Shysten Nagasato scattered seven hits and struck out four without issuing a walk as Waianae routed Radford 11-1 in five innings to capture its first OIA Division II baseball championship since 2017.

Waianae benefited from generous Radford pitching. The Seariders drew eight walks to beat the Rams for the third time this season.

“Every day, that’s all we work, defense. Plays, situation defense, and it paid off in the game,” Nagasato said. “Pitch to contact, keep my pitch count down and just let the defense work.”

The right-hander was more efficient with each passing inning.

“Later in the game, my pitches started to work. My curveball, change-up, slider,’” Nagasato said. “We want to win states. One game at a time.”

Waianae (11-2) reached the final by outscoring Waialua 14-5 and Kapolei 10-6. Radford (6-7) advanced by beating Kalaheo 11-1 and Kahuku 9-8. This is the first OIA title under under coach Ben McQuown, the former multi-sport standout for the Seariders.

“We lost back-to-back games to Kahuku and Kapolei. That definitely brought us back down. We felt that we were the best team coming in this year after the season we had last year, with all the returners we had coming back. We felt like we had that group, but we needed those two losses to get to this point. Really humble us and make us hungry to get back on track for what we set out for, an OIA championship and a state championship.”

Nagasato and left fielder Rico Duropan, the only seniors on the team, serve as co-captains. Duropan, their leadoff hitter, went 1-for-2, was hit by a pitch twice, and scored a run. Leading a talented, excitable group of Seariders was never a dull journey.

“I treat all of them like they’re my little bros. I take care of all of them. I want the best for them,” Duropan said. “Provide for them and show up for them. Next year, they’re going to come back and do it again. We told ourselves don’t take them lightly. They could beat us like any other team, so we had to be on our game from the first inning.”

Waianae broke it open with an eight-run second inning on just two base hits.

Radford pitcher Jacob Barner’s struggles kicked in as Manoa mist fell on the field at 4:52 p.m. Waianae had a runner on base and one out when Duropan singled to left. With Kyson Rosa at the plate, Barner pivoted and fired a pickoff throw to second base that sailed high, allowing Kai Keesee and Duropan to advance.

Barner couldn’t quite get enough mud out of his cleats despite multiple efforts. His counterpart, Nagasako, singled to left, bringing home Keesee and Duropan for the first two runs of the game.

Cha Rice then surprised Barner with a bunt. Rosa’s courtesy runner, Meycid Moses, beat the throw home and tag to open Radford’s lead to 3-0.

The count was 2-0 on Rico Gazelle when the Rams changed pitchers, bringing first baseman Vivii Tauanuu to the mound. He, too, struggled, walking Gazelle and Samstyn Quel to load the bases. Kamren Atanes walked to force in Rice from third base for a four-run Seariders lead.

Right fielder Ryan Becker then replaced Tauanuu, who moved back to first base. Keesee, batting for the second time in the inning, walked to load the bases. Kona Maxwell then sent a grounder to short, but his toss to second base sailed into right field, allowing Quel and Atanes to score easily.

Becker then plunked Duropan, but induced Rosa into a 4-3 double play to end the inning after 40 minutes.

Radford responded in the top of the fourth frame. Becker led off with a single and Tauanuu’s grounder turned into an error when Atanes, the Waianae shortstop, muffed the short toss from Quel, the second baseman. Nakasato battled back with two strikeouts before Wendell Harrison launched a double to right center, scoring Becker.

With runners on third and second, Nagasako fanned Xavi De Alba to end the inning.

Waianae prevented damage in the top of the fifth. Radford shortstop Angel Garcia and Zyon Telles singled with one out. Garcia stole third base, but with two strikes on Becker, Nagasako fanned the right-handed hitter and his catcher, Rosa, threw out Telles attempting to steal second base.

Nagasako led off the bottom of the fourth with a single, stole second base, and took third. An errant throw by Radford catcher Maximus Davis allowed him to score.

It was an unfortunate play for Davis, who turned in one of Radford’s defensive gems in the third inning with a spectacular diving catch in foul ground near the backstop on a pop-up by Maxwell.

Waianae put the game away with two runs in the fifth. Keesee and Maxwell walked with one out, and after stealing two bases, scored on a wild pitch. Rosa’s two-out single scored Maxwell to activate the 10-run mercy rule.

Waianae’s robust fans were at the game in full support.

“Of course, they came out. We got the whole Waianae here. It feels like home to me,” Duropan said.

Nagasato was willing to keep his younger teammates accountable when necessary all season.

“At the beginning of the year, I had to get on them, you know? We thought we were everything, but we got humbled and I had to (verbally) nail them one time,” he said.

The future — next year — is promising with a busload of returnees, but beyond that, a big question mark for the Seariders.

“Hopefully, it means more kids will be interested in playing baseball. The feeder-level programs aren’t really there right now. There’s no (PAL) Pony baseball in Waianae. That’s kind of tough,” McQuown said. “This is kind of the last group that came up playing together from a young age. Hopefully, this will get the kids interested and get some kind of league started back home. That’s what we need.”

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OIA Division II Tournament

Final

Waianae 11, Radford 1, 5 inn.

At Les Murakami Stadium

W—Shysten Nagasako.

Leading hitters—Wain: Nagasako 3-3, 2 runs, 2 RBI; Kai Keesee 2 runs, RBI. Rad: Zyon Telles 2-3; Wendell Harrison 2-2, 2b.