By KEVIN JAKAHI
By KEVIN JAKAHI
Tribune-Herald sports writer
HONOLULU — Hilo junior Chayce Kaaua is comfortable playing anywhere — catcher, center field, shortstop or second base — but he feels most at home at Les Murakami Stadium, especially at the plate swinging a bat.
The 5-foot-8 shortstop batted 2 for 3 with two RBIs to spark the Vikings over Pearl City 9-8 in the third-place game at the Division I state baseball tournament on Friday in a time-limit, two-hour game.
In four games at the Hawaii High School Athletic Association tournament, the UH verbal commit batted .462 (6 for 13) in the No. 2 hole at his future home.
He and Waiakea junior catcher Kean Wong, who’s just as versatile, playing shortstop, third base and outfield, gave verbal commitments during their sophomore seasons. Both landed full-ride scholarship offers.
Kaaua was 0 for 3 against Baldwin in the 6-2 semifinal loss, 2 for 3 against top seed Kailua in the 3-2 quarterfinal win, and 2 for 4 against seven-time state champion Punahou in a 5-3 first-round victory.
Randall Iha pitched two innings in relief for the win. Koa Matson also provided additional offense, going 2 for 4 with two RBIs for the Vikings (16-6), the Big Island Interscholastic Federation runner-up.
Lane Asuncion took the loss in relief for the Chargers (11-7), the defending state champion and Oahu Interscholastic Association’s No. 3 team. Pearl City started its backups and brought in the starters in the fourth inning.
Kaaua has been a versatile fielder all his life. He played center field last year, and started at catcher as a freshman. On last summer’s Hilo Senior League World Series championship team, he played second base.
He was recruited as a catcher and UH coaches told him that’s his likely playing position. But he’s open to any spot on the field — either as a Rainbow or a Viking in his senior season.
“At first they wanted me to catch. They still want me to catch,” said Kaaua, whose throws to second base clock in the 2-second range, which is around the major-league average. His best clocked throw was 1.918 seconds. Most college catchers are in the 2.1-second range.
Like most of his teammates on the Hilo Senior League team, Kaaua attends coach Kaha Wong’s hitting school. But unlike most of Wong’s students — such as Kolten and Kean Wong, and Korin and Kodi Medeiros — Kaaua keeps his hands close to his body like he’s ready to throw a sharp punch.
“That helps me be quicker to the ball,” he said. “My swing felt amazing at states. It’s the best I’ve felt in a long time. I just tried to hit line drives up the middle. It’s all thanks to coach Kaha. Before coming here, he made me hit soft toss and hit off the tee. He wanted me to drive everything up the middle.
“It feels good hitting at UH. I can’t wait to play here after high school. I’ll go anywhere they put me. Wherever I play, I can make myself feel comfortable.”
Hilo coach Tony DeSa had a good feeling Kaaua was in for a hot streak.
“He was on point the whole tournament,” he said. “He loves playing on this kind of stage. There was a sparkle in his eye.”
Most memorable for Kaaua was the obvious: the upsets of Kailua and Punahou.
It rekindled old feelings of capturing the Senior League World Series title. He’ll be in his last year of eligibility for Seniors this summer.
“Those two upsets was just a really good feeling,” Kaaua said. “We had plenty of doubters, but it felt good to prove people wrong. But losing to Baldwin was a heart-breaker. Still, the trip was fun.”
Asked to compare the experience of Hilo’s Cinderella run and last summer’s Senior League World Series journey, Kaaua pointed out there’s nothing like beating the best competition in the world. But a potential state championship has its benefits, too.
“The World Series win is better because it’s a longer road. It was game after game,” he said. “But at states, it feels good too because it’s lose and go home. You can come out of pool play at the World Series. There’s more pressure at states.
“I think we’ll be good next year. Hopefully everybody keeps working hard. We’ve got good pitching. Everyone felt how it is to be here and we have to push hard to get back.”
Hilo 120 60 — 9 7 3
Pearl City 210 05 — 8 8 2
Division II
• Maryknoll 12, Kamehameha 3: Kaelen Hirashiki had two RBIs and the Spartans put up four-run spots in the fourth and sixth innings to claim third place at Hans L’ Orange Park.
Aaron Tom got the win in relief for Maryknoll (9-9-1), the Interscholastic League of Honolulu champion.
Keanu Dudoit-Isa had an RBI to lead the Warriors (12-7), the BIIF champion and No. 4 seed.
Kupono Decker pitched four innings and took the loss. Chay Toson and Kaimana Moike each pitched one inning.
Kamehameha 003 000 — 3 7 2
Maryknoll 030 414 — 12 14 1
• Konawaena 15, Waialua 0: The Wildcats scored 11 runs in the fourth inning to run away in a time-limit, two-hour game to capture fifth place.
Makana Canda pitched a three-hitter in five innings. He struck out three and walked one.
Domonic Morris, Royce Torres-Torioka, Jarett Kitaoka and Jordan Miyahira-Young were each 2 for 3 for Kona (14-3), the BIIF runner-up. Ryan Torres-Torioka was 3 for 4 with two RBIs and Evyn Yamaguchi went 2 for 2.
Kekai Rivera-Albeso took the loss for the Bulldogs (8-8), the Oahu Interscholastic Association’s No. 3 team.
Waialua 000 00 — 0 3 2
Konawaena 301 (11)x — 15 14 0