Just like the softball tournament every series was swept by the high seeds in the Central Pacific Bank/BIIF Division I and II baseball semifinals.
Just like last year, Hilo High and Waiakea High will fight for the DI crown, and KS-Hawai‘i will face off against Konawaena in DII.
The finals will be best-of-three series, both of which will take place starting Friday in Hilo’s Francis Wong Stadium.
First Games
WAIAKEA 15 – KEA‘AU 0
Though the Cougars managed to keep the Warriors off of the board for a couple of frames, No. 2 Waiakea routed No. 3 Kea‘au 15-0 to gain a 1-0 series lead on Friday at the WHS baseball field.
Loren Iwata was instrumental in leading the Warriors to a shutout, and tossed an immaculate inning in the top second — throwing nine straight strikes. Iwata pitched all four innings and surrendered just three hits and a walk while striking out five.
The Warriors kept their bats hot. Jesse Inouye went three-for-three and drove in four runs to lead the team. Caleb Wada went three-for-four with four RBIs and Ivor Brooks went three-for-four with two RBIs. Isaiah Justo and Clemson Julian both went three-for-four with one RBI each.
Kea‘au was led by Micah Ibanez, who went two-for-two.
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HILO 10 – KEALAKEHE 0
Cole Hatayama’s RBI double in the bottom sixth inning was enough to have the game called, as No. 1 Hilo High clobbered No. 4 Kealakehe High 10-0 to start the series on Friday afternoon in Hilo.
The Vikings out-hit the Waveriders 11-2, and committed no errors while Kealakehe made five.
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KS-HAWAI‘I 7 – PAHOA 2
Though the Daggers gained an early 2-0 lead and put up a good fight, the Warriors ultimately prevailed — as No. 1 KS-Hawai‘i rolled through No. 4 Pahoa 7-2 on Friday afternoon in Puna.
It was a stalemate early on — as the first three frames were three up, three down for both teams. The Daggers drew first blood in the top third. With Max Potter at bat, Kaikana Bermudez-Keanini scored on a passed ball — then Potter singled on a line drive to right field, batting in Jayden Orita.
Pahoa held its lead until the bottom of the fourth inning, when the Warriors rallied for five runs. KSH plated two more in the bottom sixth.
Designated hitter Liwai Correa led the Warriors at the plate, going two-for-three with a walk and an RBI. Third-baseman Braden Gomes went one-for-three with two RBIs. Shiloh Santos got the start on the mound for KSH and went two innings — surrendering the two earned runs on two hits and three walks while striking out four batters.
Noah Palea pitched the remaining four innings, and was just short of a gem — giving up just one hit and no runs or walks while striking out three.
Tripp Kahsen went two-for-three to lead Pahoa in the box. He also endured all six innings on the mound, giving up six earned runs on six hits and three walks, striking out four.
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KONAWAENA 10 – KA‘U 0
Kona posted 14 hits to Ka‘u’s three. Wildcats catcher Malika Akamu led all batters with three hits, including a double. Kolt Baptista, shortstop Hayden Nishida, designated hitter Tobias Naihe and third baseman Kainoa Smith additionally posted two hits apiece. Kainoa Lorenzo, Tate Garana and Jaeden Meyer also logged one each.
Kona’s Koa Nakagawa was Friday’s winning pitcher — throwing an impressive 85 attempts while allowing no runs on three hits.
Second Games
WAIAKEA 11 – KEA‘AU 0
The Warriors blanked the Cougars again to punch their ticket to yet another BIIF DI title matchup, as Waiakea rolled over Kea‘au 11-0 in a five-inning affair on Saturday afternoon in Puna.
Wada and Lucas Yamanaka combined for a gem, giving up no hits or walks to keep Kea‘au off base through the entire game. Wada tossed the first four innings and notched six strikeouts, three looking. Yamanaka closed out the fifth inning and punched out one batter after two grounded out.
Justo led the Warriors in the box, going three-for-three with an RBI. Brooks went two-for-three with two RBIs.
The Cougars’ season is over at 2-10 overall and 2-8 in the regular season. It was Kea‘au’s best season since before the pandemic, with more wins and a higher playoff seeding than the previous two years.
Waiakea will clash with its cross-town rival in the BIIF finals for the eighth season in a row (excluding pandemic years). The Warriors have won the last three, and are 5-2 against the Vikings through the previous seven playoffs.
