Rayvin Pagan belted a two-run home run and Jayden Hunt fired 51⁄3 scoreless innings in relief as No. 8 Kailua overwhelmed Moanalua 9-1 on Saturday.
Hunt’s fastball was efficient, as he threw just 67 pitches after starter Zayne Hookala reached his pitch limit for the week. The tall junior struck out six, walked none and permitted just one hit in a near-flawless performance.
“Hunt was ready to go. He threw strikes. Got ahead. Just went at ’em,” Hunt said. “You can’t defend walks. Let our defense work and make plays behind him.”
Kailua improved to 6-1 in OIA East play, unbeaten since losing to Moanalua in the regular-season opener, 5-3, at the Surfriders’ field.
“We’re getting better. I know we can still improve on a lot of things,” Surfriders coach Corey Ishigo said. “But we’re moving in the right direction.”
Pagan, a burly junior first baseman, went 2-for-3 with three RBIs. Designated hitter Masao Minami went 3-for-4 with an RBI double, scoring two runs.
“It was great. Every time I go to bat, I look for fastball down the middle, something I can hit hard,” the left-handed hitter said. “The beginning of the season, kind of a rough start against Moanalua, but now I think we’ll be OK as long as we hit. We’ve got the pitching.”
Hunt is now 4-0 in league play with 14 strikeouts and five walks in 171⁄3 innings. An 0.40 ERA — one earned run — is testament to his simple approach.
“We were being positive. I knew the team had my back. I felt pretty good from the pen, locating really well. Accuracy was there,” Hunt said. “We brought the energy today. That’s a big thing for our team. Don’t let the other team get in our heads. Just play ball. Our confidence level is through the roof. All the small things matter.”
Moanalua is enduring a four-game losing streak after opening OIA East play 3-0.
“At any given time, any team can win. We’re just not playing that way that we need to or we’re capable of. That’s baseball,” Na Menehune coach Blaine Watanabe said.
The former Mid-Pacific player and assistant coach was aware of two upset wins on Saturday. Punahou knocked off Saint Louis, and Pac-Five beat ‘Iolani.
“Coming from the ILH, this is very familiar, but it’s very frustrating, especially for the boys. It’s hard to lose four in a row, but it’s baseball. Cannot get too high. Cannot get too low,” Watanabe said. “It’s part of the game. Got to learn to make the adjustments and move on. Kailua’s a good team. Corey’s got a good team. All the teams in the OIA are well coached. They’re scrappy. They’re going to play baseball.”
The visitors chased Moanalua starting pitcher Hunter Nishina before the southpaw could get a single out. He walked the first three batters before Ale Kuhaulua slapped a first-pitch single to right field, scoring Kaimana Burgo from third base.
After Minami singled to right, scoring Zayne Hookala, Moanalua replaced Nishina with Brandon Deth. Pagan then scored on a wild pitch, and Kalama Carreira singled to center, scoring Kuhaulua from third for a 4-0 lead.
Ryce Aoki’s 4-6-3 double-play grounder allowed Minami to score Kailua’s fifth run of the opening frame.
Moanalua responded with its only run in the bottom of the first. Rayden Miguel led off with a single to center, and Dawson Sugawa walked. Miguel advanced to third base on a passed ball, then scored on a sacrifice fly to center by Tanner Pangan.
Moanalua threatened in the bottom of the second. With two outs, Hookala hit Nishina, then walked Miguel and Sugawa to load the bases. Hunt then replaced Hookala and induced Kaiden Sonoda-Fukumoto into a groundout to third for the third out.
Na Menehune did not get a runner in scoring position again.
In the third inning, Kailua loaded the bases against Deth, who struck out Sage Tokoro. Jiro Ishigo tapped a grounder to the mound, but Deth fumbled the ball before throwing to first, missing a chance for an inning-ending double play. Minami scored on the play to open Kailua’s lead to 6-1.
In the fourth frame, Hookala hustled for an infield single before Pagan walloped a homer over the right-field fence.
Kailua scored a final run in the fifth against Coy Sasano, the winning pitcher in the first meeting between the teams. Tokoro and Ishigo walked, Burgo laid down a sacrifice bunt, and Hookala walked to load the bases. Pagan then grounded to first base, scoring Tokoro from third base.
Kailua will play Kalani at Kahala Field on Wednesday. Moanalua will meet Farrington at Joey DeSa Field, also on Wednesday.
At Moanalua
Kailua (6-1) 501 210 0 — 9 10 0
Moanalua (3-4) 100 000 0 — 1 2 0
Zayne Hookala, Jayden Hunt (2) and Kalama Carreira. Hunter Nishina, Brandon Deth (1), Coy Sasano (4) and Dawson Sugawa. W—Hunt. L—Nishina.
Leading hitters—Kailua: Hookala 1-2, 2 runs, 2 walks, SB; Rayvin Pagan 2-3, HR, 3 RBIs, 2 runs, walk; Ale Kuhaulua 1-4, RBI, run; Masao Minami 3-4, RBI, 2 runs, double; Carreira 2-4, RBI. Moa: Rayden Miguel 1-3, run, walk; Nishina 1-2, HP.
