Micah Yonamine belted a pair of three-run homers to help No. 2 ‘Iolani rally past No. 7 Saint Louis 14-7 on a rainy, gusty Thursday afternoon at Goeas Field.
‘Iolani improved to 2-0 in the Interscholastic League of Honolulu. The Raiders (12-3 overall) opened the regular season with an 11-5 win over St. Francis on Tuesday. Saint Louis is 1-1 in league play (6-3 overall).
“We can enjoy it on the bus ride home. Then do the homework, do our chores, come back to work tomorrow,” Raiders coach Kurt Miyahira said. “They’ve been playing in this league a while. Nothing too high. Nothing too low.”
The Raiders are earning a reputation for solid hitting from the top of the lineup to the bottom.
“They’ve hit everyone. They get down, but they never give up,” Saint Louis coach George Gusman said. “Take nothing away from ‘Iolani. They’re an exceptional bunch.”
‘Iolani’s Andrew Quemado went 4 2/3 innings in relief, allowing no runs and no hits. He struck out three and walked three, and hit two batters.
“Andrew did what we needed him to do. He’s one of the guys out of the ’pen just pounding the zone,” Miyahira said.
‘Iolani took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Micah Miyahira doubled to left and scored on a single to center by Yonamine.
Saint Louis scored twice in the bottom of the first. Tory Noah walked with one out and Caleb Lomavita, the starting pitcher, jolted a two-run home run to left.
‘Iolani’s Shaydon Kubo led off the third inning with an infield single. After Miyahira walked, Yonamine smacked a hanging curveball over the 400-foot sign in straightaway center to give ‘Iolani a 4-2 lead.
Saint Louis roared back in the bottom of the third with five runs. Lomavita and Austin Texeira walked, and Stanley McKenzie singled to right, scoring courtesy runner Pat Coronas. After a bunt single by JT Navyac loaded the bases, Hunter Peneueta doubled to left, plating Texeira and courtesy runner Doug Cabinatan III for a 5-4 Crusaders lead.
After Mathew Saelua walked to load the bases, Quemado replaced Jacob Hinderleider and walked Jonah Zembik, forcing in JT Navyac from third. After Cole Kashimoto popped out — ‘Iolani third baseman Aaron Ujimori made a sliding catch at the dugout fence — Quemado walked Noah, forcing Peneueta home. Saint Louis led by three runs.
In the top of the fourth, Kubo was hit by a Lomavita pitch, advanced to third on two wild pitches, and scored on a single by Shane Sasaki to bring ‘Iolani within 7-5.
In the fifth, the Raiders scored six times — all with two outs. Pinch hitter Jaden Arakaki and Blake Hiraki walked before Tate Shimao doubled, scoring Arakaki. Kubo singled to left, bringing Hiraki and Shimao home for an 8-7 ‘Iolani lead. Southpaw Makaio Bruchal entered for Saint Louis, and Miyahira singled to right. Yonamine went after the first pitch from Bruchal, sending a fastball over the left-field fence for a three-run clout.
‘Iolani added a two-run homer by Hiraki in the sixth.
In the seventh, the Raiders scored one more time on a bases-loaded balk by Wyatt Santilena.
