Playing its best game in the biggest moment, No. 3 Kamehameha won its first ILH baseball championship since before many of the kids on the team were born.
One of those players, sophomore Greyson Osbun, pitched a complete-game four-hitter, and junior Aukai Kea homered and drove in two runs to lead the Warriors to a 7-2 victory over No. 2 Saint Louis on Tuesday at Central Oahu Regional Park.
Kamehameha (13-6), which won the regular season but was eliminated from the double-elimination tournament on Thursday, earns the league’s seeded berth into next week’s state tournament for the first time since 2006.
“It’s been way too long. I’m just happy for the players, and for our coaches and the parents and administration and everyone that has come through the program before us,” Kamehameha coach Daryl Kitagawa said. “I thought that was one of our best games and to play it in the biggest moment, that’s a credit to the kids.”
Saint Louis (13-5-1) beat Kamehameha both times in the regular season and started senior right-hander Jacob Villacorte, who won both of those games and had given up just one run in 11 innings with 19 strikeouts against the Warriors.
Kamehameha matched that run total in the top of the first inning when Kea hammered a first-pitch hanging breaking ball over the left-field fence for the quick lead.
The Warriors added four unearned runs in the bottom of the third inning when six consecutive batters reached base with two outs.
An error allowed the first two runs to score instead of ending the inning and Dane Palimo’o drove in two runs with a single through the left side of the infield to make it 5-0.
Two errors allowed two more runs to score in the fourth inning, which was more than enough support for Osbun.
“They played really good defense,” Saint Louis coach George Gusman said. “When you get a guy who is pounding the zone and they play good defense, that’s a recipe for success. We did not play good defense, and that is something that has carried us all year.”
Kamehameha had started BYU signee Blade Paragas in both games against Saint Louis, but went with Osbun on Tuesday.
Kitagawa said he told Osbun after he beat Mid-Pacific in the tournament on April 19 he would get the start in the ILH championship, giving him plenty of time to get ready.
In four starts this season, Osbun is 3-0, allowing five earned runs in 252⁄3 innings with 23 strikeouts.
“I was nervous, but obviously I have a great team with a great offense that put up runs for me from the first inning,” Osbun said. “From the first game I started with Coach trying to get me in the rotation, I’ve felt pretty good out there and just from there I’ve carried it on to every other start and other than the Punahou start I’ve been pretty solid.”
Sean Yamaguchi doubled in a run in the fourth inning and the Crusaders scored again in the top of the seventh after Kamehameha committed its only error.
Osbun, who retired the first 11 batters he faced, walked two and struck out five and drew praise from his catcher, Kea, who thinks the right-hander’s future is bright.
“He’s really special because he’s young, and with stuff like that he’s going to keep getting better and I just can’t wait to see him grow because he’s going to be a guy,” Kea said. “I came out today and told the boys to leave everything on the field and it worked out for us.”
As the ILH’s seeded team. Kamehameha will open the state tournament at Les Murakami Stadium on May 3 in the quarterfinals.
Saint Louis and ‘Iolani, which placed second in the tournament, are the ILH’s other two teams in states and will begin states in Tuesday’s first round.
No. 3 Kamehameha 7, No. 2 Saint Louis 2
At Central Oahu Regional Park
WP—Greyson Osbun. LP—Jacob Villacorte.
Leading hitters—KSK: Elijah Ickes 2 runs; Jace Souza 2-4, run; Aukai Kea HR, 2 RBIs; Dane Palimo’o 1-3, 2 RBIs. StL: Sean Yamaguchi 2b, RBI.