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HILO 12 – KEALAKEHE 3
Hilo completed its sweep over Kealakehe in the DI semifinals Saturday afternoon in Kailua Kona.
Ousting the Waveriders in dominant fashion for the second straight game, the Vikings punched their ticket to play Waiakea once again for the DI title.
Kealakehe got out to an early 2-0 lead in the first inning and kept it for some time, but Hilo adjusted and was able to put together 10 runs in the fourth and fifth innings, including nine runs in the fifth. The Vikings’ strong push down the stretch was enough to win the outing.
Hilo had egalitarian support from its batting throughout the afternoon, as the Vikings beat out the Waveriders in hits by 11 to five. Right fielder Jarren Sakamoto and catcher Zion Palea recorded a game-high two hits each. Their teammates — center fielder Koa Marzo Jr., Keean Ogawa, first baseman Jaydon Geraci, designated hitter Talas Sato, Hunter Pangelinan and Lee Marvin Ugalde — posted one each apiece.
The Vikings went through three different pitchers, while Kealakehe went through six.
Kealakehe’s offense was produced through centerfielder Elijah Sunderman, second baseman Kaden Telles, third baseman Rome Joaquin, right fielder Mareho Kellen and shortstop Alson Ioseph notching one hit each.
The DI championship series between Hilo and Waiakea will begin 5 p.m. Friday at Wong Stadium on the windward side of the isle.
• • •
KS-HAWAI‘I 15 – PAHOA 5
The Warriors rallied mid-game to blow past a rocky start and flip the game’s momentum on its head, plating 13 runs between the third and fifth innings to crush Pahoa 15-5 and secure their BIIF DII championship berth.
KSH plated a run in the first inning, as Liwai Correa led off with a double and Koahu Kawelu drove him in with a single.
Pahoa peeled off in the bottom of the first inning, taking advantage of errors and staying patient at the plate to surge for five runs.
Kahsen and Cash Cohen hit singles, then moved into scoring position on a wild pitch. In a flurry of action, another wild pitches and a botched throw allowed Cohen and Kahsen to score.
Donivan Lynch walked, Brayden Conda-Tolle singled and then Landon Haili grounded into a fielder’s choice to reach first and bat in Lynch. Kiakana Keanini singled for an RBI and Jayden Orita walked. With the bases loaded, Jayden Majamay-Sumiki walked and Haili was pushed to the plate.
KSH’s starting pitcher was taken off of the mound, and replaced by Keyan Kanahele, who pitched the remainder of the five-inning game to earn the win.
The Warriors were able to answer with another run in the bottom second, as Kawelu singled to drive in Keagan Pacheco for another RBI.
By the third inning, Pahoa’s pitching came apart and the Warriors took full advantage — totaling eight walks, one hit, a hit-by-pitch and a fielder’s choice to drive in seven runs in the third inning.
KSH stayed in control from there, as the Daggers rotated three more pitchers on and off the mound to no avail.
Kawelu went two-for-three with three RBIs to lead KSH at the plate. Justin Kubojiri went two-for-two with an RBI, and Braden Gomes went two-for-three with two RBIs.
Conda-Tolle led Pahoa, going three-for-three.
Pahoa closed out at 5-7 overall and 5-5 in the regular season. This season was the Daggers’ third year in a row taking on the No. 1 seed in the BIIF DII semifinals.
KSH will play against Konawaena in the finals for the fifth consecutive time (excluding pandemic years). The Warriors have won all four of their title matchups against the Wildcats leading up to this year.
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KONAWAENA 8 – KA‘U 1
Thanks to a three-run first inning and five runs through the fourth through sixth, Konawaena was able to complete its DII playoff sweep over Ka‘u on Saturday in Pahala. The Wildcats posted seven hits to the Trojans’ one.
Lorenzo finished with a game-high three hits to drive in three runs. His teammates — left fielder Kolt Baptista, first baseman Jaeden Meyer, right fielder Kalei Blas and second baseman Tate Garana — logged one hit each.
Kahiau Rivera was the game’s winning pitcher. The ace went five innings, allowed one run and struck out five. Teammate Amafala Marquard notched the save over the final two innings — allowing no runs and striking out four across an efficient 35 pitches.
With the win, Konawaena will advance to play against DII powerhouse KS-Hawai‘i in the best-of-three championship series starting 3 p.m. Friday at Hilo’s Wong Stadium.