KAILUA-KONA – There’s been no shortage of surprises in Keaau’s historic baseball season, which added another drama-filled chapter in a winner-take-all game.
KAILUA-KONA – There’s been no shortage of surprises in Keaau’s historic baseball season, which added another drama-filled chapter in a winner-take-all game.
The Cougars rallied past Kealakehe 10-6 in the BIIF Division I semifinal series on Saturday at the Waveriders field, earning their first spot in the championship.
No. 3 seed Keaau (8-4) will face No. 4 seed Hilo (6-4) in the BIIF championship best-of-three series on Friday — a matchup few could have predicted.
The winner grabs the BIIF crown and a first-round bye in the HHSAA state tournament.
The Cougars have been playing varsity baseball since 2002. They’ve never qualified for states.
“This sets a precedence that the little guys can make it,” Keaau coach Herb Yasuhara said. “With a little work and team effort, you can go far. These guys play for each other and I hope this is a step in the right direction.”
On Friday in a 5-4 win in Game 2, Kanetani pitched a five-hitter, and came back on short rest, picking up the Game 3 win with 3 1/3 innings of two-run relief. Both runs were unearned. Anson Kauwe started and went 3 2/3 innings and allowed four runs (two unearned).
Riley Costa batted 2 for 3 with an RBI and Dathan Wong Chong was 1 for 4 with three RBIs to lead Keaau’s offense in Game 3.
Kealakehe got close enough to taste a BIIF championship series berth. The Waveriders, who have never qualified for states, were in complete control of Keaau.
However, Kealakehe would let the win slip away as the Cougars pushed eight runs across the plate over the net two innings despite only producing three hits offensively.
The Waveriders pitching staff slowly imploded over the fifth and sixth innings. Three pitchers combined to hit four Keaau batters, walk three and throw six wild pitches.
“We fell apart late in the game and were not throwing strikes,” Kealakehe coach Josh Hansen said. “Eight runs on three hits — wow. You are probably going to have a hard time winning when that happens.”
The game started well for the Waveriders. After both teams pushed two runs across the plate in the first inning, Kealakehe took a two run advantage with runs in the third and fourth.
Hunter Cuaresma gave Kealakehe the lead in the top of the third when he executed perfectly on a bases loaded squeeze. Before the bunt, the Waveriders took advantage of a few Keaau mistakes to load the bases.
Shaden Lewi reached on an error by the shortstop to lead off the inning. Pohaku Dela Cruz walked and Markus Degrate was hit by a pitch. With one out, Cuaresma laid down the run scoring bunt, but Cougar starting pitcher Kauwe pitched out of the jam without allowing more runs by getting the next batter to ground out to third.
Kealakehe added a run in the fourth inning when Dustin Waiau reached on a fielder’s choice, stole second, and scored on a fielding error as the catcher’s throw went over the heads of the shortstop and second baseman, and and under the glove of the center fielder.
Dela Cruz started the game on the hill for Kealakehe and after allowing the pair of runs early, he settled down and did not allow another hit until the fourth inning. He exited the game before the start of the fifth, having allowed only two hits and two walks. He struck out two but earned a no-decision.
Though the team didn’t know it yet, Dela Cruz’s exit would prove costly, but Hansen had no choice but to make the change after his ace starter had thrown eight innings the day before.
“Pohaku got the job done done and pitched really well,” Hansen said. “This was one of the better performances I have seen over two games in 24 hours. The kid has a bright future ahead of him when he moves on.”
Hansen went with Pulama Louis to start the fifth inning and Louis struggled, hitting his first two batters. He was quickly pulled and Lewi took the mound with two on and no outs. After a sac bunt, Lewi intentionally walked Byron Cachola to load the bases. A fielder’s choice picked up the second out of the inning but allowed a run to score.
A bloop single to left by Justin Quesada loaded the bases again and then the game fell apart. The next run scored on a wild pitch to tie the game. Lewi then hit two batters in a row, giving the Cougars a 5-4 advantage. Quesada scored on a wild pitch, putting Keaau up by two. A fly out to left finally ended the inning.
After Kealakehe went down in order in the top of the sixth, Keaau scored four more runs in the bottom of the inning. The first run scored on a wild pitch after the runner reached on an error. A walk and two wild pitches produced the second run. The final two runs scored on a balk and a Costa single to left.
Kealakehe tried to fight back in the top of the seventh, pushing two runs across the plate on a Keaau error and single to center by Cuaresma, but the deficit was too much to overcome.
Lewi took the loss on the hill. He allowed five runs over an inning and a third off only one hit. He walked two, hit two, and struck out one.
Though he didn’t figure in the decision, Kauwe played a key part in Keaau’s 10-6 victory. He went long enough to bridge the ball to Kanetani.
The big surprise there? Kauwe pitched only one inning during the season, already a historic one for the Cougars.
Kealakehe 201 100 2 — 6 7 2
Keaau 200 044 x — 10 5 3