Tribune-Herald
Tribune-Herald
So much for the Hawaii Stars experiencing any afterglow from their feel-good victory.
The shine came off for the Stars courtesy of Jeremy Williams’ three-run home run and Mike Williams’ seven resilient innings Wednesday night in Na Koa Ikaika Maui’s 6-3 victory in Wailuku, Maui.
Hawaii (3-11) fell to 1-7 this season in Pacific Association baseball games against Maui (11-3), which further tormented the Stars by winning with a comeback for the sixth time.
A night earlier, Hawaii ended a seven-game losing streak with a 8-3 victory in which Dallas Mahan finally earned career win No. 50 as a professional.
There was a brief burst of momentum Wednesday, but it didn’t last long at Iron Maehara Stadium.
Handed a quick lead on first baseman Marshall McDonald’s three-run homer in the top of the first, Hawaii starter John Holley (0-1) allowed five runs (four earned) in four innings and was hurt by wildness and the long ball.
The big blow for Maui came in the third. Holley hit Jose Sanchez to lead off the inning and Ray Serrano reached on an error before Jeremy Williams’ first home run of the season gave Na Koa Ikaika a 4-3 lead. Serrano hit a solo home run in first and was 3 for 5, while Williams was 2 for 4.
Mike Williams (2-0) didn’t allow a run after McDonald’s blast — his first home run of the season brought home Dustin Smith, who had singled, and Katsuaki Furuki, who walked. Williams, a 6-foot-6 left-hander, allowed six hits and walked three with five strikeouts. Chris Moebly struck out two in a scoreless ninth for his first save.
Making his third start of the season, Holley (0-1), a graduate of Pahoa High and a former University of Hawaii at Hilo pitcher, walked four batters and hit three more. He allowed six hits with four strikeouts streak snapped Tuesday, but he led off the fourth Wednesday with a triple and scored.
Cortney Arruda enjoyed one of his better relief stints of the season for the Stars, giving up a run in four innings. Arruda, a Hilo High graduate, allowed three hits, including Sanchez’s run-scoring single in the fifth inning, and worked around three wild pitches. He walked a batter and fanned one.
Kamehameha-Hawaii graduate Reece Alnas collected a double and swiped one of the Stars’ four stolen bases.
The six-game set continues at 5:30 p.m. Thursday and Eri “Knuckle Princess” Yoshida is slated to take the mound for Maui. Yoshida came away with a no-decision June 7 at Wong Stadium.
Hawaii 300 000 000 — 3 6 1
Na Koa Ikaika Maui 103 110 00x —6 9 1