The Konawaena offense came to play on Saturday in a 9-5 victory over visiting Keaau at Gabby Inaba Field. The Wildcats also had another strong performance from starter Kolu Alani, who allowed only one run in just over four innings of work.
Konawaena (4-1) jumped out to an early lead on the Cougars (1-2), scoring all of their runs over the first four innings, putting a five spot on the board in the second. Keaau’s batters were held off-balance for most of the game, but managed to push five runs across the plate in the final inning.
“Through six innings, this was a good game,” Konawaena head coach Adam Tabieros said. “Everyone hit the ball and the fielding was good. The pitchers also did their job. It was a good team win.”
Konawaena took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the opening frame. Leadoff hitter Kalya Leleiwi started the inning with a double to left. Keaau starting pitcher Ricky Rapoza then hit the next three Wildcat batters, forcing in a run. The second run scored when Rapoza got Austin Ewing to hit into a double play.
The game was busted open in the second inning as the Wildcats pushed five runs across the plate. Konawaena opened the inning with three straight hits, a double by Boaz Ayers and a pair of singles by Jake Basque and Tristan DeAguiar. Ayers stole home for the third Wildcat run of the game. Basque then scored on a passed ball and DeAguiar tagged up and crossed the plate off a sac fly, which came off the bat of Leleiwi.
Kanai Rivera followed with a single to left and Alani was hit by a pitch. With two outs, Ewing tripled to left, allowing two runs to score for a 7-0 advantage.
Konawaena added two more runs over the next two innings. The first came when Basque singled, advanced to third after a walk and an error, and then scored on a sac fly.
In the fourth inning, AJ Alani singled, moved to third on a walk and a fielder’s choice, and scored on a single by Stevie Texeira.
The Wildcat offense picked up 11 hits. Ewing led the offense, going 3 for 4 with two RBIs.
Basque went 2 for 3 with two runs scored and an RBI. Eight different Wildcat batters picked up hits.
With a comfortable lead early, Kolu Alani allowed only three hits through four innings of work before being pulled for Ayers.
“Kolu stayed in the strike zone, kept the batters off-balance and limited the free passes,” Tabieros said. “Keaau had to earn everything they got.”
Ayers was lights out in his one inning of work, picking up three outs in the fifth inning off only six pitches.
Ayers made way for AJ Alani in the sixth. AJ Alani had no problems in the sixth inning, but struggled with his control in the seventh, hitting the first batter and walking the next two to load the bases.
Tabieros then put Kolu Alani back in but he allowed a single before being pulled for DeAguiar, who allowed two hits, but eventually worked his way out of the inning to end the game.
When the dust finally settled on the last inning, three runs were attributed to AJ Alani and one to Kolu Alani.
“AJ is a freshman and we wanted to see how he would do,” Tabieros said. “He showed us some positives in the game and some things we need to work on.”
In the seventh, the first three Keaau batters reached on a hit batter and two walks, and Noah Armstrong-Smith put the Cougars on the board with an RBI single. Delvin Ongais-Kilaulani followed with a two-run single and with two outs Bronsen Pili’s hit brought in another run, but the final out of the game was recorded on the basepaths. Pili was 2 for 4.
Waiakea 15, Kealakehe 0
Makoa Andres and Rysen Ross combined to pitch a four-inning no-hitter as the host Warriors improved to 4-0 and have allowed only one run this season.
Khaden Victorino finished 3 for 3 with a double and four RBIs for the Warriors, and Trayden Tamiya (2 for 2, two runs scored) and Gehrig Octavio each hit a two-run doubles.
Eli Lai took the loss for the Waveriders, yielding six hits and nine runs – four earned – in two innings, with five walks and a strikouts.
In three innings, Andres struck out four batters without a walk.
In other action, Kamehameha beat Kohala 20-0 and Hawaii Prep beat Pahoa 15-0.
Kamehameha 20, Kohala 0
Kalanikealii Marquez pitched three hitless innings and Bula Ahuna went 2 for 4 with a double and four RBIs as the Warriors (4-0) won at home in that ended in the bottom of the third because ogf TKO.
Kamehameha collected Kobie Kinzie was 2 for 2 with a double and three RBIs, and Kyran Kai and Dustin Asuncion were both 2 for 2 with two runs batted in.
Marquez walked a batter and struck out two. Dylan Salvador took the loss for the Cowboys (0-5).
Hawaii Prep 15, Pahoa 0
Skylar Roque-Sunhara pitched three scoreless innings and Finn Richmond doubled twice in a 3-for-4 day, driving in four runs in Waimea.
Kala Thurston also had three hits with a double and three RBIs for Ka Makani (2-3), while Michael Hughes was 2 for 3 with two runs batted in.
Roque-Sunahara struck out four and allowed only two hits before Kaito Iida pitched a scoreless fourth.
Justin Castro took the loss for the Daggers (0-3).
Friday
Hilo 18, Honokaa 0
Stone Miyao and Micah Bello each hit home runs, and Chad Costa-Ishii collected three hits with two doubles to power the Vikings at Honokaa.
Nick Antony fueled Hilo’s 16-hit attack, going 2 for 3 with a double and three RBIs, Ryan Ragual and Dayson Moses posted two hits and two RBIs. One of Moses’ hits was a double.
Noah Kalaola-Richardson worked three innings for the Vikings (2-0), allowing two hits with four strikeouts.
Caden Perreira had two hits for the Dragons (1-4), while Micah Mendez took the loss.
