Not many local youngsters can claim that they’ve played at a big league stadium, but the Nobu Yamauchi Seniors can put their name on that list.
Not many local youngsters can claim that they’ve played at a big league stadium, but the Nobu Yamauchi Seniors can put their name on that list.
The Hilo-based team rebounded from a slow start to win a pair of games on Wednesday in pool play at the RBI World Series in Cincinnati.
Nobu Yamauchi beat Baltimore 10-0 at Xavier University, and in the nightcap defeated Houston 2-1 at the Great American Ballpark, the Reds’ home field.
It’s an off-day on Thursday, and the quarterfinals begin Friday for the eight-team 19U tournament.
Houston (2-1), Nobu Yamauchi (2-1), and Puerto Rico (2-1) are tied in the West standings. Baltimore (0-3) sits in last place. On Tuesday, Puerto Rico clubbed Nobu Yamauchi 9-2.
In the East standings, Chicago (1-1), Atlanta (1-1), Paterson Baseball Association (1-1), and Cincinnati (1-1) are tied.
Against Houston in the 2-1 win, Nobu Yamauchi scored two runs in the sixth, the last inning, and won despite just three hits.
Matt Aribal led off with a walk, Casey Yamauchi singled, and Jacob Igawa followed with a two-run, walk-off single.
Igawa finished 1 for 3 with two RBIs. Aribal went 0 for 2 and scored a run while Yamauchi was 1 for 3 with a run.
Pearl City’s Carson Okada earned the win in relief of Jonah Hurney, an incoming Hawaii Prep senior.
Against Baltimore in the 10-0 five-inning TKO victory, Nobu Yamauchi scored in every inning and piled up eight hits.
Trayden Tamiya batted 2 for 2 with a run and RBI, and Aribal went 1 for 2 with two RBIs against a Baltimore team that committed four errors.
In both wins, Nobu Yamauchi had zero errors.
Waiakea senior left-hander David Nakamura started, went five innings and earned the win. Justyce Ishii closed out the game.
It’s Nobu Yamauchi’s 25th anniversary and the Senior team’s first appearance in the RBI World Series under coach James Hirayama.