The way Honokaa was connecting and showing patience at the plate, Keaau just couldn’t afford any more errors.
The Dragons were gifted three more in the sixth inning Thursday and turned them into a decisive rally.
Canen Perreira collected three hits and drove in five runs, and Justin Birch hit a two-run double during the five-run sixth and provided stability on the mound as Honokaa won a BIIF baseball slugfest, 16-10 on the Cougars’ field.
The Dragons (3-1, Division II) scored at least two runs in each of the first four innings, but they still trailed 10-9 before erupting in the sixth with help from the Cougars (0-4, Division I), who committed six errors in all and whose four pitchers combined to walk 12 batters.
Half of the runs the Cougars allowed were unearned, and Honokaa made just one error.
Chad Yanisigawa scored three runs and finished with three hits, including a double that tied the game 10-10. The Dragons scored their last four runs of the inning with two outs. Yanisigawa scored the go-ahead run on an error.
Ricky Rapoza, Keaau’s third pitcher, threw two innings and allowed five runs, none earned, in taking the loss.
Zavier Ugalde walked four times for the Dragons and scored five runs.
The Cougars trailed 5-0 before scoring seven times in the second, chasing Perreira before he could retire an out. The first seven batters reached, four on walks, including Noah Armstrong-Smith, Bryant Respicio-Mercado and Bronson Respicio-Mercado with the bases loaded. Ethan Santos, who was 2 for 4, fueled the rally with a double, Jonovan Kahoalii hit an RBI single, Edward Oguma lifted a sacrifice fly and Rapoza, who had walked to lead off the inning, singled off Birch to drive in another run.
Birch pitched the final six innings, allowing three runs, two earned, on four hits and three walks with three strikeouts.
Honokaa tied the game 7-7 with two runs in the third courtesy of two walks and two errors, and Perreira hit a two-run single in the fourth.
Keaau came right back with what would turn out to be its last rally against Birch. A walk, Oguma’s single and two balks produced one run, Santos hit a run-scoring single and Dylan Kamakea, who also walked, scored on a passed ball.
After that bumpy ride, the only hit Birch allowed came off the bat of Kamakea in the sixth.
Perreira struggled with his control in his one-plus inning on the mound, but he came up big at the plate. He walked and scored in the first on Taj Vera Cruz’s hit, provided a two-run single in the second and he doubled a runner home in the seventh.
Justin Pascual finished with two hits for Honokaa, which stranded 14 runners, and William Smith had a double.