Catching up after filing my story on the earlier semifinal, Kalani’s 3-2 win over Waipahu in eight innings.
Kailua doesn’t score in the first three innings, but a line drive off the bat of Noah Auld hits pitcher Carson Okada in the head. The ball caroms to first base, where the third out is made, but Okada leaves the game.
Pearl City, the first-place team out of the OIA West, scored a run in the bottom of the third to take the lead. Colby Hirano walked with two outs against Kailua’s Keiki Kanahele-Santos, stole second base and came home on a single to center by Devin Kapuras. PC 1-0.
Kailua responds with two runs in the top of the fourth against Trestan Nakamura, who began the game as the designated hitter. Lawson Faria led off with a single to left, and Daniel Thomas singled with two outs. Joseph Byers then singled to left, scoring Faria and Thomas to give Kailua the lead. KAIL 2, PC 1.
The Chargers scored a run in the top of the fifth to tie it at 2. Hirano reached on a one-out infield single and Sam Prentice also reached on a infield single. Hirano scored from third on a sac fly to left by Kapuras.
Bottom of the sixth, Kalama has moved from DH to the mound. He walks Christian Onomura and pinch runner Chase Yoshida takes Onomura’s place. Darley strikes out. Then Kalama walks Nakamura on four pitches, runners on second and first with one out.
Kalama whiffs pinch hitter Ansin Mostoles for the second out. Then Matt Aribal sends a 3-2 pitch to left, bloop single and Yoshida races home to score. Ball caroms off him and to the backstop as the runners advance to third and second, but Kalama retires Hirano on a soft liner to second. PC 3, KAIL 2.
Kailua has the top of the order in the top of the seventh. Imanaka works the count full and walks. Low pitch gets out of the mitt of the catcher, Nishijo, and Imanaka advances to second. Kalama steps in, falls behind in the count, works it full and draws a walk. Runners at second and first, no outs.
Noah Auld falls behind 0-2, then slaps an opposite-field single to right, bases now loaded. Faria coming up to bat. Still no outs.
Farias grounds to short, ball takes awhile to get out of SS Aribal’s glove. Farias is safe at first, Imanaka scores to tie the game 3-3, and on the same play, 1B Onomura fires home to get Kalama out. That’s the first out of the inning. Auld at second and Faria at first.
First pitch to the next batter, Joey Cantillo is in the dirt and Auld advances to third. Bad throw by the catcher to third allows Faria to advance to second. Cantillo is issued an intentional walk to load the bases.
One out, bases loaded. Kailua’s go-ahead run is at third (Auld). Keiki Kanahele-Santos grounds to second, force out on the tag on the base runner going to second, Auld scores. KAIL 4, PC 3.
Runners at the corners, two outs. Thomas grounds to second, fielding error by 2B, Faria scores. KAIL 5, PC 3. Three errors in the inning by the Chargers.
Wild pitch by Darley, Faria scores from third base. KAIL 6, PC 3.
Grounder by Byers to short, bad hop and over the glove. Thomas scores from third. KAIL 7, PC 3.
Kalei Kealoha-Machado with a soft grounder to second, ball thrown away, and then during a rundown between first and second, Darley throws the ball into the outfield. Byers scores and then Kealoha-Machado circles the bases. That’s seven runs, one hit, six errors and three wild pitches in the type of inning I haven’t really seen since Little League. KAIL 9, PC 3.
Darley strikes out Imanaka to end the inning.
Pearl City up in the bottom of the seventh. Kalama strikes out Prentice and Kapuras grounds to third. Yokota walks and steals second, then third. Onomura then grounds out to second for the final out.
Surfriders will meet Kailua in an all-East title game on Saturday night.
COMMENTS