Alaka‘i Kiakona fired six scoreless innings and Matt Zarriello provided a two-run infield single in the third inning as No. 1 Kamehameha outlasted No. 2 Mid-Pacific 2-0 on Thursday afternoon.
Kiakona was precise and let his defense do plenty of work. The left-handed sophomore allowed just two hits, struck out one and walked none in a stellar demonstration of control. Logan Sanchez pitched a scoreless inning in the seventh to notch a save on a sunny afternoon at Damon Field.
“I felt good and it transfers out there. My fastball was really working today,” Kiakona said. “Our defense really helped me out. I knew (Sanchez) would go out there and dominate, which he did.”
Kamehameha evened its mark at 1-1 in ILH play (7-2-1 overall).
“Alakai‘i was outstanding. Pitch count was low, pounding the strike zone. Good pitching and defense. That’s how you win games when you’re not hitting the ball too good, but we did enough and took an advantage of an opportunity,” Warriors coach Daryl Kitamura said. “Hats off to our team for playing hard and keeping ourselves in the game.”
Mid-Pacific dropped to 0-2 in league action (10-3-1 overall).
“It’s the second time in a row we had a good pitching performance. We hit the ball enough,” Owls coach Dunn Muramaru said. “(Kiakona) is good. He fell behind, he got hit. Whenever he got behind, he got back in the count. He’s good.”
MPI junior southpaw Payton Dixon got out of a bases-loaded jam in the first frame, striking out Zarriello with two outs. Kamehameha also had a runner in scoring position in the second and came up empty against Dixon.
Jace Souza led off the top of the third inning with a single. Aukai Kea singled and Ayden Lobetos walked to load the bases. Kai Tokumaru replaced Dixon and got Dane Palimo‘o to ground into a 5-2-3 double play.
Zarriello, however, was ready for his second chance. He sent a soft liner over the mound, and MPI shortstop Coen Goeas managed to stop the ball with his foot, but courtesy runner Nainoa Dela Cruz and Lobetos crossed home plate for the game’s only runs.
“I just tried to hit the ball to the opposite field, try to get it past the infield,” Zarriello said. “(Dixon) is good. He’s my teammate on Hawaii Elite (club team). He got the best of me on the first (at-bat). I hit an off-speed changeup. I didn’t catch all barrel, but it did the job.”
Dixon allowed four hits, struck out one and walked four in 2-plus innings. Tokumaru, also a southpaw, went the final five innings and retired 14 of the 15 batters he faced, including the last 13.
The Owls had a runner in scoring position just once, in the first inning after an error on Kamehameha shortstop Elijah Ickes and a single by Chandler Murray. Reyn Matsuzaki then grounded into a 4-6-3 double play to end the threat, and Kiakona stifled the Owls for the next five innings.
In the bottom of the seventh, Goeas reached base on a one-out infield single, but Sanchez retired Kainoa Hayashi and Christopher Cannon on ground-ball forceouts to end the game quietly.
The Warriors have been low-key excited through two ILH games. They have a common thread when it comes to the rest of the season.
“I think just sticking to the fundamentals and just remembering to stay basic,” Kiakona said. “Don’t try to get too big.”
On Saturday, Kamehameha will visit ‘Iolani, and MPI will host Saint Louis.
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ILH
At Ala Wai Field
Pac-Five 6, Maryknoll 5.
W—Zachary Holm. L—Cade Hedani. S—Ezra Lee.
Leading hitters—P5: Ezra Lee 3-4, 2b; Anthony Ahu-Fisher 3b, 3 RBIs. Mary: Noah Bernal 2 runs; Luke Swartman 2-4.
At Central Oahu Regional Park
Saint Louis 3, Punahou 2.
W—Shannon Fee. L—Stryker Scales. S—Tanner Chun.
Leading hitters—StL: Ryder Okimoto 2 runs; Sean Yamaguchi 2-3, 2b, 3 RBIs. Pun: Brendon Sato 2-3.
At Mid-Pacific
Kamehameha 2, Mid-Pacific 0.
W—Alakai Kiakona. L—Payton Dixon. S—Logan Sanchez.
Leading hitter—KS: Jace Souza 2-3.
At ‘Iolani
‘Iolani 10, Damien 1.
W—Izack Takazawa. L—Francis O’Connor.
Leading hitters—Iol: Brandon Wada 2-2, 2b, 2 runs; Mana Lau Kong 2-2, 2 runs, 2 RBIs; Cole Yonamine 2-3, 2b; Ethan Nakamura 3-4, 3 RBIs; Brock Makishima 2-2.
OIA WEST
At Central Oahu Regional Park
Mililani 3, Pearl City 1.
W—Micah Swangel. L—Eli Oshiro.
Leading hitters—Mil: Aukai Araujo-Waiau 2-2. PC: Logan Honma 2b.
