulldogs.

At Kailua

Tyler Fujita, Bailey Uehara (2), JC Palsis (3), Isaac Waikiki (5) and Kobe Heogar. Keiki Kanahele-Santos, Cody Takabuki (3), Dalton Kalama (4), Kaeo DePonte (5) and Dalton Kalama.
W—Kanahele-Santos. L—Fujita.
Leading hitters—Kailua: Matt Hanano 2-3, 2b, 2 runs, 3 RBIs; Brendan Odo 3-4, 2 2bs, 2 runs, RBIs; Kalama 3-3, 3 2bs, 6 RBIs.

MOANALUA 11, NO. 9 KAISER 5

Kekaulike Kalua and Andrew Oasay each drove in two runs as Na Menehune upset the Cougars.

At Kaiser

Tanner Inouye, Skyler Yamamoto (6) and Kekaulike Kalua. Kamalu Simeona, Brandon Heu (6), Luis Omphroy (7) and Emmett Covello. 
W—Inouye. L—Simeona.
Leading hitters—Moanalua: Kalua 2-3, 2 runs, 2 RBIs; Nicholas Enrico 2-4, 2 2bs, 3 runs, RBI; Andrew Oasay 2-4, 3b, 2 RBIs; Ryne Oshiro 2b. Kaiser: Shane Agbayani 2-2, 2b, HR, 3 RBIs; Simeona 2-3, 3b; Omphroy 3b.

KALANI 6, ROOSEVELT 0

Reece Kakugawa pitched a complete game, striking out eight batters, as the Falcons shut out the Rough Riders.

At Kalani

Jonah Sasahara and Jarred Tamashiro. Reece Kakugawa and Bronson Matsumoto.
W—Kakugawa. L—Sasahara.
Leading hitters—Kalani: Matsumoto 2-2, RBI; Beall 2b, 2 RBIs.

OIA RED WEST BASEBALL

NO. 1 MILILANI 1, WAIANAE 0

Micah Chinen pitched a four-hitter and Ryan Kono’s sacrifice fly scored Adam Connell in the sixth inning as the Trojans beat the Seariders.

Chinen walked none and struck out three.

Waianae’s Jerzey Ramento pitched a three-hitter.

At Mililani

Jerzey Ramento and Rico Rosario. Micah Chinen and Sean Sonognini.
W—Chinen. L—Ramento.
Leading hitter—Mililani: Adam Connell 3b.

LEILEHUA 3, NO. 2 CAMPBELL 1

The Mules used a three-run third inning to upset the second-ranked Sabers.

At Campbell

Teagan Eckstrom, Ricky Tagami (4), Trayson Kubo (5) and Fox Hook, Kebi Dellatan (4). Dorrien Villanueva-Hermosura, Keola Himan (6) and Tryzen Patricio.
W—Eckstrom. L—Villanueva-Hermosura. S—Kubo.
Leading hitters—Leilehua: Dellatan 2b. Campbell: Blayze Arcano-Llacuna 2-3; Dewayne Sprinkel 3b, run.

PEARL CITY 5, RADFORD 0

The Chargers’ bullpen allowed only one hit in their shutout win over the Rams.

At Radford

Dane Kaneshiro, Chevy Sumile (6) and Shaye Higa. Nick Martinez, Jacob Nishitomi (1), Landyn Bartness (7) and Dominic Albalos.
W—Kaneshiro. L—Martinez.
Leading hitters—Pearl City: Nicholas Au 2-4, run; Davin Kapuras 2-3, 2b, 2 RBIs.

ILH DIV. II BASEBALL

PAC-FIVE 13, HANALANI 2, 5 INNINGS

Casey Wong had two hits and drove in two runs as the Wolf Pack routed the Royals. At CORP Field No. 2

Dayne Ramos, Marques Asato (4), Shaun Mahiko (5) and Micah Lum. Rylen Abeshima, Keenan Cooper (3), Kevin Matsuoka (4) and Reyn Romero.
W—Ramos. L—Abeshima.
Leading hitters—Pac-Five: Casey Wond 2-2, 3 runs, 2 RBIs; Lum 2-2, 2 RBIs; Ramos 2-2, 2 RBIs; Dailey Lee 2b, 2 RBIs.

BIIF BASEBALL

KAMEHAMEHA-HAWAII 8, HILO 6