Spencer Rego’s first complete game of his career came at the right time for No. 2 Saint Louis.
The junior right-hander hurled a four-hitter, outdueling Mid-Pacific ace Kodey Shojinaga in a 2-1 win at Damon Field.
“In the ’pen, I struggled a little bit in the start, but in the end the energy from my dugout really helped out and I used that momentum,” Rego said. “I felt like my curveball was rough in the beginning but felt really good in the end.”
Rego threw only 74 pitches, a very efficient number.
“People stepped up. The diving plays, good energy,” he said.
Saint Louis coach George Gusman has been able to rely on Rego.
“Spencer was a bulldog out there today. He’s been doing that all year. I’m glad we had just enough runs, one better, so I’m very, very happy for him. He’s put in a ton of work,” Gusman said.
Saint Louis improved to 5-1-1 in ILH play (13-1-1 overall). Shojinaga continually got out of tough spots with his slider and fastball. The right-hander shut down leadoff hitter Nu‘u Contrades and cleanup hitter Aiva Arquette, who were a combined 0-for-8.
Contrades’ participation was a big boost to the Crusaders, who feared that they might have lost him when he suffered a recent arm injury.
“He’s been cleared to throw, so we’ll throw him a little bit today and tomorrow and see what happens,” Gusman said.
No. 4 Mid-Pacific fell to 4-3 in ILH play (10-4 overall). In an error-less game, there were opportunities. Not many, but enough.
“Rego pitched a hell of a game. Kodey pitched well and got out of jams,” Owls coach Dunn Muramaru said. “We played well. If we keep playing like this, we’ll be all right.”
Defensively, the Crusaders had two gems. One was a diving catch near the right-field line by Ryder Okimoto on a line drive by Noah Kubo in the third inning.
In the bottom of the seventh, with one out, Saint Louis third baseman Sean Yamaguchi dove and speared a line shot by MPI hitter Chandler Murray.
The game was scoreless until the top of the fourth inning. Makamae DuPont led off with a single and courtesy runner Micah Soque advanced to second base on a sacrifice bunt by Tanner Chun. Okimoto followed with a double to left, scoring Soque for a 1-0 Crusaders lead.
The Owls answered with a tying run in the bottom of the fourth. Draven Nushida led off with an opposite-field triple to left, then scored on a sacrifice fly to left by Nathaniel Wagner.
Saint Louis took the lead for good in the top of the fifth. Yamaguchi walked with one out and Xander Sielken followed with a single to left.
Shojinaga caught Arquette looking at a slider on the outside corner for a third strike but unloaded a wild pitch with DuPont at the plate, allowing the baserunners to advance. Shojinaga then threw another wild pitch, and Yamaguchi scored standing up.
Shojinaga then struck out Chun to end the inning, but Saint Louis led 2-1.
Rego, who wears No. 2 — “Growing up as a kid, I always loved Derek Jeter” — retired the Owls 1-2-3 in the bottom of the fifth. In the sixth, he hit Wagner on the right forearm with two outs, then whiffed Shojinaga on a high fastball.
The Owls had two runners on in the bottom of the seventh. With two outs, Chance Otsuka singled to left and pinch hitter Reyn Matsuzaki also singled to left. Rego then retired Coen Goeas on a fly ball to center, ending the game.
Next up for Saint Louis is No. 3 Punahou on Saturday, 3 p.m., at Ala Wai Field. Mid-Pacific will battle Pac-Five on Saturday, 9 a.m., at Patsy Mink Central Oahu Regional Park.
At Damon Field
Saint Louis (13-1-1, 5-1-1 ILH) 000 110 0 — 2 9 0
Mid-Pacific (10-4, 4-3 ILH) 000 100 0 — 1 4 0
Spencer Rego and Ezekiel Ribuca. Kodey Shojinaga and Noah Kubo. W—Rego. L—Shojinaga.
Leading hitters—STL: Sean Yamaguchi 1-3, run, walk; Xander Sielken 3-4; Makamae DuPont 1-2, run, walk; Ryder Okimoto 3-3, double, RBI. MPI: Draven Nushida 1-3, triple, run; Nathaniel Wagner 0-1, SF, RBI, HBP.
