Whenever crosstown rivals Hilo and Waiakea meet on the diamond, something interesting usually happens, and Tuesday night’s theme was escape-artist pitching.
Despite leaving 13 runners on base, the Warriors outlasted the Vikings 4-3 in eight innings in a BIIF Division I thriller at Wong Stadium, winning on Stone Miyao’s walk-off sacrifice fly.
In the bottom of the eighth, Casey Yamauchi led off with a triple, Trayden Tamiya walked, and David Nakamura had an RBI single off Hilo reliever Sabu Kahe’e, who was pulled for Puukani De Sa.
Pinch hitter Micah Chinen had a bunt single, and Miyao swung at De Sa’s first pitch for an RBI sac fly to right field. Miyao had no nerves about hitting a comebacker to the pitcher or an automatic infield flyout.
“I had confidence in myself,” Miyao said. “And Micah came through before me. I liked how our team intensity was, and everyone kept each other up no matter what happened.”
Hilo also stranded 13 runners, including the bases full in the first and eighth innings.
Yamauchi went 1 for 2 with three walks, while Nakamura was 2 for 4 and Kalai Rosario was 2 for 4 with a solo homer for the Warriors (5-0).
Ty Honda earned the win in relief while Kahe’e took the loss.
Donald Saltiban Jr. was 3 for 5 while De Sa and Maui Ahuna had two hits each, and Dayson Urbanozo-Moses jacked a solo homer for the Vikings (4-1).
Both starters, Hilo’s Ocean Gabonia and Waiakea’s Khaden Victorino, struggled early, filling the sacks with walks and hits. Through three innings, they allowed a combined 16 base runners, including eight walks.
Gabonia left after three innings with a 2-1 lead, which could have been much bigger if not for his excellent escape-artist pitching. He surrendered three hits and four walks and struck out two.
The Hilo right-hander stranded the bases loaded in the first, with two on in the second and the sacks full in the third inning. Gabonia got a strikeout, groundout, and groundout, respectively, to wiggle out of dangerous pickles.
The only run, which was unearned, he gave up came in the first inning when he walked Tamiya, who later scored on an infield error.
Victorino had similar stats: 4 1/3 innings, five hits, two runs allowed, six walks and two strikeouts. The left-hander left six on base, including the sacks packed in the first on a strikeout.
Hilo scored two runs in the second on Urbanozo-Moses’ solo homer, and De Sa’s RBI single.
The tightrope pitching got even better in the bottom of the sixth when Waiakea attempted to cut into Hilo’s 2-1 lead against reliever Nainoa Kane-Yates.
The sophomore right-hander walked pinch hitter Chris Hatakenaka-Gibbs and leadoff batter Yamauchi. Kane-Yates committed an error on Tamiya’s bunt attempt to load the bases.
Nakamura hit a ground to third baseman Logan Respicio, who gunned down the runner at home. Then Kane-Yates got Waiakea cleanup hitter Jacob Igawa on a ground-ball double play to end the threat.
Despite three Viking errors, the defending BIIF champions had a few spectacular plays. In the fourth with two on and two out, Miyao sliced a wedge shot to left-center field.
Center fielder Micah Bello, who plays the shallowest outfield in the league, ran down the ball and made it look like a jog in the park. Respicio had several strong throws from third base, including the bullet throw to home in the sixth.
In the bottom of the seventh, Waiakea’s youthful power potential came to play. Sophomore left fielder Rosario was 1 for 3 with all his balls in play pulled to the left side of the field.
He’s a solid 6 feet with a bulky frame and strong wrists. When Rosario elevates the ball, he’s dangerous. In his second time facing the hard-throwing Kane-Yates, Rosario timed a fastball and blasted it over the left-center fence for a solo homer and 1-1 tie.
“He’s got bat speed,” Waiakea coach Rory Inouye said. “It’s a matter of getting him varsity at-bats.”
In the eighth, Briden Silva reached on a two-base Waiakea throwing error. Paul Anthony followed with a single off Rysen Ross, who was pulled for Honda.
From the third to the sixth inning, the Warriors pitched shutout ball, and relievers Devin Midel, Ross, and Honda didn’t issue any free passes, a good habit of not beating themselves.
Then leadoff hitter Bello flied out to second base. Saltiban poked an RBI single past the shortstop’s hole for a 2-1 lead. De Sa singled before Ryan Ragual popped up, and Respicio was later retired.
“The one thing we’ve been working on is our resiliency,” Inouye said. “Khaden kept us in the game. He got outs when he needed to. When he walked a guy, he wanted the ball to get the next guy. It was nice to see a lot of different arms out there tonight.
“We left 13 on base. Give Hilo credit, they made the plays on defense and got outs.”
Honda, a junior right-hander, was symbolic of how the game went. He allowed the go-ahead run but pitched one inning for the win and stranded the bases in the top of the eighth — good escape-artist pitching by any measure.
Hilo 020 000 01 — 3 10 3
Waiakea 100 000 12 — 4 5 1