By KEVIN JAKAHI
By KEVIN JAKAHI
Tribune-Herald
If momentum means anything, Keaau charges into the playoffs feeling good about itself.
Adrian Huff fired a three-hitter to spark Keaau over Pahoa 4-1 in a Big Island Interscholastic Federation baseball game on Friday, setting the stage for next week’s playoffs.
Huff allowed an unearned run, walked one and struck out nine. He threw an efficient 77 pitches in his complete-game gem.
Maleko Remlinger batted 2 for 3 with an RBI and Jonathan Segovia was 2 for 3 to lead the Cougars.
In the first, Remlinger clubbed an RBI triple, and in the sixth Keha Wong tripled to ignite a three-run rally aided by five Pahoa errors.
Leka Tua pitched well in the loss. He went six innings and gave up four runs — two unearned — on eight hits and no walks, and struck out two.
In the BIIF Division I tournament, Keaau (6-9) plays Waiakea (15-0) at 4 p.m. Friday at Wong Stadium. In the other semifinal, Hilo (11-4) faces Kealakehe (4-8) at 6:30 p.m..
The BIIF champion earns the league’s lone berth to the Division I state tournament, which will be held May 8-11 at Les Murakami Stadium.
In the BIIF Division I tournament first round, Pahoa (1-14) plays at Honokaa (8-4) at 3 p.m. Tuesday. Ka‘u (2-13) has already forfeited its game against Hawaii Prep (7-5).
In the BIIF semifinals, HPA will play Konawaena (11-1) at 11 a.m. Friday at Wong Stadium. In the other semifinal, the Pahoa-Honokaa winner will face Kamehameha (10-5) at 1:30 p.m.
The semifinal winners earn spots to the Division II state tournament, which will be held May 9-11 on Oahu.
Ka‘u forfeited its final regular season against Kamehameha on Friday.
Pahoa 000 000 1 — 1 3 5
Keaau 100 003 x — 4 8 3
Honokaa 7, Kealakehe 4: A Waverider fielding error allowed two runs to score in the top of the sixth inning, breaking a 4-4 tie as the Dragons ended their regular season 8-4.
Senior Dylan Shiraki, who came on in relief of Haku Daniels in the third inning, earned the victory. In three innings, he gave up one run on three hits, striking out three and walking none. Senior Lloyd Edwards followed with two hitless innings in which he walked two batters and hit one.
At the plate, senior Joey Charbonneau hit a second-inning two-run double that gave Honokaa a 4-0 lead.
Kealakehe senior Austin Galigo, who pitched 5 1/3 innings, took the loss. He struck out three, giving up just three hits and one walk. However, he also hit four batters.
The Waveriders tied the game in the bottom of the fifth, when senior Richard Pabre’s RBI single plated junior Cyruss Cho, a pinch runner for junior Bricen Ferreira.
Ferreira, who went 2 for 3, and Bryson Vogelgesang had run-scoring singles in the third inning, and Lennox Costales added an RBI groundout.
Honokaa 220 002 1 — 7 4 2
Kealakehe 030 010 0 — 4 8 3
Kona 9, Kohala 1: Junior Ryan Torres-Torioka surrendered just three hits in five shutout innings at Kamehameha Park as Konawaena ended its regular season with a win over Kohala.
Torres-Torioka walked one batter and struck out five for the Wildcats (11-1), the West’s No. 1 seed in the BIIF Division II tournament. Senior Makana Canda then gave up one run over two innings, and freshman Skye Suzuki ended the contest by throwing a scoreless inning.
At the plate, Torres-Torioka and junior Domonic Morris both went 2 for 3, with Torres-Torioka, Morris and Vinny Chang each driving in two runs.
Sophomore Ricky Ching, who pitched the first three innings, suffered the loss for Kohala (0-12). He yielded six runs on seven hits, striking out two and walking one.
Ching also went 2 for 2 at the plate, while senior Kona Tagalicod drove in the Cowboys’ lone run with a sacrifice fly in the sixth inning.
Konawaena 132 210 0 — 9 12 2
Kohala 000 000 0 — 1 4 2
Standings
Division I
East Division
W-L
Waiakea 15-0
Hilo 11-4
Keaau 6-9
Division II
Kamehameha 10-5
Ka‘u 2-13
Pahoa 1-14
West Division
Division I
Kealakehe 4-8
Division II
Konawaena 11-1
Honokaa 8-4
Hawaii Prep 7-5
Kohala 0-12
Thursday’s result
Waiakea 6, Hilo 0
Saturday’s result
Keaau 4, Pahoa 1
Honokaa 7, Kealakehe 4
Konawaena 9, Kohala 1
Kamehameha def. Ka‘u, forfeit
Playoffs
Tuesday
Division II
East No. 3 Pahoa at West No. 2 Honokaa, 3 p.m.
West No. 3 Hawaii Prep def. East No. 2 Ka’u, forfeit
Friday
Semifinals
At Wong Stadium
Division II
West No. 3 Hawaii Prep vs. West No. 1 Kona, 11 a.m.
Pahoa-Honokaa winner vs. East No. 1 Kamehameha, 1:30 p.m.
Division I
East No. 3 Keaau at East No. 1 Waiakea, 4 p.m.
West No. 1 Kealakehe vs. East No. 2 Hilo, 6:30 p.m.
Saturday
Championship games
At Wong Stadium
Division II, 3 p.m.
Division I, 5:30 p.m.