Two weeks ago, ‘Iolani was clobbered by Mid-Pacific in its first game in the ILH double-elimination baseball tournament.
Six wins later, this improbable run continues into the ILH championship game against regular-season winner Saint Louis on Friday.
Sophomore Kaleb Tenn pitched the best game of his young career, falling one out shy of a complete game, allowing just four hits in a 6-1 win over Kamehameha to win the league tournament on Wednesday at Central Oahu Regional Park.
Travis Ujimori had two hits and scored twice and Kaimana Lau Kong went 2-for-3 with three RBIs for ‘Iolani, which was 4-11 before rattling off a six-game winning streak that includes two wins over Kamehameha and victories against Punahou, Saint Louis, Maryknoll and Pac-Five.
“We’ve just got to believe and trust each other,” said Tenn, who struck out three and allowed just one hit after the third inning. “I just wanted to mix it up, work ahead, believe what my pitch caller was calling me and believe in my catcher behind the dish and the defense behind me.”
Nobody believed this was possible for the Raiders after they ended the regular season losing 10-0 to Kamehameha in five innings and then getting blown out at Mid-Pacific, 12-4, to start the tournament.
The Raiders clinched the league’s third berth into the state tournament with a win over Punahou on Saturday and then won the league tournament by erasing a six-run deficit in a win over Kamehameha on Monday and then holding the Warriors to four hits on Wednesday.
“Baseball is a funny game,” ‘Iolani coach Kurt Miyahira said. “We just happen to be fortunate these last few games. It’s fun watching them have fun and get after it every day. I just want them to enjoy the ride.”
Kamehameha catcher Beau Sylvester had two hits, including a long single to left in the bottom of the third inning that scored Aydan Lobetos to give the Warriors a 1-0 lead.
‘Iolani scored all of its runs over the next three innings with Jonah Velasco tying the game at 1-1 with an RBI double in the fourth inning.
Cadence Ueyama led off the fifth inning with a triple over the head of Lobetos in center and scored on Lau Kong’s RBI single. ‘Iolani added two more runs on a walk and a hit batter with the bases loaded after a Kamehameha error kept the inning going.
Lau Kong added a two-run single in the top of the sixth for the final margin.
“I wanted to be way more aggressive because before this run we went on, I was a little more passive in my at-bats and I think that’s been a pretty big factor in why I haven’t been getting as many hits as I am now,” said Lau Kong, a freshman who has already committed to play at Hawaii. “Me being more aggressive is beneficial to our team.”
Kamehameha scored 13 runs in its first three innings against ‘Iolani on Monday but managed only one run over the next 11 innings.
Sophomore right-hander Blade Paragas, who entered the game 4-1 this season, allowed two earned runs in 4 2/3 innings with six strikeouts, but was hurt by two errors behind him.
“Unreal, man. We ran into a hot team and they won, bottom line, no if’s, and’s or but’s,” Kamehameha coach Daryl Kitagawa said. “We’re looking forward to Maui. That’s it.”
After giving up a two-out RBI single to Sylvester in the third inning, Tenn retired 10 of the next 11 hitters before Jace Souza’s one-out single in the seventh. Tenn walked Kiai Kawai with two outs and was pulled for reliever Izack Takasawa despite his plea to face one more batter.
“They are really dangerous so I just had to really focus in and try to get out of there quickly and get my offense back up,” Tenn said.
“Kaleb has really stepped up,” Miyahira added. “Our whole team has. I’m proud of them for believing in each other and hats off to Kamehameha. They are a really great club and they will be dangerous in the state tournament.”
Friday’s winner will earn the seeded berth in the state tournament and not have to play until the quarterfinals on Thursday.
Kamehameha and the loser on Friday will open the state tournament at Iron Maehara Stadium on Maui on Wednesday in the first round.
